Monday, August 14, 2023
We would like to acknowledge the untimely passing of one of our biggest supporters, Sherry Sevier. Although we didn't know her for super long and had only had the pleasure of getting to know her within the last year of her life, we knew her as a person who was in the trenches with us, as well as with other animal rescue organizations, in the war against overpopulation, abandonment, and homelessness. This woman was our very FIRST donor for our very first Raise the Region Fundraiser at a time when we didn't even know how things would go or if we would even get donations. This woman helped keep us afloat last fall when we took in some stray kittens that she rescued. When we explained that we were very low on funds at the time and couldn't really afford to take them because we had just taken in 16 cats/kittens from a farm that only gave us $20 to take the entire bunch and 3 or 4 of those cats had to be hospitalized from that said bunch, she promptly put her money where her mouth was and gave us $500 cash plus signed up to make monthly donations in addition. Those donations continued until she became unexpectedly and tragically ill. In short, Sherry was a Godsend. What you see us being able to do today is partly due to her and other people like her helping us through a financially rough time. She wasn't just a Godsend to us, she was a Godsend to other rescue organizations in the area that she supported, volunteered for, and fund raised for, as well as to the many stray cats that she took it upon herself to get fixed and returned if feral or took into her own home to make a part of her family if friendly. When she reached a point that she was maxed out in space of her own home, she continued to pour herself out and take in litters of kittens to foster until she was able to get help for them by reaching out to local organizations. Although we didn't know her for longer than about a year, we can attest that Sherry was a person who could not turn a blind eye to suffering and was not afraid to get her hands dirty. The animals that she took the time to advocate for and help are now living wonderful lives even after she is gone because she cared enough to do something. She helped them, she fed them, she loved them, and she asked for help when it was more than just a few people could deal with.
We would like to thank her husband, Gary, and her other family members for keeping her dream alive by continuing to help the stray cats in their area and for reaching out for help on their behalf. This is truly and arguably the best way to honor a loved one-- by caring for those they loved and fought for and for carrying on Sherry's legacy of love and compassion. Her husband continues to care and advocate in her place and honors her wishes knowing that this is what Sherry would have wanted and, in that way, Sherry lives on. We know she would be proud. May we be so lucky to have the same done for us one day. May we live our lives with such fervor.
