There are many reasons we are fortunate to live in Fountain Hills, not the least of which is to have the support of Republic Services Community Grant Program. There are only two cities in which Republic Services provides the grant: Fountain Hills and Readington, N.J. In each, Republic Services provides a $10,000 grant to the community group receiving the most votes from recycling customers. There are five local organizations/projects asking for your votes; more information is available at republicgivesback.com.

So, given that each of these organizations is in need of the funds and each does “good work” for the community, why am I writing? Because I really want you to vote for Fearless Kitty Rescue. Full disclosure: I volunteer for the agency and I’ve adopted a cat from the agency. I love our community and the work Fearless Kitty does to make our area clean and safe. As a no-kill rescue shelter, FKR takes in our cats, provides medical treatment, and, in most cases, finds them a permanent home. Cats not adopted stay at FKR for the rest of their lives.

The work done by FKR is not necessarily visible to everyone in the community. You may not notice the approximately 9 colonies of feral cats in town. These colonies will grow in size unless FKR conducts a Trap/Neuter/Release program (TNR). Cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, and released back into the colony.

Feral cats are returned to the colony because any “vacancy” is soon detected and other cats move in, thus increasing the size of the colony. Managing the colonies results in fewer cats being born, fewer accidents caused by feral cats running into the streets, and less aggravation to home and business owners.

Please support Fearless Kitty Rescue with your votes.