Jenna Trisko, development director of the nonprofit animal shelter “Ruff Start Rescue,” recently entered in a huge video voting competition  nationally to win $100,000 for community programming.            

 

The contest is called Community Thrives and is being offered through USA Today and Gannett. Nonprofit groups are encouraged to enter in one of the three categories including arts, education and wellness.    

 

The first place prize is $100,000 and two groups from each category will also receive $50,000. Once voting closes, the top 10 from each category will advance to a panel of judges whom will select the winners.          

 

To enter the contest, Trisko submitted a three minute video on an initiative that is near and dear to her heart, helping cats.  The focus of the video is on human and animal bonds and the reciprocal benefits between cats and humans.          

 

Since RSR is located in rural Minnesota and surrounding farming communities, this would greatly help control the population of cats and help to change  the way people see cats.            

 

If Ruff Start were to win, they would provide funding to support community spay/neuter for owned cats and feral cats. Ruff Start Rescue would also have an educational piece, in which they would develop educational materials for the public to gain access to animal welfare resources and behavioral training tips.                

They would also offer programs at their new facility located in Princeton, including "Reading to Cats" and "Yoga with Cats.” Arts and crafts activities would be available to encourage children and families to get involved in animal welfare.              

 

The voting competition is nationwide and starts  May 12th. Ruff Start Rescue is the only Minnesota-based animal welfare organization in the competition but are competing against 600 other wonderful community ideas from around the nation.     

 

Ruff Start Rescue serves  and has lots of volunteers in Big Lake, Monticello, Becker and Clearwater. The grant would serve the entire area if they were to win. Jenna Trisko’s goal is to get this information out to the public in hopes that people will get behind the idea and vote every day and encourage others to do the same. 

 

Jenna said “there is a lot of competition, however it is well worth it to do something great that will benefit many animals and people.”      

          

To begin voting go to, http://act.usatoday.com/submit-an-idea/#/gallery/57683593 or visit www.ruffstartrescue.com