East Rochester resident Patty Strassner tried using fliers to find her missing cat, but when that didn’t work, she turned to Facebook.
Her cat, Angel, had been missing since September 2012 and Strassner was about ready to give up searching when she navigated to the ER Communicates group, which she and many of her neighbors used to share information.
Strassner posted a photo of Angel with a description of the white cat with two different colored eyes, and included her phone number. She was amazed at the response that followed.
“I had people texting and messaging me saying, ‘I just saw a white cat.’ ... “I can say without a doubt that I got hundreds of responses — people wishing me good luck or reporting sightings,” Strassner said.
After each sighting, she went to the location with a can of Pounce treats to lure her cat, only to be disappointed. Several weeks later, she got a phone call from someone who found a cat that matched her description.
Liam Moore lives on West Chestnut Street, and spotted the cat walking in his front yard around 11 p.m. one night.
“That cat found me, really,” said Moore. “It was making a lot of noise meowing and it looked like it wanted somewhere to go.”
After a little bit of coaxing, he brought the cat inside and fed it. His girlfriend reported it to the Animal Control Office in the village the next day. Although Strassner hadn’t filed a formal report, the officer had seen her Facebook post and passed on the information.
Moore joined the group that day and contacted the owner. Before long, she and her cat were finally reunited.
The experience showed Strassner that reaching out for help online can be an effective way to get answers and begin friendships with people around the corner.
“I appreciate all their efforts and kind thoughts,” she said. “It gave me hope when I should’ve given up.”
ER Communicates was started last year after Mayor Fred Ricci came up with the idea to foster communication among village residents, or those who wanted to stay connected to what’s happening there.
“My goal was to provide a way for folks to get accurate information in a non-threatening forum and to provide the opportunity to ask what some of them consider ‘dumb’ questions,” said Ricci. “I also wanted to promote interdependence within the community.”
East Rochester resident Patty Strassner tried using fliers to find her missing cat, but when that didn’t work, she turned to Facebook.
Her cat, Angel, had been missing since September 2012 and Strassner was about ready to give up searching when she navigated to the ER Communicates group, which she and many of her neighbors used to share information.
Strassner posted a photo of Angel with a description of the white cat with two different colored eyes, and included her phone number. She was amazed at the response that followed.
“I had people texting and messaging me saying, ‘I just saw a white cat.’ ... “I can say without a doubt that I got hundreds of responses — people wishing me good luck or reporting sightings,” Strassner said.
After each sighting, she went to the location with a can of Pounce treats to lure her cat, only to be disappointed. Several weeks later, she got a phone call from someone who found a cat that matched her description.
Liam Moore lives on West Chestnut Street, and spotted the cat walking in his front yard around 11 p.m. one night.
“That cat found me, really,” said Moore. “It was making a lot of noise meowing and it looked like it wanted somewhere to go.”
After a little bit of coaxing, he brought the cat inside and fed it. His girlfriend reported it to the Animal Control Office in the village the next day. Although Strassner hadn’t filed a formal report, the officer had seen her Facebook post and passed on the information.
Moore joined the group that day and contacted the owner. Before long, she and her cat were finally reunited.
The experience showed Strassner that reaching out for help online can be an effective way to get answers and begin friendships with people around the corner.
“I appreciate all their efforts and kind thoughts,” she said. “It gave me hope when I should’ve given up.”
ER Communicates was started last year after Mayor Fred Ricci came up with the idea to foster communication among village residents, or those who wanted to stay connected to what’s happening there.
“My goal was to provide a way for folks to get accurate information in a non-threatening forum and to provide the opportunity to ask what some of them consider ‘dumb’ questions,” said Ricci. “I also wanted to promote interdependence within the community.”
There are more than 750 people who are now members. Many, like Strassner, have posted questions about topics ranging from traffic lights, to street etiquette or school events.
These questions get responses by the mayor or neighbors who have the answers themselves.
While most use the group to stay informed, some simply use it to share good news about their hometown.
Like this recent post by Steve Bolton, which reads, “In the last week or two, I've seen buds on practically every type of tree around town. I heard geese twice this week too. Is anyone ready for spring?”
Ricci says the success of the group illustrates how tight-knit the community continues to be.
“Not everyone on that page lives in ER, but almost all are connected in spirit,” he said.
