A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, "Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can't save all these starfish. You can't begin to make a difference!"

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,

"Well, I made a difference for that one!"

February

In 2012, Malinois Rescue coordinated close to 80 major "precious cargo" transportation runs. That is over 1 coordinated run per week! And for many of those runs, 2 or more dogs were transported to their foster or forever home! Unbelievable!

What is even more astonishing is the combined miles from the various transports. Just last year, ABMC Rescue-coordinated transports drove a total of 53,410 miles! That's equivalent to driving to and from Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA (one round trip) TEN TIMES! WOW!

This does not take into consideration the short "runs" each Coordinator handles on a weekly basis, pulling dogs from shelters and getting them to their local foster homes. The average major transport requires 10 or more on-the-ground volunteers to ensure our "precious cargo" reaches its destination safely. And coordinating all of this for one trip is no easy task.

So … a BIG THANK YOU to Lin and our many other wonderful transport volunteers … without you, we would not have been able to make these trips and foster and forever home connections happen! Nice work friends!

As we move forward in 2013, all visible indications state we are sure to exceed the numbers in 2012. And we suspect with the continued economic challenges many are facing, we will begin to lose on-the-ground volunteers, which will halt transport and strand a Malinois in need of getting to their foster or forever home.

To help ensure we do not leave one Malinois behind in 2013, would you please consider joining the Miles for Malinois club with a contribution of a gas card to assist those who are willing to assist, but just don't have the funds for fuel?

Miles for Malinois is a group of savvy-supporters who understand the importance of Malinois Rescue's transportation program, and come together to help ensure the resources are available to keep the wheels (and dogs) moving.

The next time you are in line, waiting to pay for fuel, please consider picking up a prepaid gas card and donating it to Malinois Rescue.

And YES, your donated gas card is tax-deductible and, as always, GREATLY appreciated.

Please mail your Miles for Malinois "membership" contribution (i.e., gas card) to:

• Miles for Malinois
• c/o Lin Karrels
• 1906 Mound Hill Road
• Dixon, IL 61021

If you would prefer to make an online donation, please follow the Network for Good link below. Be sure to include "Miles for Malinois" in the Designation area.

Thank you in advance for your generous support and Malinois-like drive to ensure the transportation program never stalls.

January

Monthly sustainers are a dedicated group of individuals who provide ABMC Rescue with the steady and reliable resources needed to answer the ongoing urgent calls for help. This loyal group of supporters contribute a modest amount on a monthly basis via automatic credit debit card.

Many of the calls ABMC Rescue receives must be answered at a moment's notice; leaving little time for public pleas for help. Will you help ensure we have the steadfast financial support to continue our life-saving work in 2013?

Why Become a Sustainer?

Impact: Spreading out your tax-deductible support is easier on your wallet, but still has a significant impact on our ongoing needs.

• Your $10 a month will protect an ABMC Rescue dog from the, at times, deadly heartworms.
• Your $15 a month will provide the resources to vaccinate one to two ABMC Rescue dogs, EVERY month!
• Your $25 a month will help pay for the spaying or neutering of an ABMC Rescue dog.

Convenience: Choose a gift amount that works for you. Should circumstances change, and you wish to increase, decrease or stop your monthly support, you can do so at any time. Upon request, we'll send you a summary of your contributions each year for tax purposes.

Your modest monthly gift of $10, $15, $25 or more will help ensure the rescue and rehabilitation of a Belgian Malinois in need.

Please Make a Malinois Difference Today by becoming a Friend of Malinois Rescue with your generous monthly tax-deductible contribution.

Thank you!!