Sweetness Shows and Grows

Valentine's Day week end turned out to be a special one. On the 13th of February I drove my daughter and a friend towards West Covina to volunteer with Animal Advocates Alliance and KIDS AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY at the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter. We were going to help with the Furry Valentine Event. The teens were going to meet up with Lou Wegner and I was bringing Rich Delights for the bake sale made up of treats from many volunteers. All proceeds would go to the shelter.

When we were approximately one black from the shelter we noticed a female pit bull running down the street. She had no collar and her ears and tail looked chopped.We were not sure if she was pregnant or had her puppies. We soon saw our friend Elaine Seamans hanging a sign for the event we were going to. 

She gave us some treats for the dog and called animal services as we took off in the car and on foot. The teens ran and I drove. After a couple of blocks the dog got herself stuck in a fenced area and the animal control officer was able to get her safely out and into his truck. We did it!! A life was saved and we had not even made it to the shelter yet. The problem then became what her future might hold. Baldwin Park is a high kill shelter and a pit bull does not stand a great chance for adoption.

 After intake we played with her for over an hour. She was loving and playful and we were so happy. As the days passed and we realized she was not going to be claimed her fate became worse.One week later we went to the shelter and helped with networking photos and videos headed up by Ric Browde and his wife Holly.We played with the dog that we  named "Precious" and they named "Gina"......Soon after I began asking for donations or pledges in hopes of a rescue coming forward . Donations and pledges started coming in from friends and people I talk to on facebook . As her time was running out  Sasha Abelson told me that she was being rescued by The Barking Lot.

The next day my daughter Shira and I drove to the shelter and then on to Pasadena where she would be fostered for the night. The following day she would be taken on a transport to San Diego where her new life would begin. They are caring for her as she in need of surgery on her rear legs but once she heals they will help her find a forever home. What started out as a day to help with shelter animals and a bake sale turned into a wonderful adventure of saving a life from the streets. I am so grateful we stopped for her and even more grateful for the village that gave her a new life.

So many of my responsibilities took a back seat to this and I had a lot of catching up to do. I was also trying to figure out how I could further help with the surgery bills for Precious~Gina. I normally give 10% of sales to KIDS AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY but after speaking to them we decided that the money would go to The Barking Lot. Soon after we decided this I received an email from Rabbi Singer of Riverside Temple Beth El with an order for Purim gift bags that the Religious School students would be bringing to some of the elderly congregants for the holiday. How wonderful that there would be treats for many of the shut ins who are unable to make it to the Synagogue as much as they'd like to and at the same time there would be money to add to the donations. Rich Delights would bake and the results would be that people and animals would benefit. This is what life should be about~Doing what we love and loving what we do and always looking for ways we can give back for all that we have. Regardless of what we have there are always those with less and it is our obligation as human beings to care.

 A few weeks ago a man held the door open for me while I was walking into the post office. I said thank you but did not really pay him any attention. He told me to have a nice day and I did just that. The next time I went I noticed this man also had a wife and 2 dogs. Sometimes he asks for money and sometimes he doesn't. I always give him something if I have it. This past week I shared some dog treats given to me by the Riverside County Animal Shelter as well as some sample sized bags of food that I picked up from a local pet store. This couple wanders around and cannot carry much. I told them that I might not always have money to give but I will keep treats and dog food in my car and will always stop and ask if they need anything. It is so simple to do this yet it never crossed my mind in the past when I saw homeless people and their pets. Funny how ideas pop into our heads when we are ready to receive them.

I want to end this with a bittersweet story of a kind security guard on one of the movie lots who had a dog that took a bullet meant for him and saved his life. The man's name is Nicholas and his dog was Doc Holiday.Turned out Doc had cancer and Lou Wegner asked that we team up to send money to help defray some of the medical treatments. When Lou and his mom Diana went to give Nicholas the money they were met with a man very upset because the dog had passed away and he did not have money to go pick up the cremated remains. So, instead of the money going to help heal the dog it was used so this man could bring his beloved pet home to rest. I am sorry we could not help him with the cancer treatments but so grateful we could give him back his best and only real friend.

"Chag Sameach" to my Jewish friends and I'm asking that you use the holiday of Purim as a reason to give something where needed~As I look for new ways to open my heart and expand my social consciousness I will also keep opening those oven doors as I continue baking4you!