2025 Improve-A-Thon

Our annual Improve-A-Thon takes place this year starting June 16th and running until June 21, 2025.  While there are many fun and exciting things planned throughout the week, here is the main focus of the week and how it will work:

Each day between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Defiance, Ohio time) our phones will be open.  Our phone number is

  419-393-2400

We will have an easel board with 25 rows of sequential numbers from 1 thru 400.  Each row will have 16 envelopes with numbers on it.  If you decide to ‘adopt’ an envelope, the number on the envelope will be the dollar value of what you agree to donate to FFRC.  For example, if you ‘adopt’ envelope 145, that means you agree to donate $145 to FFRC.  You must call FFRC so that the envelope will be marked as “adopted”. When you adopt an envelope, your name will go into a drawing to win a basket. 

There are 25 baskets, with each basket corresponding to the number of your envelope. 

For example, if you adopt envelope 85 you agree to donate $85 to FFRC. Your name will go into a drawing with all the others who have adopted from row six.

Included below are the items in the baskets for each row.

Remember, one basket will be awarded per row.  (huge thank you to the people who have donated the items to go into each basket).

We know the higher the basket number, the larger donation, so the baskets get larger as the numbers increase. 

We know that not everyone can donate financially, we get that, NEVER be sad or ashamed of this.  Be grateful and supportive of those who can give financially and do.  You can help in so many other ways.  Encouragement of others and prayers for a successful fundraiser are things we all can do.

Also, if you partner with others, you can pool your money and adopt a larger dollar value envelope.  

We ask that if you can donate a larger amount to leave the smaller amount envelopes for those who may only be able to afford the lower amount.  For example, let’s say you are planning on donating $200, we ask you to choose envelope 200 (if available for adoption) instead of envelopes 25, 50, 55 and 70.

In the coming days we’ll post additional information to help you understand how it all works.

 Here are the baskets and the rows they belong to:

Catathon 2025 Baskets

Row 1 (1-16):  Basket 1 (Laura Ashley) - Laura Ashley plush flower hooded robe/throw 50X60, 1 - 24oz. Flowers ‘Blessed’ bottle w/handled lid & straw.

Row 2 (17-32):  Basket 2 (Love) - 1 - 12X7 canvas ‘Love’ paw print storage basket w/handles, 1 - 30X40 plush ‘Love’ paw print throw, 1 - Infinity track ball cat toy, 1 - catnip play toy.

Row 3 (33-48):  Basket 3 (Cats Travel) - ‘Cats’ travel bag set w/ 1 - 15X12 ‘Cats’ tote bag w/handles, 1 - 8X6 zippered ‘cats’ storage bag, 1 - 6X5 zippered ‘cats’ storage bag, 1 5X3 ceramic glazed sitting cat home/shelf decor.

Row 4 (49-64):  Basket 4 (Butterfly Home) - 1 - 50X70 Plush butterflies throw blanket, 1 - 5pc. Wooden cooking utensils, 1 - Butterfly cooking apron w/pockets

Row 5 (65-80):  Basket 5 (Towels & Lotions) - 1 6pc. Towel set w/2 bath, 2 hand, & 2 washcloths, 1 - 3 pc. Hand cream lotion.

Row 6 (81-96):  Basket 6 (Farm Life) - 1 - pc. Cork Trivet set w/farm animals, 2pc. ‘My Roost My Rules’ pot holder set, 1 - Rooster kitchen towel, 1 - Mama hen w/2 baby chicks home decor.

Row 7 (97-112): Basket 7 (Cat in Flowers) - Canvas tote bag ‘Cat in Flowers’, 10X8 Canvas Zippered Storage Bag ‘Cat in Flowers’, Glass ‘Cat Mom’ bottle w/lid, straw & cleaning brush, 1 - black cat key ring.

Row 8 (113-128): Basket 8 (Funny Cat Faces) - 16X16 Canvas tote bag ‘Funny Cat Faces’, 10X7 Canvas zippered storage bag ‘Funny Cat Faces’, 1 - Glass ‘Funny Cats’ bottle w/lid & straw, 1 pack Funny Cat Butts magnet.

Row 9 (129-144): Basket 9 (Live, Love Meow) - 13X18 ‘Live, Love Meow’ pet feeding mat, 1 - foldable spiral cat tunnel, 1 - nerf cat slow feeder ball, 1 - Glass paw print treat jar w/cat treats, 1 - ‘Life is Good but cats make it better’ hanging home decor, 1 - 1.75oz stainless feeding bowl.

Row 10 (145-160): Basket 10 (I’m Fine): Cat lovers print beach towel, 1 - large ‘I’m Fine’ cat stainless tumbler w/handle, straws & brush, 1 - 16X16 Canvas tote bag ‘Sorry I have plans w/my cat’, 1 - 5X5 ‘I’m Fine Everything is Fine’ wooden home decor.

