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Show SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS WEDNESDAY MAY 3, 2000 Community Deborah Northcut receives Volunteer Award By Trade Welton Fifteen years ago, Deborah Northcut bought her first backpack for a Sierra Club service trip to the North Kaibab Ranger District. Currently a resident of Flagstaff, Deborah found the trip while thumbing through a Sierra Magazine at a friends house. Although she had never been backpacking before, she Club and is currently executime and didnt mind being tive director of Wilderness Vodirty or sore, and that even lunteers, recruiting and leadthe ground seemed a little less ing volunteers in service ized she was having a good projects throughout the country. Recently, John Neeling, wilderness specialist for the North Kaibab Ranger District, recognized Deborahs service by presenting her with a volunteer hard. The last five days of the trip the group backpacked into the canyon on the Nankoweap Trail where they experienced a toad bloom, had a near encounter on Tilted Mesa with a Pink Pigmy recalls how it somehow seemed Rattlesnake, and shared an ad- award. like something she needed to venturous raft ride with a scantThrough people like Deborah, be doing. ily clad gentleman from Dela-wrarThe trip lasted ten days and exchanging stories, and the group worked on the South making memories that last a Canyon Trail where they lifetime. That was fifteen years ago, camped at the top for the first five days. Deborah remembers and since that time Deborah how it was hot and dry and she has devoted countless volunkept thinking that at any mo- teer hours to the North Kaibab ment she was going to get in Ranger District performing wilher Jeep and drive home to derness and trails projects. An Price, Utah. Yet, somewhere emergency room trauma nurse, into the fourth day, she real Deborah worked for the Sierra e, who unselfishly give of themselves, the impossible becomes possible and the much needed work can be accomplished. Today, although Deborah leads service trips into numerous forests, parks and wildlife refuges, the North Kaibab is still the place she calls home, afterall its where she first discovered wilderness and her role in the community of nature. Raccoon and skunk prevention tips Preventing raccoons and decide your homes overnight skunks from visiting your home food source makes it a good place can be as easy as doing two to take up residence. Your wood shed, chimney or basement are things. First of all, dont leave food all places the critters may defor your dog or cat out overnight, advises Mike Fowlks, conservation officer with Division of Wildlife Resources. Its an open invitation for raccoons and skunks to feed. Fowlks explained that raccoons and skunks are nocturnal, meaning they feed at night. Food left out overnight for your dog or cat is an open invitation for raccoons and skunks to visit your house. It doesnt take long, Fowlks said, before raccoons and skunks cide to live. Each year the Division receives numerous calls from people wanting t know how to rid their residence of raccoons O Kane County Dental Group PERSONALIZED & COMFORTABLE Ask us about our new orthodontic procedures, with new techniques that decrease treatment time up to 40! Call today for a consult with Dr. John Armstrong. 355 N. Main Street Were your Best Friends Sanctuary salute to the local business community A By Carolyn Mitchell Colorado native Linda Osborn opened a State Farm office in Kanab a year ago. The insurance agent showed up at Best Friends reception for the business community on April 20 to find out more about Kane Countys largest' employer. Seated two tables over at the party in Dennys Wigwam were Terry and John Cottrell, who have been familiar with Best Friends for years. Sanctuary visitors are among the patrons of the Cottrells East Kanab ous for climbing on roofs and Street shop, Special Tees. entering homes through chimcrowd of over 100 the Indeed, neys and openings in outside that for entertainment, walls, while skunks enter build- hors gathered a and doeuvres ing through ground level openreport ranged ings. Fowlks advises homeowners from entrepreneurial newcommerto cover chimneys with a 12 to 1 ers to inch wire, mesh screen that will chants and professionals. Mayor Karen Alvey attended still allow a free flow of air the reception, calling Best through the chimney. Some com- Friends an integral part of the panies make wire, mesh screens and saying, We specially designed for chimneys. community the contributions it A wire, mesh screen also can appreciate to makes Kane County. be used to cover ground level anstatistics Sanctuary and outside wall openings. When a free flow of air isnt required, nounced that night confirm the Fowlks advises covering these Mayors assessment. Best Friends employs 164 people, openings with wood or metal and skunks. By not leaving food for your dog or cat out overnight, youve done a lot to prevent these problems, Fowlks said. Those who live in areas with raccoons and skunks are also advised to cover any openings to their home and other buildings. Fowlks said raccoons are notori skirting. Kanab, UT 84741 6 T-sh- irt state-of-the-sanctua- ry long-establish- ed red rock country scenery across thousands of television screens in those major markets. TV crews from all over the US are blown away by the beauty of this place, Cyrus Mejia, Best Friends community liaison, told the audience. The media stories about us are promoting not only Best Friends but also the beauty and hospitality of southern Utah. In his remarks, Best Friends magazine editor Michael Moun- tain said sanctuary founders settled in Kanab for many of the same reasons that attracted the ancestors of current residents to the region. We liked the honesty and decency and integrity we found here, Mountain said. In 1990, those qualities met the test when the sanctuary fell on hard times and needed leniency from its creditors. We asked you to give us a break, Mountain said. Your generous response showed us that people are willing to help us care for homeless animals and marked the beginning of our membership program. Today Best Friends has 170,000 members nationwide, many of them enlisted by publidraws thousands of visitors cations touting Kane County as yearly, and will pay $ 1.7 million well as the sanctuary. Mounin construction projects alone to tain went on to announce that Kanab businesses this year. Best Friends is preparing to The evening, celebrating benefits that accrue to the entire community from Best Friends success, was also a tribute to the local backing that has sustained the sanctuary for 15 years. A videotape assembled by sanctuary outreach director Francis Battista demonstrated how media coverage of Best Friends draws attention to its surroimdings. Recent reports on Best Friends launch a statewide initiative to make Utah the first state in the US where there will be no more homeless pets. The program will be administered by Best Friends and financed by a foundation grant that will pump $7 million into the states economy. Over the years Best Friends has evolved into a great and magi- cal place to come to, Mountain TV network stations in San concluded, and none ofthis would by Francisco, Denver and Kansas have been possible without coopCity splashed Kanab, Utah and eration from everybody in town. Local business people interested in the future of Best Friends gathered for entertainment, hors doeuvres and a report ry |