Meet Toronto Cat Rescue’s Volunteer Executive members! If you are wondering who the “Voice of TCR” has been behind the blog posts and TCR responses, it has been this dedicated group of ladies.
Cathy K.’s main role for TCR is fundraising, as well as feeding and trapping a feral colony. She helps to organize the TCR booths at Pride Street Fair and Vegetarian Fair, and she is always looking for new ideas to make money to help the kitties. In her other life Cathy owns and manages a travel business that specializes in European cultural and walking tours. Her other interests include golf, reading and looking after her own pampered cats.
Colette M. is an adoption/line 1 volunteer for TCR, helping our rescue cats and kittens find perfect forever homes. She has several other roles in TCR that include trapping, feral colony caretaking, booking vet appointments, training new adopt-a-thon volunteers, working with several pet stores in the downtown core finding homes for and organizing adoption events. Colette is also our TCR liaison for the Toronto Feral Cat TNR Coalition and the Toronto Cat Committee. She shares her home with Loulou – the temperamental calico, Biggie – A.K.A Snagglepuss the Main coon, Beau-beau – the baby of the house and Henry the chinchilla. Colette moved to Toronto three years ago after completing her MBA in Oxford, UK. She currently works in the finance industry and enjoys traveling, writing, spin classes and macrobiotic cooking.
Dawn H. teaches visual art to high school and post secondary students. She works closely with Cathy K. to oversee and organize most fundraising events for TCR. With the help of other TCR volunteers, she organizes the annual Bowl-a-thon and the Christmas Craft show. She makes catnip toys, cat beds, cards, and tails for fundraising events, as well as designing images for screen printing on t-shirts/bags to sell and wear at TCR events. New volunteers interested in fundraising are forwarded to Dawn for information to get involved. She also maintains shelters and feeding for strays in her neighbourhood.
Heather B. has several roles in TCR including, fostering, trapping, and booking vet appointments. She is also a representative for the Toronto Feral Cat Coalition, as well as the liaison between several feline friendly charitable organizations and rescue groups. Heather works as a compliance officer in the investment industry and shares her home with her blind dog Reggie and her blind cat Hope.
Kyra A. helps coordinate TCR foster homes and is Driver Coordinator. She just completed a Masters degree in International Relations at McMaster University and currently working on publishing her major research paper on the social construction of water and making water a human right. Currently, Kyra works for the Government of Ontario. Her interests include international travel, professional sports, yoga, reading, cooking, and baking.
Linda W. takes care of the finances and mail for TCR. She has fostered kitties in the past but her TCR adopted cats Kuro-chan and Jasmine won’t allow any more of that. Linda spends her days as a primary school teacher. In her spare time when she isn’t doing administrative work for TCR, Linda enjoys camping, yoga and reading.
Michelle L. maintains the TCR website and TCR Facebook Page – it is always a wonderful moment to move a kitty to “Adopted!“. She shares her home with her hubby, her baby daughter and five lovely female rescue cats. She loves playing with her little girl, but if there is time Michelle enjoys sitting in a garden, drinking a glass of wine and reading a book… and if the garden happens to be in Paris – all the better, cause that’s her favourite travel destination!!
Nalini R. is a feral colony caregiver, which includes educating and involving the public with TNR(M) projects. Nalini is also involved in fundraising, both for the colonies and for TCR as a whole. Nalini lives with her two cats Koala and Bourbon who is FIV+. She is a Business Manager at a manufacturing company, overseeing Administration and Inside Sales/Service. During the summer you will find Nalini spending her weekends just north of Huntsville enjoying the tranquility and nature.
Tracey L. coordinates 2 of the 5 Petsmart locations affiliated with TCR, which involves scheduling and arranging training for over 150 lovely volunteers. You can see her cuddling kitties and cleaning cages at any of her stores throughout the month. Tracey is an Acting Captain with Toronto Fire Services and is a single parent to an energetic little boy. Her TCR kitties are all special needs, Little Red Riley is FIV+ and Braces is the most nervous kitty Tracey has ever met – getting a snuggle is something special from this little girl. Tracey loves to dance and enjoys watching horror movies and scrapbooking about her experiences.
