Melissa Lowery is fundraising
Celebrating My 50th Birthday by Saving Tiny Lives
Hi friends, family, and fellow animal lovers,
Shocking news: I’m turning 50 this year. I know! And yet, here we are. I generally prefer a low-key birthday, but this is a milestone, and I decided that I want to go big. But instead of gifts or a party, I’m asking for something that means so much more to me: your help supporting a cause that’s close to my heart — saving the lives of sick, injured, and orphaned cats and kittens.
I’m raising funds for the Street Cats Club, a small, volunteer-operated animal rescue in Lyon County, Kansas, that works tirelessly to care for the most vulnerable felines in our community. They specialize in TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) for feral cats and run a lifesaving foster program for orphaned kittens, injured strays, and cats with serious medical needs.
Last year, I joined the Street Cats Club's board of directors and am now its president. I knew they were doing important work, but actually seeing what all goes on behind the scenes is eye-opening.
I see the TNR team sacrificing their free time to trap feral cats, take them to a safe holding space, transport them to clinics around the state to be sterilized, provide post-surgery care, and return them to their colonies the next day. They spend hours on evenings and weekends when they could be relaxing; they work remotely so they can stay on top of their day jobs at a clinic an hour away while 30 cats undergo sterilization. I see the TNR requests continue to come in from the community (1500 and counting). I see the conversations about prioritizing colonies that are exploding beyond the caregiver's capability. I see the constant hustle to find more free and low-cost spay/neuter options, to ask for donations and write grant proposals, to beg the city for help as the stray cat population grows.
I see our foster homes getting up in the middle of the night to bottle-feed day-old kittens that have been taken away from their mama, dumped, and left to die. I see the fosters administering meds to sick and injured cats rescued from dire situations. I see them providing love and softness to kittens rescued from abuse and neglect. I see the heartbreak when we don't get to a cat in time. I see the grief when medicine and around-the-clock care aren't enough to save a sick kitten. I see the relief when a tough case turns a corner and starts to improve. I see the joy when a foster cat realizes it is safe and begins to thrive. I see the celebration when a cat finds its forever home.
Street Cats Club doesn’t have fancy facilities or big sponsors — just passionate volunteers, generous fosters, and an ever-growing list of animals who need a second chance. Their veterinary and medical costs make up two-thirds of their yearly expenses, and as you can imagine, that adds up fast.
So for my milestone birthday, I want to give something back.
Here’s how your donation will help:
$25 provides vaccines for a rescued kitten
$50 helps cover spay/neuter surgery for a feral cat
$100 contributes to emergency medical care for a sick or injured cat
$250 supports round-the-clock care for orphaned newborns
Even a small donation can help provide warmth, safety, and healing for a cat who has never known kindness before.
I’ve witnessed firsthand how much love and care Street Cats Club pours into every life they save. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate 50 years than by helping give these cats and kittens the future they deserve.
If you can, please consider donating to this campaign. And if you’re unable to give at the moment, sharing this page is another powerful way to make an impact.
Thank you for helping me turn this birthday into something meaningful — for me, and for the many lives we can save together.
With gratitude and love,
Melissa (aka Mel) (aka Aunt Sissy)
P.S. Spay and neuter your pets!
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