Dog & Bone Night in Aid of Local Dog Rescue Friday Dec 23rd
Written by Lisa | 12.14.11
Coincidence?
I think not.
EMC23 Before MADRA
We at EMC23, are unabashed dog lovers (click the images to see how unabashed!) We have come across a fair few stray dogs during our travels. The more dogs we took on, the more dogs we picked up, literally, along the way. We discovered MADRA mid way through this journey, and we are happy to proclaim, they enlighten and inspire us, and for that, we are devoted :)
It started with Sausage
All you really need to know about him = Cheeky Little F**cker
(and our closet favourite!)
I lost this dog so many times.
When I needed to find him, the internet was my primary tool, and in the hands of local folk, proved 90% effective.
The other 10%? He came back when it was time for dinner.
Then came Bacon
One night, during which Sausage was living the life of luxury as "only dog", we went for a late pint.
During the walk home, we met Bacon. In that same moment, Bacon met an oncoming car (who drove on, we are disgusted to add).
We contacted MADRA for the first time then, while trying to reunite him with his owner. This time, I plastered the internet, the local streets, and dog rescues with appeals, and got nothing but well wishers. He became a happy, and healthy addition to our entourage.
EMC23 After MADRA
Back in the autumn of 2009, that same entourage was out walking, and came across a little dog, who was all too happy to follow us home. As we can't walk by a dog who shows no street sense, we invited him in.
We contacted MADRA through their website www.MADRA.ie, where they'd just published a call to action for volunteers.
They needed people to volunteer their services in helping promote MADRA. In exchange, they would fill our lives with perpetual puppies.
Who could say no to that?
We took on the MADRA website and they've kept their word.
We are lucky to be offered opportunities to be involved in causes we believe in.
The Local-Global Connection
During our time as web developers for MADRA, we've also had the opportunity to improve our skills and our scope considerably. Over the last two years, MADRA.ie has received over 50,000 unique visitors. Based on MADRA's recent figures, we estimate that they have rehomed around 1500 dogs, in the last three years, from 2009 until now.
MADRA is reliant on local-based action to achieve its goals, that of providing homes for unwanted dogs, while helping avoid dogs ending up unwanted. Marina Fiddler, Tara Nic Dhiarmada and many dedicated MADRA volunteers like Maja Grings and Eileen Keleghan, spend A LOT of time working in their local communities to raise awareness about MADRA and the general welfare of dogs in Ireland.
Our job as web developers, is to reinforce these actions, by supporting the online environment to foster communication and education, both with the public at large AND within the membership of the MADRA volunteer team.
When networks are built, they can reflect the community and grassroots organisations, that they serve. They can be open networks that foster information exchange, cooperation and connectedness.
MADRA Website Features:
- The online photo album is updated regularly, offering information about the dogs currently needing homes, and also acts as an organisational tool for the MADRA team.
- MADRA's online shop sells material and digital items. This allows the MADRA team to offer tried and tested merchandise, AND excersice their creativity by dabbling in new digital mediums for fundraising. The shop allows the public engage with MADRA in a manner that is fun and rewarding - by purchasing a gift certificate that covers the cost of basic, but essential veterinary bills, for example.
- For those interested in MADRA-themed topics like dog welfare and grass roots movements, the website links to MADRA's social networks, announces upcoming community events and MADRA fundraisers, and provides articles on training and dog care. Visitors to the MADRA website can also subscribe to receive the MADRA e-newsletter,which compiles the latest news into email form.
- The website is MADRA's primary online donation inlet, and activities on Facebook often lead back to the site through compelling status updates and entering into conversations with the MADRA fan base. MADRA's Facebook page has broadened its reach considerably, and due to the generous nature of Facebook fans (especially MADRA's) in sharing information, has played an integral part in successfully rehoming unwanted Irish dogs.
Enter Floyd
This guy?
We call him Freaky Floyd for short.
He's hilarious.
Floyd came to us as a big, floppy foster pup, and so shy of humans. Now, he's our best friend.
People + Information = Meaningful Content
A good rule of thumb: Nothing beats the real thing. So, sure, the MADRA website is lovely, but the real value is in the guts of it. A website is nothing without great content, and that comes from real people.
PR, Marketing, Events Management & Fundraising
MADRA's running costs are in excess of €100,000 annually. MADRA rely heavily on donations to cover these costs, and spend a great deal of time and energy planning and executing fundraisers with the help of MADRA volunteers, supporters and Eileen Keleghan.
It's because of the work MADRA does, on the ground, that makes this NPO such a treat to promote. People, especially dog lovers, tend to be very generous when given the opportunity to support MADRA. What we do, in cooperation with Eileen and MADRA volunteers, is create those opportunities.
Joomla - the International Community
MADRA.ie is a Joomla website.
Joomla is Open Source software, and Open Source, for us at EMC23, comes from the same place as MADRA does. It comes from unique, multicutural, multifaceted people volunteering their widely diverse skills and time to a common aim. The local and the virtually local have become almost indistinguishable.
Western Webs and iDonate
iDonate is the project of local web marketing company Western Webs. Western Webs have been living and doing business in the West for years. They are the first local company we've had the pleasure of meeting who really know how they cater for and add value to community businesses and charities.
iDonate text-a-donation is being unrolled for MADRA during the Dog and Bone night.
Let's Party!
Join us Friday, Dec 23rd, at Monroe's Live, in Galway, for some great music, dancing, schmoozing, and donating!
Rob