09/21/2024
As a volunteer the change in direction for the rescue has made me nostalgic, grateful and reflective. Sometimes you don't realize you're having the time of your life until its over then you look back at how very special it was and how very special the group as a collective was.
Charlotte started the rescue 34 years ago. She built the shelter on city-owned land with a small grant, with sending people on the street corners with coffee cans (which continued for several years to buy food for the residents) and with income from her writing career.
For many decades we did adoptions in St. Louis, primarily at the Brentwood Petsmart but sometimes hosted at other sites such as Muddy Paws and Airedale Antics. The OG volunteers were volunteers from All Paws, specifically Kenny, along with a few other people. Soon other volunteers filtered in and we had a core group that had many volunteers that showed up week after week, a village, who ran all day. It could be best described as controlled chaos with so many people to be grateful to for each of their contributions. It was a village and we had a large following that would just stop in to chat if they weren't adopting, or bringing back graduates to check in or foster families giving updates. The rule of the adoption events was that no matter how many adoptions we did or didn't do, this was the one day for the animals out of the shelter. They had gotten invited to the party so we needed to make it fun.
Also, so many memories of going through the rolodex in my head when we would get a 'special', seeing who I could tap their shoulders. Charlotte had called me once about a blind schnauzer with attitude. I told her to bring her up, I had someone. They had adopted a blind dog from me in the past, already had other blind dogs. I would hunt him down. Well, I forgot to call him. So she brings this dog up and I'm sweating it but who should I run in to at the fish aisle? (lol) I approached him saying "are you here to pick up your next dog?" and that started a long friendship (and fostering/volunteering) relationship that lasts to this day.
Or the injured hound that came up - Charlotte had hoped to get him in to the vet that day but they were busy so I had to find a foster. I messaged a former hound foster to foster and she was there within a few minutes. When it was discovered at the vet visit he had been shot she almost passed out and decided (I think that was the moment) he would be adopted.
Every time I asked Charlotte said 'an animal in need doesn't have a zip code' so many of the animals we rescued were from other areas of the state and as long as we fund raised to cover expenses so we wouldn't be taking away from the shelter animals or the need in Dent County, she was good with it.
We were so grateful when Charlotte found Sandy to take over the rescue, when she could no longer manage it. It coincided at a challenging time of economics and Covid and many of the volunteers were amazed she was able to keep it on track as long as she did.
There are SO many many stories and memories of a wonderful time.
But the best memory was just the village working toward the same goal as one team.
For that, we are forever grateful to each and every one of you and hopefully, you will stick with us as we change direction to still contribute to the great need. We will be posting more about that in the coming weeks.
In the meantime I've pulled a few photos that may make you smile and remember.
