The Huntley Farmside

              SERVING THE PEOPLE OF HUNTLEY SINCE 1960
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USPS 580-360
TUESDAY December 24,1996 - VOLUME 36, NUMBER 38 - HUNTLEY, ILLINOIS
TWENTY-FIVE CENTS
A CHRISTMAS STORY - Huntley Style
Huntley Firefighters Rescue Dalmation Cats
*Jhis "dalmation" cat, saved by Huntley Firefighters, iViakes itself at home at the fire station.
Huntley Farmside Holiday Schedule
Tbe Huntley Farmside ofBce will be closed firom December 23,1996 tiuBUgh January 3, 1997. To give tiie staff a much-needed vacation. The Farmside will not publish on January 2.1997.
We will resume normal ofRce hours and production schedules beginning Monday. January 6.1997. The next issue of The Farmside will be published on January 9,1997.
Thank You. Huntiey, tot making 1996 a reccvd setting year! Fot allowing us tiie opportunity to ccmtinue to be VOUR Hometown Newspaper.
By Joyce Liput
There were no racing fire trucks, no "Jaws of Life," no ambulances, but the Huntley Firefighters were once again saving lives.
Two tiny, scrawny littie kittens were huddled in the empty lot behind the fire department in November. They were obviously motherless, hungry...and terrified of humans. Naturally, Huntley's heros in blue came to the rescue.
Each day the firefighters on duty would put out some food and water. They started putting it out far from the building, then gradually moved the dishes closer and closer. Once the kittens were feeding by the door, and could feel how nice and warm it was inside, the team just snuck out behind them and shut the door. Now they stay in all the time. "And we all chip in to buy the food," said Fire Chief Dave Veath. "We don't use taxpayers money for the cats."
One is black with white spots, and the other is white with black spots, sort of like dalmations. You can tell the cute, little balls of fur have worked their way into the hearts of every shift. And, each shift seems to have their own names for them, too. They like to tell stories about their "babies", too.
Now that they've been living with the firefighters for a few weeks, the kittens are beginning to be a littie more friendly, and have learned the firehouse routine. Every morning they are waiting right outside the bedroom door for breakfast. They like to nap curled up on the rolls of fire hoses, or in coats, or boots. One has gotten brave enough to come to the front office, where it sits under a chair, watching the chief working at his computer. And, a prospective firefighter was startled during an interview to see a cat peeking out from the Christmas tree.
The story goes that if they ever get tame enough, they already have good homes lined up for the cats. I'm not sure any of the firefighters are ready to give them up yet though. And after all, what's a firehouse without dalmations? Even if they are cats.
Sleeping on the rolled fire hoses is a favorite past time for this fire department cat.
Feed the Hungry Campaign Dec 31
Dr. Jim Walsh, of Walsh Chiropractic in Huntiey, will once again hold a "Feed the Hungry" campaign on Tuesday, Dec. 31, from 9am until noon.
Chiropractic treatment will be provided in exchange for non- perishable food items to be donated to Grafton Food Pantry.
All donations stay in Grafton Townshp, which feeds about 50 local families a week.