IN Millcreek Summer 2014 | Page 30

 Orphan A  Orphan Angel  Orphan Angels Serving all of Erie County, Orphan Angels finds homes for the area’s feline population. F ive years ago, a group of animal shelter volunteers decided that they wanted to focus exclusively on finding homes for the stray and homeless cats in Erie. So Eileen Harrington, Cheryl Vaughn and Sandy Traphagen, among others, founded Orphan Angels to address the needs of the cat community. And while they’re still at it today, the cat population continues to grow, meaning their mission has grown each year since they first opened their doors. Susannah Bayer, spokesperson for Orphan Angels, said that while the organization’s physical address is Millcreek, it’s grown to helping cats find forever homes in Fairview, Harborcreek, Girard and Edinboro.. “We’re serving all of Erie County, really,” she said. “We’re truly part of the bigger community these days.” Since it’s inception, Bayer said Orphan Angels obtained its 501c3 charitable organization status, making it easier for the founders to solicit the vital funds to keep their mission alive. But volunteers are just as vital as money, and Orphan Angels is looking for anyone willing to help. “We always need people in the shelter, cleaning and helping out. We also need volunteers as cat cuddlers to help soci [^