From Mirko: "I'm happy to announce the beneficiary of this year's Midwest FurFest Charity
Auction -- Animals for Awareness, an organization that provides shelter to unwanted exotic animals, rehabilitates native wildlife and runs an extensive education program. You can get an overview of AFA's activities at http://www.animalsforawareness.org."

Why AFA? There are many deserving animal-related charities in the
Midwest,but AFA is one of very few organizations doing this kind of work.
Visiting its Kane County rehab facility, you get a feel for the massive
scope of its job: caring for wildlife injured by human activity, displaced
by urban sprawl, or, worst of all, abused by cruel or misunderstanding
humans who considered them "pets". Animals are either released back into
the wild or kept on site if they're found to be imprinted, or too at ease
with humans.

AFA's wildlife rehab coordinator, Vicki Trost, is inundated by requests from
government agencies, other rehab centers and the general public to take in
animals. At this point, more than a dozen fawns, several foxes, multiple
birds of prey and nearly 40 young raccoons are among the animals cared for
in Vicki's small facility -- there is simply no other place in the entire
Chicago area for these animals to go. (AFA director Kim Schilling cares for
exotic animals, those not native to this area, at her facility in Palos
Park.)

AFA does not plan to expand; the task of wildlife rehab can overwhelm even
the largest of facilities. But Vicki says she spends thousands of dollarson
food, upkeep, veterinary care and other expenses. Kim says AFA can make it
through an entire winter with the kind of money raised by last year's MFF
charity auction. That's what will make this year's auction special -- we
can make a huge difference for a group that helps Midwest wildlife endure,
one critter at a time.

So what do we do? Contribute! Let me know if you can offer a piece of
artwork or a commission for auction, or donate other items such as books,
gift certificates -- the more creative the donation, the more fun! (Please
note, though, that donated _services_ should be limited to commissions of
artwork or other material items.) Complete rules wil be posted to
www.furfest.org shortly. My address is [email protected]. Uncle Kage has
generously offered to return as auctioneer, so rest assured that this will
be no tired affair. :)

To close, keep MFF and AFA in mind! MFF takes place November 16-18, 2001,
with the auction on Saturday, November 17.