Row 11 (161-176):  Basket 11 (Gnome Watermelon): 1 - Watermelon shaped wicker dish holding basket, 4 - 8X8 Watermelon plates, 4 - Watermelon serving bowls, 4 - Watermelon dinner sized plates, 2 - Gnome Watermelon kitchen towels, 1 - 5X5 Gnome Watermelon home decor.

Row 12 (177-192):  Basket 12 (Pamper Yourself) - 1 - 12X8 wicker storage basket, 1 - waffle textured body towel w/hairband, 1 - complete set manicure kit w/carrying case, 2 - face & body exfoliating sponges, 1 - hair drying towel.

Row 13 (193-208): Basket 13  (Kitchen Helper) - 1 - 8X8 Oster non-stick cake pan, 1 - mini silicone rolling pin, 1 - 4pc. Silicone utensil set, 1 - 3pc. Silicone tog set (6, 7, & 9 inch), 1 - 4pc. Cat shaped quick dry kitchen sponges.

Row 14 (209-224): Basket 14 (Lemon Summer) - 1 - 15X6 lemon serving/display tray, 1 - set of 8 32 oz outdoor/indoor demon drink cups, 2 - lemon themed kitchen towels, 1 - 8X8 hot plate trivet ‘When life gives you lemons’, 1 - florentine lemon hand soap, 1 - 11 oz. refillable liquid hand soap pump.

Row 15 (225-240): Basket 15 (Flowers & Butterfly Coloring Set) - 1 - 30 oz. Butterflies & flowers insulated tumbler w/lid, 1 - adult flowers & butterflies coloring book, 1 - 24 pack watercolor markers, brush, & fine tipped, 1 - ‘Love Revival’ hand cream & pulse point oil set.

Row 16 (241-256):  Basket 16 (Strawberry): 1 - 16X16 Laura Ashley canvas strawberry tote bag w/shoulder handles, 1 - 4pc. Set of 8X6 strawberry shaped serving plates, 1 - 4pc. Set of strawberry print reusable drinking cups.

Row 17 (257-272):  Basket 17 (Rooster/Chicken) - 2 - rooster/chicken print kitchen towels, 2 - rooster/chicken print pot holders/pads, 2 - rooster/chicken hand oven mitts, 1 - honey almond soap bar, 1 - 5X4 resin chicken w/chicks home decor. 

Row 18 (273-288): Basket 18 (Every Birdy Welcome) - 1 - 18X14 ‘Every Birdy Welcome’ porch/home throw pillow, 1 - bird themed kitchen towels, 1 - bird themed matching dish cloth, 1 - 4X6 resin BlueJay garden/home decor, 1 - 5X5 ‘The Earth has Music for those who listen’ wooden home decor. 

Row 19 (289-304):  Basket 19 (Quirky Kitty) - 1 - electronic action cat toy, 1 - 16X14 cat face pet mat, 1 - 6.75 oz. stand up cat face feeding bowl, 1 - 6pc. Catnip plush cat toys set.

Row 20 (305-320): Basket 20 (Happy 4th of July) - 1 - 18X12 Gnome Garden Flag, 1 - U.S. flag kitchen towel, 1 - LED red lantern, 1 - 6X4 wooden gnome 4th of July decor, 1 4X3 resin gnome 4th of July dangles leg shelf sitter.

Row 21 (321-336): Basket 21 (Take me to Lunch) - 1 - cat/floral insulated lng bag w/shoulder & hand carrying straps, 2 - lunch/food containers w/lids included, 1 - 12 oz. floral travel mug w/lid snap lock.

Row 22 (337-352): Basket 22 (Sunflowers & Daisies) -  1 - 10X8 metal ‘Fresh cut flowers’ catering can decor, 1 - bouquet of artificial sunflowers & daisies home decor, 1 - handmade sunflowers jar opener pad, 1 - sunflowers kitchen towel.

Row 23 (353-368): Basket 23 (Let Love Grow) - 1 - premier kitten collection by Maruri ‘Kitten inside Teacup’, 1 - 9X9 wooden hand painted ‘Floral’ decor bowl, 1 - floral garden kitchen towel, 1 - ‘Let Love Grow’ wooden home decor.

Row 24 (369-384): Basket 24 (Thankful for fall) - 1 - 50X70 ‘Thankful/Grateful’ plush throw, 1 - 18X18 fall leaf pillow cover, 1 - 4pc. ‘Gather Pumpkins’ placemats, 1 - 2pc. fall/pumpkins kitchen towels, 1 - pumpkin butter scented candle.

Row 25 (385-400): Basket 25 (Beach time) - 1 - 50X70 Tommy Bahama oversized outdoor beach packable blanket, 2 - 27X54 quick dry beach towels (1 cat & 1 dog), 1 - 28 oz. stainless steel bottle w/flip lid & carry handle, 1 - 14X5 felt bean bag beach game.