MONTCLARION: October 27, 2017

Remember that old slogan “I’d walk a mile for a Camel?” Well, an Oakland Hills man is about to run 100 miles for his favorite pets – cats. Jeff Fleming hits the pavement November 4th to raise money for Oakland’s Cat Town Cafe and its work rehabilitating cats for adoption. You And Jeff isn’t pussyfooting around. The Rio Del Lago 100 Mile Endurance Run is a day and night event – twice the distance of Jeff’s previous runs. Still, if he can save one cat from the fate his childhood pet suffered – it will be worth it.

You see, Jeff’s kitty, Creep, developed a blocked intestinal track when Jeff was in first grade. “It became so bad that he was eventually reduced to just lying in one spot and meowing in a mournful way. He was clearly in a lot of pain,” Jeff says. Going off to school, Jeff expected Creep to come home from the vet feeling better. But They out Creep to sleep and Jeff was devastated.

“It never occurred to me that my parents would choose to euthanize my beloved pet. As such a young child, I certainly couldn’t have understood the financial burden that would come from attempting surgery.”

Today, Jeff has a wife, two kids and three cats, including one that suffered the same kind of blockage that cost Creep his life. Jeff’s family chose surgery because they could afford it. This weekend he runs so that other furry felines can have what every cat deserves – nine lives. Learn more at tinyurl.com/ydgl34sq.

Around town: There’s a cool weekend vibe at Sophie’s Cuppa Tea (2078 Antioch Court) in Montclair – kind of like walking into the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. The popular tea room has live music on Saturdays from 10-noon and Sundays from 1-3 p.m. Last Sunday, singer/songwriter Brian Lemko played soothing guitar with sweet harmonies and riffs from fellow musician Jim Thompson. The crowd was a mix of art students and neighbors, sipping fragrant teas in a comfy living room setting.

Autumn offerings: Now that Halloween is over, we can move on to the pumpkin pie. Ice cream, that is. Fenton’s Creamery is now serving fall ‘flavorites’, including apple carmel pie and cinnamon. I bet folks will be gobbling these up as we approach Thanksgiving.

Got news? You can reach Ginny Prior by email at ginnyprior@hotmail.com or on the web at ginnyprior.com