There are times in life when we can reach out to help others who are in an incredible need of our services. This is one of those times!
I'm Rick Krane some of you know me as a fish taxidermist and instructor; I'm also the United Taxidermist Associations Taxidermy chairman/coordinator for the Catch a Dream Foundation. As some of you know, Catch a Dream is a non profit organization that provides hunts/fishing trips of a life time for terminally ill children. Part of the dream of many of these children and their families is to have a memory that will be so meaningful to both the child and the family. Memories are what we do better then any one! Our clients pay us to preserve their memories so that they can have years of enjoyment as a reminder of a wonderful and in some cases the most meaningful of accomplishment in some ones life.
This is not the case for the children and the families being served by Catch a Dream. This service that CAD provides is so much more then a hunt or a fishing trip for a memory of a life time; it is one of the last and most meaningful wishes of a child who will not have the time in life to enjoy such a memory. Today I come to you as a taxidermist and as a friend to ask for your help. The United Taxidermist Association has partnered with Catch a Dream to do what we can, as an international organization, to assist in any way we can with our pool of such talented and generous taxidermist who can provide the final piece to the dream.
This cause is only brought forward by the UTA and as my position as the chairperson for this relationship. Members of the UTA and non members alike, I ask of you to share your gifts and help out a child and the family of the child in need. Whether you're a Member of the UTA, NTA, a State Association, the NRA, or just a part time taxidermist, I ask of you to contact me to let me know if you can provide your special service to help make the last wishes of a dream for a child come true.
I have a list which I will post in this message of the up coming hunts and fishing trips that are presently scheduled for the children that Catch a Dream has coordinated so far this year. This list will grow and the reality is that TIME is the most important aspect of this gift you'll be giving back to a child. The time to enjoy the last meaningful moments of the dream hunt for as long as they can, however long that may be.
In some cases a mount or a fish reproduction will need to be turned around in a window of 30days. In some cases longer time can be afforded; but this is child by child as the impact of their illness serves no master. Not even time.
I ask you if you can help, please email me and put in the subject bar "Catch a Dream Taxidermist.” Very simply, tell me where you live in North America what you can do as far as services to help (game heads, mammals, birds etc…) In some case there are some of you that have helped out in the past years with Catch a Dream and we want you still to be an important, knowledgeable participant in the last wishes of a child. I emphasize that this is a taxidermy cause and is in no way a promotion for any organization, not even the UTA. We are all taxidermist, whether you're a member of this or that organization is not one bit important, what is important is that is you can help! If you can donate your time and skills to make a dream of a child come through as the one of the last wishes in their lives, then you make the industry and your kindness shine above all! Taxidermists and sportsman alike is some times a misunderstood bunch, but one thing is for sure that we are a talented and generous bunch! The services are time sensitive and the details are often in short notice however your commitment and your kindness will not go unappreciated! Whether you're a Member of the UTA or not your name will be mentioned in a special posting in the UTA Artisan quarterly publication as well as a personal write up from me here on the net to thank you for your Kindness! So there is no confusion, the UTA will post the agreement between Catch a Dream and the UTA on the UTA website so you can see what we as a group have committed too. I again make mention that ANY ONE member or non member, full time and part timer alike can and are encouraged to help!
What Catch a Dream is looking for is for a mount to be done in a given time line and delivered. The donation of time, labor artist skill is what will need to be the service provided. You will be reimbursed for your shipping expenses and for materials if needed.
To add to our generous list of taxidermy we all ready have on board I have received three very generous offers from some of the leaders in our Taxidermy Community!
Wildlife Artist Supply Company (also known as WASCO) has generously agreed to help out with this worthy cause with the donation of needed supplies for the children's mounts taken in the hunt when and if possible. The taxidermist will contact WASCO and let them know what is needed for the specific manikin, eyes, and ear liners. Your name will be provided to WASCO as the taxidermist who generously will be providing the taxidermy service for the child in need. Catch a Dream will provide reimbursement for the shipping costs as mentioned.
In addition to WASCO’s generosity the second wonderful provider to help the children out for the Catch a Dream Foundation is
Lake Country Replica’s!!! Lake Country will be providing start to finish service for reproductions of fresh water fish! As we know Lake Country is known in the industry for the highest of quality and service!
The salt water reproduction service will be done by no other then World Champion
Mike Kirkheart‘s New Wave Taxidermy!!! New Wave Taxidermy is on board as well to provide the world champion quality and service they are known for over the past 3 decades! All we need is your talent and skill to provide the mounting service for an animal or bird to make a Childs dream come true!
How it works. You will be contacted for example on Friday March 6th and you are informed that a child will be on a hunt or a fishing trip in your area or there about on March 20th. A time line of service turn around will be given i.e., the Boar head needs to be delivered and in hand by April 30th. Once the animal is taken, you will again contacted to coordinate pick up of the hide or cape (reproductions will be coordinated via the phone) you will then begin what will be the final stage of the dream for this child. No one is looking necessarily for the next national or world championship quality piece of work however we must remember that we represent good taxidermists, who do professional quality good work which is in good modern practice. When the mount is completed in a in the time line which will be provided Catch a Dream will also provide a tax donation letter for the amount of the service provided.
The final step in the dream will be one that will so sadly outlast the dreamer. The family however will have this memory and the kindness of you, which they will cherish as a great moment for their child forever!
Please if you can help in this most worthy cause contact me at
rmkinc1@msn.com write in the message bar Catch a Dream Taxidermist!! Help if you can provide and meet the time lines and needs of this most generous service to a child’s dream!
Here is the list of upcoming trips planed to date. The list will grow but this is what I have so far.
Name Species Date Location of trip
* *rush Boar/turkey 3/16/2009 WestCentral,AL Emelle, AL
Crappie 3/19/2009 Jackson, MS
Striped Bass 6/2/2009 NW AL (Weis Lake)
Redfish/Trout 5/25/2009 Empire, LA
Redfish/trout 6/7/2009 Bay St. Louis, MS
Respectfully submitted for considerations.
Rick Krane
United Taxidermist Association: Member at Large
Anglers Artistry
312 Chesterfield Road
Hinsdale, New Hampshire. 03451
Office Phone 603.336.7296
www.anglersartistry.com
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