The life and health of Westies improved:

By Ed Sheldon

Summer, 2005

Many of you are receiving a copy of our quarterly newsletter for the first time. Because this is so, we would like to give you a brief description of the several methods the Westie Foundation of America (WFA) has used in order to raise more than $300,000 that has been used or will be used in the future to fund health research and health education directly relevant to our Westie breed.

First of all, the WFA is a 501-C3 charitable corporation. Consequently your contributions to the WFA are tax deductible for you and the WFA is exempt from federal corporate tax.

The largest portion of the funds we have received came from the forty individuals or couples, ten regional clubs and the National club who donated $2,500 each during the first five years of the WFA’s existence. Many of those donors have continued to contribute $500 annually.

In addition, significant dollars have been raised from generous donors in lesser amounts than the “Founders” contributions.

1. WESTIE GIFTS – We sell a full catalog of art, clothing and Westie chocolates. Some of the art has been donated (tax deductible for the owner). The largest stock of this art work has been donated by noted British Westie artist Barbara Hands. Westie Gifts sells on the internet at www.WestieGifts.com and at the Montgomery County National Club specialty in October.
   
   
2. We have a WFA affinity credit card. We derive several thousand dollars annually from this source because many of you use the card.
   
   
3. Thomas and Kathleen Eyles have donated week-long stays at their Sloane Square flat in London, England, on two prior occasions. We have sold raffle tickets across the United States and Canada for each of these two raffles. We have received several thousand dollars from this source. We are currently selling raffle tickets for a third time thanks to the Eyles once again making their London flat available to us. For more information, contact Kim Smith at Kimsmith91@hotmail.com.
   
   
4. Occasionally we have sold art and collectible items at auction. We are planning to enter into the “E-Bay” auction site in the near future. Keep an eye peeled for that.
   
   
5. Some of the Regional Westie Clubs have staged WFA fund raisers such as “Westie Walks.” If you don’t have an address for your Regional Club, contact Kim Smith, kimsmith91@hotmail.com.
   
   
6. We have three different “remembering/ recognition/greeting” programs:
   
   
   1. Memorials – Donations on behalf of individuals or Westies who have passed over the Rainbow Bridge.
      
      
   2. Honorariums – Congratulatory notes honoring an achievement or milestone in the life of an individual or their Westie.
      
      
   3. Holiday Greetings – Christmas, Easter, Mother’s day, Birthdays, etc.
      
      
   
   
7. The “Legacy Alliance” program deals with Wills, Gifts and Bequests. It obviously asks Westie owners to remember our little white friends in their wills. Monies received from this source are placed in an Endowment Fund. Assets in the fund cannot be spent. Only the earnings from those assets can be spent. Consequently, the Endowment Fund lasts into perpetuity. It will be working for the health of our Westie breed long after any of us are still here.

We have a very extensive “Legacy Alliance” package available to any of you who would like one. We are told by the American Kennel Club’s Canine Health Foundation (CHF) that our package is the best one produced by any of the breed groups.

We are proud of the rather remarkable success that many of you have helped the Westie Foundation achieve. Without you, our rating in the TOP FIVE of all the breed health groups could never have happened AND....by the way....this has all been done by volunteers. There are not, nor have there ever been any paid employees. OUR ONLY COMPENSATION HAS BEEN OUR WESTIE’S LOVE.

The Westie Foundation of America, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation, recognized by the IRS as a 501 (C) (3) organization. The mission of the Foundation is to provide financial aid and other support for medical research in order to benefit the health and quality of life of West Highland White Terriers; and to further develop and communicate information regarding the health, care, breeding and quality of life of Westies to Westie owners, Westie breeders and veterinarians.