About Us

Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Shelter is an organization that doesn’t run for profit. Our mission is to provide a safe, loving, forever home for endangered big cats, and to educate the public about their situation in the wild. Our primary focus is in the rescue of cats from serious situations. Once an animal is taken in at Catty Shack Ranch, they will have a loving, forever home for life. Now we need some volunteers to help us.

What Do Volunteers Do?

Our volunteers at the Ranch do a variety of projects including upkeep of enclosures, yard work and landscaping, cleaning and preparation of residents’ food items, guiding tours. We also have our Thrift Store that needs volunteers. It provides a perfect opportunity for the person who needs to be inside from the Florida heat, or just loves to help out with retail（零售）! Thrift Store volunteers help with selling items, cleaning, and organizing the store.

Volunteer Requirements

You must be at least 18 years old, if volunteering for “school community service hours”, volunteers may be 16 years old but must be accompanied at all times by a parent or adults.

You must be able to volunteer at least 8 hours a month to be an “active” volunteer.

Before volunteering, all paperwork and appropriate documentation must be completed and turned into our Volunteer Coordinator.

How to Become a Volunteer

Join us for a Volunteer Meeting on the first Thursday of every month at 6:00 PM. At the meeting, please bring :

① Completed Volunteer Form （download here）;

② Drivers license or official form of ID;

③ $ 20（cash or check）for your shirt and volunteer badge（徽章）.

Additional Information

If you have further questions about volunteers, please contact us by email, we will respond to your inquiry within a few days.

When I began planning to move to Auckland to study, my mother was a little worried about the uncertainty of living in a place that was so different from India, where we lived. She worried particularly about the lack of jobs, the cultural differences and the chance that I would face racism.

Despite these worries, came to New Zealand in July 2014. I have found the place and people very nice and supportive. Soon after I arrived, realized the importance of getting a job to supply my living expenses.

Determined to do this on my own, I spent a whole day going from door to door asking for a job. However, I received little or no response. This became my routine every day after college for a few weeks.

One afternoon, I walked into a building to ask if there were any job opportunities. The people there were very surprised, and advised me not to continue my job search in that manner. As I was about to leave, a clerk in the building, who had been listening to what the others had said, approached me and asked if I would wait outside. Fifteen minutes later, he returned. He asked me what my plans were and encouraged me to stay confident. He then offered to take me to the Royal Oak area to search for a job.

I was a little surprised, but had a good feeling about him, so I went along. Along the way, I realized that I had run out of copies of my resume（简历）. The man stopped at his business partner’s office to make me 15 extra copies. He also gave me tips on dressing and speaking, and added that I should give him a call if I ever needed anything. I handed out my resumes and went home feeling very satisfied. The following day, I received a call from a store in Royal Oak offering me a job.

It seems that the world always gives back to you when you need it. And this time, it was a complete stranger who turned out to be a real blessing.

Whether you’ve been in college or you’re looking forward to going to university in the future, you and your family likely spend some time worrying about the cost of your college education. It’s no secret that college is one of the biggest investments. However, that will go to great avail for years to come. Earning scholarships is a great way to help you. The Financial Aid Office at Illinois State helps students identify scholarship opportunities every day. Here is some advice to help you.

Begin in your own backyard

Have you asked your high school or community college financial aid office about scholarships at your school? Many schools have a list of several scholarships right there. Local awards can often be easier to get as the applicant pools are smaller and less competitive. Check with community organizations, banks and credit unions, and large employers who may offer scholarship opportunities in your area.

Find your “hook”

While you’re searching, consider what makes you special as a student. Your unique characteristics can help your scholarship applications stand out. Pay special attention to awards that mention your best qualities, whether that’s academic achievement, leadership, community service, or something less common. Think about why a donor wants to assist you in paying for your education. Most scholarship providers want to encourage a particular behavior. Companies may want to attract future employees. Non-profit organizations like helping those who support their cause or suffer from the disease they’re working to fight.

Develop a routine

Every scholarship is different in terms of when you can apply, what you need to submit, when the winner is announced, and how the money is given to you. Typically? scholarship applications open in the late fall or early spring for the next school year’s awards, but that also varies depending on the donor. There isn’t a single application or search engine that allows you to find and apply for everything. Visit the website of the Office of Student Financial Aid for lists of scholarship opportunities. Go through the lists to find the ones that match you best and keep track of when you can apply for them.

Loui Armstrong had two famous nicknames（绰号）. Some people called him Bagamo. They said his mouth looked like a large bag. Musicians often called him Pops, as a sign of respect for his influence on the world of music.

Born in 1901 in New Orleans, he grew up poor, but lived among great musicians. Jazz was invented in the city a few years before his birth. Armstrong often said, “Jazz and I grew up together.”

Armstrong showed a great talent for music when he was taught to play the cornet（短号）at a boy’s home. In his late teens, Armstrong began to live the life of a musician. He played in parades, clubs, and on the steamboats that traveled on the Mississippi River. At that time, New Orleans was famous for the new music of jazz and was home to many great musicians. Armstrong learned from the older musicians and soon became respected as their equal.

In 1922 he went to Chicago. There, the tale of Louis Armstrong began. From then until the end of his life, Armstrong was celebrated and loved wherever he went. Armstrong had no equal when it came to playing American popular songs.

His cornet playing had deep humanity and warmth that caused many listeners to say,” Listening to Pops just makes you feel good all over. “He was the father of the jazz style and also one of the best-known and most admired people in the world. His death, on July 6,1971, was headline news around the world.