March 10, 2005
Greetings Florida Animal Friend:
Great news. Our license plate is on the road, to umm, like actually to being on the road! We have been advised by the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles that we'll be going to print on or around March 7 and the plate should tentatively be available for sale in May.
So we are going to celebrate this historic event in a big way and you are invited to the party!
WHAT: Florida Animal Friend License Plate Kick Off
WHEN: Tuesday, May 24, 2005
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Reception
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Program
WHERE: Signature Grand, Davie, FL
COST: $35.00 per person
We will be holding a raffle to raise funds for the public relations effort. The sooner we get the word out about the availability of the license plate, the quicker the sales, which means that we can get the process started to fund spay and neuter programs across the state.
Your help in donating a gift certificate, gift basket or even a trinket for our gift baskets is greatly appreciated. We also have corPAWrate underwriting opportunities. Please call me if you can assist us.
Watch your e-mail and our website for more information about our party. In the meantime, please save the date!
On one final note, we're still searching for an animal friendly CPA to partner with, as well as a public relations firm. Please pass this information along to others that you think may be interested.
For the animals,
Leslie Mann
State Coordinator
Florida Animal Friend, Inc.
13153 N Dale Mabry
Suite 105
Tampa, FL 33618
813.968.4364
www.floridaanimalfriend.com
January 14, 2005
Happy 2005 Florida Animal Friends:
I am proud to report that Governor Jeb Bush and members of the Florida Cabinet gave their final approval to our license plate on December 7, 2004. And now, "hi ho, hi ho," it's off to print we go! There are a few other plates that are also in the process of being printed, so it is too early to tell where in the lineup ours will fall. Hopefully, by the time we send you next month's update, we will know more...so stay tuned!
We are planning a wonderful event to celebrate the Florida Animal Friend License Plate. It will take place in South Florida sometime in May. More details to follow next month. In the meantime, if you have a service or goods that you would like to donate for the event or raffle, please let me know. Items include gift certificates, gift baskets, and gifts of any type. If you have a business and would like to donate a service, the sky is the limit! We also have event underwriting opportunities such as invitation and program printing, entertainment, decorations, etc. We really need your help!
It is with great pleasure that I announce the addition of Dr. Julie Levy to our team. So many of you know Dr. Levy and/or of her fabulous work in the animal community. She is a professor at the University of Florida School of Veterinary Medicine and a founding member of Operation Catnip. Dr. Levy has joined our Grants Committee and is now working with us to develop the grant application and funding distribution process. Speaking of joining our team. We are looking for an animal friendly CPA to join the team. If you are interested, or know of someone who might be, please contact me at 813.968.4364.
I invite you to join with me in congratulating Senator Nan Rich for receiving a 2006-2007 Legislative Achievement Award from The Humane Society of The United States. Senator Rich is one of only ten legislators in the entire country who were recognized for their contribution of exceptional work, time and effort on behalf of the animals. Senator Rich received this award for sponsoring and enacting the legislation to create the Florida Animal Friend License Plate.
Lastly, based upon your inquiries, we have posted new Frequently Asked Questions on our website. They are also listed below.
Q. When will the license plate be available for sale?
A. We are expecting the license plate to be available for purchase sometime during the Spring or Summer of 2005.
Q. Where can I purchase it?
A. The license plate will be available for purchase at any county license tag office. Click here to get a list of offices: http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/offices/
Q. How much will it cost?
A. The cost of the plate is $25.00. This is on top of the regular new plate or renewal fee that is charged by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Q. How does it work?
A. When you renew your registration at your local tax collector's office, simply let them know you wish to replace your current tag with a specialty license plate. If it is not time in your tag's cycle to replace the metal plate, you will pay a few additional dollars to switch to a specialty plate. Specialty tags cost a set fee (annually) above the standard Florida tag, and the fees vary based on the tag. These additional funds go to support the cause for which the tag was designed. In this case, Florida Animal Friend will receive $25.00 for each plate that is purchased (and renewed each year!).
Q. Can I have my pet's name put on the plate?
A. Yes. That means that you will have a personalized, specialty plate. It will cost an additional $12.00 to personalize your plate.
Q. How will the proceeds of the plate be used?
A. The revenue generated from the sale of license plates will be distributed to non-profit organizations and animal shelters around the state for spay/neuter programs.
Q. How can my organization apply for a grant?
A. The grant application is in the process of being written.
