I guess the “Angel of the Year” awarded me has fallen and lost her wings.

We continued our fund-raising for ARF by gathering money from donation boxes left in several places.

However, when we entered ARF House, last week, with these money in hand, I was greeted with: “We are no longer accepting donations.”

Wow! I assume this comment was directed to me. There was nothing derogatory about ARF itself (in my previous letter) but praises for “Paws Up for ARF.” This apparently does not reflect ARF’s feelings but those instilled by someone else.

How sad to “beg” for donations to be accepted (which they finally were).

Hogan and I did not have a “shaky hand” as improperly stated in Mr. Modrich’s Aug. 2 letter. Yes, we did have a sizable personal check for ARF in our “shaky hand” but instead walked away embarrassed, humiliated and, may I add, disgusted.

Vice Mayor Hogan was deeply saddened to learn about Honorable Mayor Max’s health and wishes him the best. Hopefully, Mayor Max will tolerate the “pressures of this position as he indeed is a sweet and loving dog.

How dare you, Mr. Modrich, write “Hell hath no furry like an animal owner who loses an election scorned.”

May ARF continue its wonderful work and serve our town for years to come.

Hogan proudly received the honor of being elected vice mayor, which he richly deserves for his (and his campaign manager Madelaine Barnett Cresswell) devoted hours of driving, walking and “begging” for contributions for ARF’s fundraiser, “Idyllwild needs a mayor.”

Thanks to all who supported Hogan and “paws up for Vice Mayor Hogan.”

Madelaine Barnett Cresswell
Campaign Manager
and Hogan
Idyllwild Vice Mayor

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14 COMMENTS

  3. For the record, Idyllwild Animal Rescue Friends (ARF) is most definitely accepting donations and truly needs them.

    Madelaine’s writing of ARF’s quote “We are no longer accepting donations” was truncated. It should have read, “We are no longer accepting donations from you [Madelaine].”

    While seemingly incredible for any non-profit to refuse a donation, ARF did so for good reason.

    ARF stated that Madelaine’s conduct in the ARF office was so repugnant that ARF has disallowed her presence there. Further, in their interest to completely sever the connection with Madelaine, ARF is not interested in accepting donations from Madelaine.

    Confirmation of ARF’s willingness to accept donations can be gained by sending them one.

    Glenn Warren
    Idyllwild

  4. ARF is definitely accepting donations, just NOT from Madelaine Barnett Cresswell. This is because of Madelaine’s very poor behavior regarding the election.

    I was recently contacted by ARF who let me know that they are no longer associating with Madelaine due to her very poor behavior since the election. They did not tell me what Madelaine did to lose her status at ARF, but I personally witnessed her causing scenes, ranting, and telling lies at both the 4th of July parade and also at the inauguration. Others have also called me and apologized for her behavior.

    Madelaine didn’t like losing the election, and all this post-election drama she is causing is just proving that more and more. Had she won the election for Hogan, there wouldn’t have been a peep.

    Madelaine continues to harm ARF by publishing false statements in the newspaper. Of course ARF is accepting donations. I have donated several hundred dollars since the election, and the donations have been warmly received. You can easily prove this to yourself by stopping by ARF with a donation or mailing one in.

    Please remember this always: Positive energy leads towards life. Negative energy leads towards death. Madelaine has continued to create negative energy for ARF. They are right to sever their connection.

    Phyllis Mueller
    Idyllwild

  6. Interesting how Glenn and Phyllis have absolutely nothing nice or positive to say about Madelaine (by the way, I've never met the woman) and yet she still tries to raise funds and donate to an organization who is always in need of donations. So who's being the bigger person here? Sounds like "cutting off your nose to spite your face". Glenn/Phylis—–be gracious, be kind, say thank you and use your time and energy for promoting good, regardless of what others do. Let it gooooooooooooo!

    • Hi jmartin,

      As you say, “be gracious, be kind, say thank you and use your time and energy for promoting good, regardless of what others do.”

      Great words, I wholly agree, and am generally successful in living my life as such.

      My only motivation for responding at all was to correct the misstatement about ARF not accepting donations in general. It’s important that they continue to receive donations.

