It could be when you’re at work or in the dead of night when you’re fast asleep.
Whatever the time of day, you better watch out; because you might find yourself “crittered” by Debbie Tablotney.
In a bold bid to raise money for her Ride to Conquer Cancer cycle to Seattle in August, school trustee Tablotney is on the prowl around Richmond, setting up “critter campouts” on the lawns of unsuspecting “victims.”
On the behest of victims’ friends, Tablotney and her helpers are ready and very willing to plant flamingos, buzzards, pigs, skunks and elephants on the lawns in question.
To get rid of the critter invasion, all you simply need to do is make a donation to Tablotney’s Critter Campout for Cancer fundraising campaign.
Once you’ve done so, you can then nominate the next venue for the critter campout.
And if you’re paranoid you could be next, you can, for a minimum $10 donation, take out an “anti-critter invasion” insurance policy.
Tablotney’s first “target,’ Richmond-East veteran MLA Linda Reid, was more than happy last Friday to cough up a $100 donation to rid her lawn of the pesky critters.
“When I’m asked to support cancer research, there’s no question. I was happy to be the first!” said Reid, who was joined on the lawn of her South Arm home by her very surprised son, Will.
“Now I’m going to challenge my friends; at least five of them are going to get nominated.”
As Tablotney — who said she picked Reid as her first target because “she’s a good sport and has a sense of humour” — arranged the critters on the lawn, landscaper Wayne Spence, who was working next door, popped over with a random donation.
“I recently lost my sister to cancer, so I’m all for this kind of thing,” said Spence, as he handed Tablotney $20.
Tablotney needs to personally raise at least $2,500 as part of the Brainiacs team, which will take part in the 200-kilometre cycle ride.
“It’s for a good cause and almost everybody has been touched in some way by cancer,” added Tablotney, who lost her sister, Jackie Sinnerud, to colon cancer in 2010 and her father to a brain tumour in 1982.
“This is my third year at doing this. My sister originally talked about it and I suggested we do it together. We never managed it.
“Every year, we have to do something to new, as we can’t just keep asking for money and this seemed like a really fun thing to do.”
If, in the unlikely event someone is genuinely angry to find the critters on their lawn, then, “so be it,” sighed Tablotney. “I’ll just come and remove them. But I’m hoping that most people will take it with the good humour it’s intended and for a good cause.”
Anyone wanting to help Tablotney with her cause can email her at [email protected], call 778-233-0028 or go to www.conquercancer.ca/goto/DebbieRide.
She and her teammates, Lucy and Richard Nash and Barry Grabowski, are also hosting a pub night at the Buck and Ear on Saturday, June 13 at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. One woman is going to have her head shaved and two men their legs shaved on the night for the cause.
