Operation Kindness (OK) for Hernando County Animal Services, Inc. was formed by a small group of local animal advocates to enhance the quality of life, increase adoptions and educate the public on behalf of the animals at Hernando County Animal Services. OK is a nonprofit organization providing financial and in-kind support to HCAS to enhance the care of all animals in placement. And now, Operation Kindness is offering the public a number of enjoyable and beneficial ways to aid their support of animals in need.
All are invited to support shelter animals at the Operation Kindness Third Annual Yard Sale on Saturday, April 29, from 9:30 am – 2 pm at Rotary Centennial Dog Park, 10375 Sandlor St., Spring Hill. In addition, those with items to donate can contact OK at [email protected] or 352-573-3811.
“This is our third yard sale to support the shelter. All proceeds will be used for the benefit and care of the animals at Hernando County Animal Services,” said Abby Evert, group president. “This might include enrichment items for the animals, medical equipment for our Vet Clinic, medical care for the animals beyond what our Vet Clinic can offer, and so much more!”
Indeed, it can be said that Operation Kindness for Hernando County Animal Services has fundraising ‘in the bag,’ especially since the charity has been selected as a beneficiary of the Winn-Dixie Community Bag Program for the month of April at its 4221 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill, location.
The Winn-Dixie Community Bag Program is a reusable bag program that, according to a related notice, ‘facilitates community support with the goal to make a difference in the communities where shoppers live and work.’
Selected for this honor by store leadership, Operation Kindness will receive a $1 donation every time a $2.99 reusable Community Bag is purchased at the Mariner Boulevard location during the month of April unless otherwise directed by the customer through the Giving Tag attached to the bag.
For more information on the Winn-Dixie Community Bag Program, visit seg.2givelocal.com. Operation Kindness also boasts a talented team of volunteers and adoptive pet parents who find their own creative ways to give back to the help agency that plays such a major role in their lives.
Hernando County Artist Judeii Kerrington, a devoted OK volunteer and pet parent, finds that her involvement with the noted animal charity inspires her art. And at a recent Operation Kindness auction, her painting “Patiently Waiting” brought in $450 for her beloved beneficiary.
“Judeii’s done some terrific things artistically to enhance the shelter and has been a generous donor with her paintings,” said Evert.
It was OK volunteer Dottie Brown who first introduced Judeii Kerrington to Operation Kindness. Now her artwork reigns as a permanent fixture at Hernando County Animal Services. “If you saw the Hernando County Shelter, you would see a lot of my paintings there, from the silhouettes in the ceiling tile to the cat portraits in the cat room, to a group of 3 paintings called “Windows of Hope,” she said. “Anything I can do to bring attention to these lost babies and their plight and hopefully raise some money to help them.”
This cause is very personal for Kerrington, a pet parent, to rescue animals, Junior and Rosie. “Everything I do is to place a permanent tear in everyone’s heart that sees the paintings,” she said. “So that they will adopt, not buy.”
Kerrington has donated a number of paintings to OK fundraisers, the first of which was a sentimental piece entitled “All I Need.”
“Patiently Waiting,” Kerrington reveals, tells the story of animals in need of a good home.
“This last one, I let the Operation Kindness ladies name it. If you look at the animals, the reason I put so many different ones is that they get everything at the shelter, from parrots, pigs, rabbits, dogs, and cats. The pillow had an OK logo, and the dog had dropped his ball, waiting for someone to pick it up and play. There is no more of a calming thing at the end of day than to have a little love cuddle you and a glass of wine on the beach. Look closely in the background in the clouds, you will see all the little ones we were not able to save. This makes me cry just to think about it.”
Kerrington will be selling matted prints of both Operation Kindness paintings, with all proceeds going to the group. She also has given OK all the rights to these paintings. “If I can save one baby and, in my own way, find a warm lap for them, I have done what God has put me on this earth to do,” she said. “And that, and that alone, is my motivation.”
