2010 – Gail Rothman

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Midwest Region Spotlight Award – 2010

This year the recipient of the Midwest Region Spotlight Award is Gail Rothman. Gail Rothman is a very special person. As this year’s Midwest Region’s Spotlight Award recipient, the region celebrates a truly unique and deserving person. The history of Gail’s involvement with the fancy is a bit different than most as she was not the one who introduced the cat fancy into her life and home. Her husband, Earl, was the driving force behind their getting involved in the fancy. And get involved he did, as witnessed by his selection for receiving this same prestigious award in 2006. So we can say Gail is unique by being the first “other half” of a household to receive this award. This says a lot about the impact a special couple can have on the fancy.

From 1991 when Earl purchased his first breeding Himalayans till his passing, he was the “face” of Le Club Fur cattery, with Gail staying pretty much at home holding down the fort. Earl was always quick to say that he did the running around and Gail did the “running” of everything else behind the scenes. She was comfortable with this arrangement as she is a very quiet and unassuming individual. Anyone who knows Gail, knows that she is the kindest and most humble person you’d ever want to meet. But that does not mean that she doesn’t move and shake and have her own opinions.

During her years as the behind the scenes person of Le Club Fur, and still to this day, she has tirelessly worked as webmaster for the Midwest Region. And this website needs constant management with all the changing data that it entails. We should all stop and consider all the time Gail must spend keeping the site current with all the photos and text involved with each year’s Regional Awards “rush,” the weekly updating of the show schedule and counts, and other pertinent information we all use on a frequent basis. This is all done quickly and completely which just goes to show her dedication. I’m not so sure this level of constant attention to regional details alone wouldn’t make a good case for her being spotlighted for “outstanding service to CFA.”

So Gail is “special” in regard to the manner of her introduction to the fancy and her everyday involvement with the region, but there is so much more. Time and again she puts others’ needs before her own. And by golly her veggie pizza that she frets over each year for the Lakes Country CC show is a highlight to everyone who has had the pleasure to consume some. She works hard before and during the show to make it one of the fun stops on the regional show scene. Gail is a member of Lakes Country and several other clubs within the region and has acted as entry clerk and cheerleader for them all.

So we can see that Gail is closely involved with ongoing regional affairs as well as local club affiliations and show production. But somehow she still has the time to deal one on one with clients of her beautiful Himalayans. And even here while taking care of her own cat “business” she promotes the fancy in general. Recently she placed a show quality cat in a pet home and is gently guiding the proud new owner of a quality Himalayan towards showing thus potentially adding a new member to the exhibiting community. Giving of herself yet again with benefit to the growth of active CFA participation.

All the above is about what Gail is doing for others. Let’s not forget that she has changed her own comfort level to move on out from behind the scenes to the show ring keeping the excellent Himalayans of Le Club Fur there for all to see and admire. It was truly a “special” moment to see someone who has been so involved with the fancy for so long attain a grand title on a cat on her own for the first time. Being blessed with Gail’s presence at shows is a pleasure for us all.

So it is established – Gail is truly involved and active in every aspect of participation in the fancy from the big picture down to intimate individual interaction, all the while remaining true to her kind and humble character. The Midwest Region is seeing the very best of everything we are supposed to be about personified in Gail.