Organizations scramble to find new home for events pushed from fairgrounds
Jan Miller and Mona Lykins drove the streets Wednesday in hopes of finding a new home for their cat-adoption event.
The Route 66 Cat Club of Springfield, now in its third year of sponsoring The International Cat Association Purebred and Household Pet Cat Show, finds itself among organizations forced to look for a new venue as a result of electrical problems at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">This year's show is scheduled for April 12-13. Somewhere. Maybe.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">"We're scrambling to find space. We're driving around, looking for empty buildings, calling owners of the buildings and doing whatever we can," said Miller. "We need at least 10,000 square feet."
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">The volunteer organization - Miller, Lykins and Ann Arnold, all of Springfield, are the primary coordinators - works closely with Sangamon County Animal Control and other shelters to find "show" cats.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">In the first two years of the event, more than 70 homeless cats have been adopted at shows that drew would-be owners from as far away as California and New York. At least 100 cats are expected for this year's show.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">TICA, based in Harlingen, Texas, is a worldwide organization that promotes cat adoption, spay and neutering programs and responsible breeding practices, including through shows such as the one planned in Springfield.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">Purebred cats are included, but Miller said the emphasis is finding homes for shelter cats.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">"We go out to the shelters, and they work with us. We choose cats based on attitude, but we try to get the older ones that have been there for a while," said Miller.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">The show comes complete with ribbons for the winners.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">"We give them baths and get their nails trimmed, just like a regular show," said Miler.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">The $118 adoption fee includes spaying or neutering, and shots.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">Miller said there is no shortage of vacant space in Springfield, but finding an owner willing to rent space for a two-day, weekend show has been difficult.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">About 20 vendors of cat-related products also are signed up for this year's event.
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">Additional information is available from Miller at (217) 415-2451, Lykins at (217) 801-7677 or on the organization's Web site, www.route66catclub.com.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;" class="body">Tim Landis can be reached at (217) 788-1536.