Making a Difference: NorCal Bully Breed Rescue

When I think back on 2018 I’m so grateful we have a theater and venue that can offer a stage to wonderful organizations trying to help the world. Our venue has been a great spot for fundraisers in 2018, and we look forward to continuing to work with the best nonprofits in 2019.

NorCal Bully Breed Rescue is just such a group. They held Paws for the Cause in 2018 at Blacktop Comedy, and money raised went to help at risk dogs in Sacramento and Placer.I had the chance to talk with Leah Kelsey, who organized the event, and learn more about the Rescue. If you were not able to attend Paws for the Cause you can still help NBBR. Leah was nice enough to provide some links below.

What does NorCal Bully Breed Rescue (NCBBR) offer the local community?

NBBR provides temporary foster homes to dogs pulled from shelters, strays, and medical dogs at risk for being euthanized and adopt them out to loving safe homes. The rescue also strives to educate the public on the importance of spaying/neutering and vaccinating your dog. The work that the rescue does helps with decreasing the amount of homeless dogs that are caused by abandonment and dogs that are not spayed and neutered in our community.

How long have you been with NorCal Bully Breed Rescue?

I have been involved with the rescue for a little over a year now. I am unable to foster so I help with dog transport from the shelter, events, and dog sitting. A group of us also helped walk dogs at a facility out in Chico during the Paradise fires.  

What's the best part of working with NorCal Bully Breed Rescue?

One of the best parts is to see the volunteers and owners in organization come together with so much love for these dogs and do whatever needs to be done to get them to a safe place. It isn’t always easy and can be emotionally taxing to see what these dogs go through and provide the care they need. The women in this group are some of the strongest, most caring, bad ass women I have ever met. Even after a long work week or balancing their personal lives they all step up to the plate to get the dogs to the vet or care for medical dogs with extreme needs, or drive long distances to do home checks. They do all of this without batting an eyelash and with so much love in their hearts, that to me is one of the best things to be a part of. 

What do you hope people learn tomorrow at Paws for the Cause?

The rescue does not only pull in bully breeds but I would like people to gain insight that bully breeds are so sweet and loving. I feel breed discrimination can be diminished with education and people giving these dogs a chance. I also want people to understand the importance of dog ownership, it is a long term commitment. Too many times dogs are given up to shelters or neglected which causes overcrowding in shelters and euthanasia of their pet. 

Where did you come up with the idea for Paws for the Cause?

The rescue has helped me in the past and I wanted to give back to them the best way I knew I could. It was so nice for my employer to help in hosting this event that brought in $2,800 for the organization. We also had a lot of local business’s chip in and Paul providing BlackTop Comedy as the venue for this occasion was beyond helpful!

If someone wants to help, but couldn't make Paws for the Cause, how can they get involved with NorCal Bully Breed Rescue?

There are multiple ways to help! You can visit their website to get details on using Amazon Smile that would donate a portion of items you purchase, you can send money donations via pay pal, or inquire on their Facebook page on how to ship needed items for their dogs.

If there are people interested in fostering dogs they can apply on the NBBR website as well!

Website - http://norcalbullybreedrescue.com/

Pay Pal - https://www.paypal.me/NBBR

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/norcalbullybreedrescue/

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation! Travelling would be much cheaper. 

What's something you know now, that you wish you knew 10 years ago?  

I wish I would have known more about overcrowded shelters and how many dogs on a daily are being dumped. I would have gotten involved in helping the rescue much sooner!

Improv Advice: Improv Teams

If you’re looking for a quick tip, a tidbit of knowledge, a morsel of smarts we’ve got the show for you! Improv Wisdom! A deep dive into the depths of improv. Let us be your guide as we take an insightful look into what makes a good improviser. In Rocklin? In Sacramento? No! The world! We’ve teach you how to be best improv comedian around. It’s a micro class, for your busy day!

And, if you’re at work, and cant watch we’ve included the transcript below

IMPROV WISDOM TRANSCRIPT

Hi, welcome to Paul talks about Improv. I'm going to talk about Improv and you're going to listen or watch another video, but you're already five seconds into this one, so commit. Let's go all the way. Shall we?

Nick writes, “Paul and thinking about joining an Improv team. The question is, do I join one or nine? There's lots of people who are interested in me.”

Nick, thanks for the humble brag. You're a great improviser and you should also join as many teams as possible. Believe me, not all teams will be successful, but you know what? All teams do. Take a picture. You'll take a picture together and that picture will last forever. So even if your team is unsuccessful, you'll have a record of being with other people on stage. Those people might become famous. Eventually you might become a teacher, and as a teacher you can always cite. Having worked with a famous improviser, students will think, wow, you've worked with a famous person. You must be a good teacher.

So, I always recommend beyond as many teams as possible because you never know who might make it and who might not.

Being in Love With Improv

Today's guest blogger is Meggan Johnson Hyde. Meggan is a Sacramento improviser and main-stage performer at Blacktop Comedy. You can see Meggan in Your F@#$%! Up Relationship, Squeaky Clean: Family Friendly Comedy, and the upcoming Teen Slasher

I remember the first time I met you, Improv. It truly was love at first sight. While I'm typically somewhat of a wallflower when I'm surrounded by unfamiliar faces, you were so warm and welcoming that I found myself jumping right into the conversation.
"Hi! My name is Meggan, and I like to do this!"

I flirted with you during some warm-up games, casually noticing how everyone around you was having such a great time. But then, you took to the stage and that's when I knew my life would never be the same. You had the cool factor of the jock with the accessibility of the student council president. I sat back and watched you in action for a while, completely in awe of how supportive and encouraging you were. Finally, though my heart was racing, I shot my shaky hand up in the air and asked to join you onstage. Suddenly, there we were. Together. Laughing and having the best time of our lives. It all came together so easily. I was in love, and I wanted to shout it from the mountain tops!
I found myself wanting to be with you all the time. I never missed an opportunity to be with you onstage. I took all the classes and workshops that I could, so as to get to know you better. I read books and listened to podcasts by people who had known you for decades. The more I learned about you, the more I found wonderful and new aspects about you to be discovered. Over the next few months I did everything I could to fill my brain with all the knowledge about you that would fit.

That's when it happened. Everything had seemed so easy in the beginning. Every time we were together we would laugh and play, and it had all seemed so effortless. But suddenly, things were . . . awkward. Now, any time we got together all I could think about was every single thing I was doing wrong. I could barely even talk to you anymore. Standing onstage together, I was completely frozen.

That was a defining moment for us. It would have been so easy for me to walk away, right then and there - to write you off as being too complicated and just call it quits. But I couldn't let you go. I confided in a good friend/mentor, one who had known you for a very long time. He told me that what I was going through was totally normal. In fact, it happens a lot. He called it a valley, and he encouraged me to keep trudging through it. Because eventually, I'd find myself at the top of another mountain with you. My friend also warned me that there would be other valleys. And he was right. Because every good relationship has mountains and valleys. And you, my Beloved Improv, are worth every one.