      In hindsight, I would have preferred to have omitted my “ARF stated …” paragraph; indeed, if anyone has the prerogative to have disclosed that data, it is ARF.

      Thank you.

      Glenn Warren
      Idyllwild

  7. Even local "elections" can be bought…We also were dismayed by the ridiculous amount of money being spent by one "candidate" for Idyllwild mayor. What appears to have started out as a unique fundraiser for a worthy cause (we have had 3 ARF critters ourselves) became an outrageous display of self promotion. Yes, no "rules" were broken, but the spirit of fair play was.

    We even received a piece of junk mail -although sent first class. If the real goal was to raise funds for ARF, why not quietly donate all that promotional money? And now even after this so called election is over, we see a two page ad in the Town Crier…..absurd.

    You have upset some of the other entrants who had naively thought this contest would be a fun way to raise funds for ARF…
    we wonder how many would do it again.

    As a result of this whole farce, we have now removed ARF as a beneficiary of our trust. It's current management, who demean and discourage one of their contestant/fundraisers (whom we have never met), is not the kind we wish to encourage.

  8. Can We All Just Get Along?

    The first four letters of fund are FUN. Obviously, since Madelaine did not win the election, she’s not having a lot of fun. She’s a very angry person.

    I can understand that. When you have hopes and dreams of winning, and you don’t, it can often be disappointing. However, that does not mean that your opponent needs to be wrong or be attacked for winning.

    Part of the problem here is that the ARF FUN drive is NOT and was NOT intended to be a general political election where it’s one vote for one person. This FUN drive and its rules are NOT actually an election in the truly democratic sense of the word. The rules of this FUN drive were set up for maximum donations to be allowed, not one vote for one dog.

    It benefits ARF for multiple individual votes and for large donation voting because it allows for ARF to get much more in donations. But clearly, do not compare ARF’s FUN driving rules with a regular election because it’s apples and oranges.

    The rules of the game determine how the game can be played. If I were ARF, I would not change the election rules to thereby get less donations. When you go to a museum, they have plaques in the lobby, and the people who make the biggest donations have larger plaques. It’s almost the most common thing in our world that people who do more, donate more, contribute more, and are acknowledged more. There is nothing wrong with contributing. It’s not a crime to contribute. It’s encouraged and validated throughout our society.

    If Phyllis’s dog, Max, had not been in the election and Madelaine’s dog, Hogan, had won the election, I doubt that Madelaine would want the person who came in second to be attacking Madelaine.

    I have found in my personal life and have a personal policy not to project hostility because the more you project anger, hostility, and resentment, it tends to come back at you. The election is over. The results were according to ARF’s rules, and my wish for Madelaine is for her to be at peace with herself and move on to bigger and better things because being angry at others just contaminates one’s peace of mind.

    Chuck Modrich
    Idyllwild

  9. OMG PEOPLE, I just read all the comments, this is the community I just bought a home in? I don't know any of you and after reading all this crap wouldn't want to!!! Our real estate broker kept telling us what a magical place this mountain is, well PROVE it by your behaviors. Like the first comment GET ALONG it was a fund raiser…HELLO out there anyone listening.

  10. Welcome to Idyllwild! We locals can be a cantankerous bunch at times, but can be counted on to help each other in a pinch. You need to know that one of Idyllwild's favorite pastimes is feuding amongst ourselves. It doesn't matter what it's about ( the more trivial the better) but the back and forth might go on for weeks till suddenly it seems an unspoken consensus is reached to drop the subject. Was anything solved? Probably not. Does anybody care? Again, probably not. It just serves to provide a safety valve to vent about all the petty grievances that can accumulate living in a small town. Lots of the letters knocking each other are not about the immediate issue, but rather about something that happened last month, last year or whenever. As long as you understand this, the letters won't seem too important. As a matter of fact, most of us read them for the entertainment value they provide, and they're cheaper than cable.
    In any event, welcome to Idyllwild and sit back and enjoy the local brouhahas.

  12. ARF is a shelter?!? whoa, very cool… but not by my experience – they're a couple of ladies hitting up people to be foster homes – I wish I could say that my experience is uncommon.

    whatever. go ARF