Eating treats...hehe...that's a good one, right? Can't forget that!
Bright berries ready to pick...
Warm coffee...
Dear Friends...
But, two of my main loves...caring for dogs and educating kids.
I love that dogs are so loyal and love unconditionally...
I love that kids live to learn and experience new things...they too trust and love with great abandon.
Today, I had the joy of bringing those two things together.
Kids helping dogs. How cool is that?!
Mission: Salt + Light is a Portland based group focused on helping people and projects in the area. They run a program called Little Lights. "What is Little Lights? Our hope is that we will be able to provide ideas, inspiration and opportunities to people who are interested in getting their children involved with philanthropic deeds or volunteering at an early age." (Mission: Salt+Light)
The project for Little Lights today was dog-centered. Fences for Fido centered. Kids having a great love for other creatures...especially dogs. Floppy ears, surplus of kisses, and always ready to play...wait, am I talking about dogs or kids? Either way, it's pure joy.
Now, I'm not going to lie. I heard that there would be about 40 kids coming to the event...that is a scary amount of kids. If it was 40 teens, than that would be a whole different game. I know how to handle teens...but kids? Children? Man, that made me nervous.
So I took a big, deep breath and told myself it would be just fine.
And it was fantastic, because it was kids working on things for dogs.
Today the focus was on crafting surprises for Fences for Fido volunteers,
writing letters, drawing a lot of cute pups, and painting a bright and cheerful doghouse.
And I love a good craft!
How cute are these dogs?
Just like each real dog, each of these dogs are unique and filled with love.
And ADORABLE...I love this one.
This pup has so much love that it needed TWO hearts!
Give me a little paper, glue, and some scissors and I'll try to make something right along with the kids. But today I will be helping with all of my little friends painting with love. These kids have a lot of love to paint!
Love overload!
My heart is overflowing with love for these kids, their families, and Mission:Salt + Light for making this event possible. 42 kids with their families showed up to make a difference in the lives of families and dogs around Portland, and my beloved Fences for Fido. For that, I'm eternally grateful. I had no idea that this many people who reach out to help an organization that I adore. My hope is that these kids will grow up with a love of animals, and that they will educate others about caring for dogs. It might be a little step, but it's a step to keeping dogs off of a chain and in the family home. I couldn't ask for more than that. Little lights, you shined very bright today!
Love is a legacy multiplied over time.
Legacy...I know that I'm not alone in thinking about it.
I don't have kids.
Sure, I teach a lot of them and I hope that I make a good lasting impact. Enough of an impact that they will think back on their middle school years with at least the knowledge that I cared for them.
But few of us will achieve the legacy that Dove Lewis (Yes, there was a REAL Dove Lewis has created right here in Portland....I dream that I could though.
Tragedy can strike at anytime.
I've been fortunate enough to have only a few times where I needed treatment for my animals urgently. During those times, my local veterinary, Wilsonville Veterinary Clinic has been open so I haven't needed other services, but I'm sure thankful that we live in a city that provides state-of-the-art technology and care for our furry family members. Not every city is so lucky.
Portland is a unique city. We pride ourselves on being weird and different. One of my favorite, most beloved differences is that we care for our pets like members of our cherished families. Here in Portland (and surrounding areas) pets are not just animals...oh no. They are much more than that...they are an integral part of what makes a family whole. Of course, family deserves the best medical care possible, and we have the absolute best emergency facility right in our city at Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital.
If you're like me, then you feel VERY lucky not to have used their services, but did you know that they provide so much more to our community than just medical care?
1. Pet Loss Support
When I had to put Quincy down, my heart was crushed. For a year I couldn't speak about him without getting teary-eyed. I mourned, and I know that my grief was not unusual. Thankfully, Dove Lewis has a program to help us through the terrible loss of a furry family member.
Every last moment of Quincy's life is embedded in my mind. Dove Lewis makes these last moments a little bit easier by creating a comfortable environment to say goodbye. From the moment that I stepped into the Comfort Room, I felt it. Peace. Warmth. Love. Just the way you would want to have the last moments. But the support doesn't end there. Dove Lewis has thought through the many needs of grief. Some of the support includes, art therapy, grief support, sympathy cards, memorial tree, pet loss journals, and much more. I didn't reach out for help with my grief when I lost Quincy, but I know that when the day comes that I have to let go of Murphy, I will need a lot of support. A lot.
2. Charlie Fund
Abuse should never, ever happen...but sadly, it does. I will never understand why someone would deliberately harm another living creature, but it's not the victims fault. Dove Lewis makes sure that animals that have been harmed receive the best care and love possible. My heart still aches, but I am eternally grateful that Dove Lewis is there.
3. Stray Animal & Wildlife
I wish that I had known about this when I was 16. While my parents were out of town, a client at the vet clinic brought in a sweet, baby squirrel, way too young to be away from the nest. The Veterinarian and I tried our best to care for it. We tried to call the Wildlife Agency, but they were closed...Sadly, even with me feeding it all night long, eventually the baby squirrel died. Now, you might think that my attempt to save a baby squirrel was silly or unnecessary, but not to me and definitely not to that little baby...even if it was just for a day. If this were to happen again, I would definitely not hesitate to take it to Dove Lewis.
4. The Velvet Financial Assistance Fund
Understandably, people worry about the cost of treatment for a sick or injured animal. Dove Lewis helps elevate some of the worry by having assistance for low-income families. How cool is that? This allows people to focus on their furry family member and not on the cost. I love that.
5. Blood Bank
Blood?! Whenever I hear the word blood, I hear this little boy saying,"Blood?"
You're right kid, blood isn't funny. And Dove Lewis is serious aout their blood bank.
Here is just one of the super feline blood donors.
Murphy has super blood according to some...
maybe, as he gets more confident he could donate some of his super blood to help other pups.
Until then, he'll just use his super powers to splash in his splashy pool.
Dove Lewis' influence and love spreads wide around Oregon and Southwest Washington.
What a legacy huh? I wonder if Dove thought that her love of animals would stretch this far? Somehow I like to picture her looking down from her angel perch, nodding her head and smiling. Nicely done Dove. Nicely done.
A huge THANK YOU to Julie Heade for the fabulous behind-the-scenes tour. I learned so much more about Dove Lewis and I can't wait to volunteer, help raise awareness, and maybe funds too! My gut tells me that Charlie's Fund will be one of my first priorities.
But, two of my main loves...caring for dogs and educating kids.
How cute are these dogs?
Love overload!
