Year end wrap up As we look back over 2001 and ahead to 2002, we thought it would be a good time to showcase some of the accomplishments the Bill Foundation has made over the past twelve months thanks to all of you.  This year we were able to rescue 218 dogs from the shelters in Los Angeles. Of those rescued dogs 209 were helped by the Bill Foundation to find new and loving homes (see Class of 2001 article), while four are in permanent foster care with Bill Foundation volunteers.  In addition, we assisted in the placement of 30 dogs, dogs that were rescued by Bill Foundation volunteers from the streets or from abandonment in veterinary facilities bringing the total number placed into homes up to 242! Below are some photos taken at our regular Dog Adoption Fairs held every Sunday from 11:00am to 3:00pm at Centinela Feed on Robertson in Beverly Hills (just south of Burton Way).  In addition to the dogs who traveled through our rescue program, approximately 200 dogs (and 14 bunnies) were pulled by our dedicated volunteers from the Shelters on behalf of other rescue organizations who were not able to make it to the shelter in time to save the animals. These are dogs (and bunnies) who would most likely not have survived the shelters were it not for the willingness of these special volunteers.  Some of these dogs were actually referred to "breed" rescues where they would be out of harms way. Either directly or indirectly, The Bill Foundation was instrumental in saving the lives of nearly 450 animals in Los Angeles last year.   Another proud accomplishment, though one more difficult to measure objectively, is the impact that we have had on the Los Angeles shelter system and the community as a whole. A. J. Navarrette, an Animal Control Officer at the South Central Los Angeles Shelter, wrote to thank us for our work and told us that we were instrumental in increasing the adoption rate at that facility by 200% in 2001. In doing so, we have provided an important service to the community by making shelter adoption a more accessible and a more viable option for would-be dog-owners than it would have been otherwise.             We held several fundraisers over the year including two Hollywood style cocktail parties, several bingo games and even an Ebay auction (which is still going on, check it out).  Jeffrey Tambor, Aaron & Candy Spelling as well as Kelsey Grammer all showed their support for the great work the foundation is doing.  Along with donations from our supporters, we were able to make it into 2002 with our doors still open. All monies raised went for dog rescue, medical care and boarding. Because the foundation has no paid staff, and because we have been able to negotiate favorable rescue rates with our boarding and veterinary service providers, approximately 90 cents of every dollar donated to the foundation is applied to boarding, medical care, feeding, training and other expenses that directly affect the welfare of the dogs. The other 10% goes toward liability insurance, the lease and maintenance of a vehicle for transporting the animals, office expenses, and fundraising expenses. We are hoping to find additional funding sources in 2002 as our rescue work continues to grow along with our expenses. We are looking into grant and endowment possibilites.  The Bill Foundation is made up of an all volunteer staff, there are no paid employees. We currently have approximately 25 volunteers and can always use more help. If you would like to volunteer, please go to our main website and checkout what you can do to help save dogs in Los Angeles. The Bill Foundation tries to place all of the rescues in foster homes when possible. This past year only 25% of our dogs were able to go to foster homes. We are always looking for new foster homes (see article on The Joys of Fostering). A very Happy New Year to all and a special thanks to those who have supported The Bill Foundation over this past year.  We look forward to a bigger and better 2002.