Thank You, Brat Coordinators!

I am proud to announce that BRAT Coordinators completed 230 adoptions during 2012.  This number represents many hours of volunteer labor lovingly completed by dedicated BRAT volunteers.  From the first notification of a basenji needing a new home to his or her eventual placement, a team of volunteers makes certain that each rescued basenji has all of his needs met.   The Regional Coordinators send the Rescue form to the District Coordinators.  The DC either coordinates the placement or assigns another coordinator.  The next step in the placement process is an evaluation of the basenji, usually done by a volunteer who is closest in proximity.  If accepted, the basenji is typically moved to a foster home and the real work begins.  Working together, the Coordinator and Foster volunteers make certain that each dog is fully vetted and in optimum health before going to an adopter.  Prior to any placement the adopter must have a passing vet reference and a home visit unless they have previously adopted from BRAT.  Once the adopter is chosen the Coordinator must plan the transport to the new home, frequently done by the Basenji Underground Railroad (BUR).  Post placement tasks done by the Coordinator include post adoption counseling, completion of paperwork and recording of important data. 

For organizational purposes BRAT divides the USA into three Regions and has three Regional Coordinators, Roberta Kosek in the East, Liz Newton in Central, and Oren Will in the West.  The Regional Coordinators are typically the first to receive notices that a basenji needs a new home.  Of the 230 basenjis placed in 2012 seventy-five* were from the Eastern Region, one hundred and thirty* were from the Central Region and twenty-five* were from the Western Region.  Texas is by far the busiest state.

*figures may be slightly inaccurate due to basenjis being moved between districts

I want to recognize and thank each of the many District Coordinators and Coordinators but special recognition is deserved by Rick Reinhold who placed thirty-five basenjis and Suzanne Sarlls-Hartwell who placed thirty-one basenjis in new homes.  Like many other dedicated District Coordinators, they also fostered many of the basenjis they coordinated.

Below is a complete list of the volunteers who coordinated in 2012.

COORDINATORS

Alicia Vig	Jacque Holdaway	Lindy Ireland	Ray Eckart
Ann Ketcherside	Jarod Johnson	Liz Newton	Rick Reinhold
Barbara Narehood	Jeanetta Brown	Lori Stowe	Roberta Kosek
Beth Schmidt	Joe Carlson	Melody Townsend	Robin Nuspl
Chris Miles	Judy Murray	Michelle Martinis	Sabina Trumble
Debbi Johnson	Judy Stahl	Oren Will	Sarah Zuncs
Diana Martin	Kate Moore	Pam Hamilton	Sonya McCully
Dyan Baughan	Keith Lewis	Pat Dukes	Suzanne Sarlls-Hartwell
J. R. Key	Kristen Ayres	Pat Petersen	Tonya Ahrens
Jack Austin	Linda Webb-Hilliard	Paula Nikonow	Wendy Rogers-Morris
Jackie Kuhwarth