Page 41 - Chow LIfe - Spring 2019
P. 41
Take The Lead
How Do We Provide Assistance?
by Thomas Bradley
When we began in 1993, we had raised $35,000 as period is for 3-4 months but extension requests may
a beginning figure to fund our operation. We were be submitted. We have helped some clients for many
impressed with the generosity of our friends in years to one degree or another. Once approved, the
the sport. We quickly became organized and bills are submitted by the client to our office and in
“legal”. We are a 501c3 not for profit charity most cases are paid within 24 hours. We are not
as designated by the federal government. permitted by regulations in any case to ever
We operated under federal guidelines and pay the client directly. Only bills that have
must adhere to those rules. been previously approved may be paid.
Let me explain a little how we operate. Now this is the hard part. Once the
Our guidelines, established by our application is completed and documents
Board of Trustees, state that we were attached, it is submitted to the Assistance
established “to assist those qualified Committee. The Committee consists
members of our sport who are suffering of three Board members and only they
the devastations of a terminal or life and our Office Manager, who pays
threatening illness”. To me, that’s pretty the bills, will ever know who has made
self-explanatory but maybe not to those application for help. We can guarantee 100
who haven’t dealt with this for 25 years. % confidentiality. No one on our Board ever
Our guidelines tell us that “qualified members knows who we are helping or to what extent.
of our sport” refers to those people who have We have found that this part is essential to our
been involved with showing dogs for at least success.
five years qualify to be considered for What do we pay for? In ongoing medical
assistance. This means anyone who has cases, we frequently pay for doctor and
been involved for five years. Exhibitors, prescription co-pays. We also pay health
breeders, handlers, judges, stewards, insurance premiums and some hospital
superintendents, vendors and more co-pays when possible. In addition,
may apply. we often pay mortgages, rent, utilities,
Apply- that’s the key word. This insurances, telephone bills, in house
application may be obtained online private care, some travel expenses and
at www.takethelead.org or by call our many other living expenses. We do not
office at 1-800-814-1123. Monday pay credit cards or animal care/veterinary
through Friday 8:30am-3:30pm Eastern bills as our mission is to help people in
time. It is seven pages long and must our sport not animals. We hope though
be completed prior to sending it in and that by paying some of the clients day to
it should be accompanied by a doctor’s day bills, they will be able then to pay
letter and a copy of the client’s most their other bills.
recent tax return. I know this sounds Unfortunately, we also pay for funerals.
complicated and it is. We apologize In many cases, funerals for people who
for that but we are obligated to make though our organization have become
certain that the funds donated to us close friends. We can take solace though
are correctly spent. in knowing that our friendships have
The application is very detailed and been based on our ability to make their
contains items that assure you are final days more comfortable.
who you say by asking for references. Once that is My advice when asked if someone should make an
accomplished, we ask for a diagnosis of your illness application is always YES. The decision as to who we
and exactly what bills you are asking us to pay. The can help is strictly up to the Assistance Committee
Assistance Committee then reviews the application and we are all in debt to them for the hard work that
and, if approved, decides which bills we can pay and
for how long a period of time. In many cases, this (Continued on page 46)
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