[PyrNet-L] Sorry for your loss & ideas that may help

[MagEBroD <MagEBroD@aol.com>]

Pam, 
   I felt so extremely sorry for you when I read your post about Rita dying.
I know how hard it was and overwhelming it seemed when she just left town for
a while.  Know you must feel like you really don't know if you can carry on
with your rescue efforts without her constant help & support. Plus you feel a
terrible personal loss, as well. You have lost not just a co-worker in an
extremely stressful and emotionally & physically & financially trying and
draining effort - you have lost a dear friend as well. I am so concerned and
worried. I know you need a chance to mourn & heal yourself, but circumstances
being what they are in Rescue..... I am afraid you won't get the time to take
care of yourself.
    Please share with everyone you can how much you miss Rita and what she did
to help you. I hope & pray that others in your area will now see that there is
a very dire need to get involved & help you with the Rescue efforts. One word
of caution, though:  When letting people know of your needs and wants in area
of Rescue - make sure and try to break it down into smaller tasks, instead of
hoping someone will do all of what Rita did. It is often overwhelming to
others to feel that they must do as much as someone who may have had more time
to devote to something. I know through my various volunteer efforts that
people often see someone doing SO MUCH for a cause & feel that they don't have
that kind of time to devote to it, and then they will not offer to help. If
you, on the other hand break up the various tasks and list them or list days
you need help or even hours you need help, then others are often willing to
help with what they can. Often this works better, as then, if something
happens to that person (sickness, vacation, family emergenies, etc.) then
there are others willing to pick up the slack and the other areas that that
person wasn't responsible for still are covered. So many times people see
someone doing such a wonderful job like Rita & they feel they'll never fill
her shoes, and so worry they will disappoint you & so don't offer to help at
all. But if the tasks are spelled out, then they will volunteer to do what
they feel they can do & do a good job at. It takes a lot of coordination, but
hopefully it can be done. It may take 2 or 3 or 4 or 10 people to fill Rita's
place, but I feel there are surely those there in your area that are willing
to help some.  I have seen this work for my Wildlife Rescue group, scouts,
4-H, environmental groups, political groups, etc. Make a list of times you
need most help, breaking it down into 2 or 4 hour shifts, if needed. Make a
list of duties to be performed during those various times, as well. Some will
volunteer for only 2 or 4 hours a week, but some will volunteer for 12 or 20
hours a week, possibly. Then make a list of things that need to be done that
can be done anytime: e-mailing, shopping, cleaning, laundry, mailings,
secretarial work, etc. Then also list things that come up that need to be done
fairly immediately, but that can't be planned for very far in advance: picking
up or delivery of rescues, vet appointments, emergency grooming, emergency
first aid treatment, etc. and develop a list of people that want to really
help but have a hard time committing to large blocks of time on a continual
basis, since their work schedules vary from day-to-day or week-to-week. There
are a lot of people in this category & they are a very valuable resource, but
hard to plan on for daily routine stuff. But they can really come through for
you at times like this, often.
   I don't know if you will choose to continue in your rescue efforts, or not,
Pam. It is a decision only you can make. I just felt that I had to share this
with you, in case it makes a difference in whether you feel you can carry on
or not. (Maybe you already do this, too. I don't know. So forgive me if you
have already tried this & still feel like it's too overwhelming to continue.)
Rescue is one of the hardest things to be involved with, whether it's Pyr
rescue, wildlife rescue, or trying to help give those in our own human race a
hand up. So heartbreaking at times and takes so much of your time and finances
and emotional & physical energies. Easy to suffer from extreme burn-out, under
"normal circumstances" (if there is such a thing!) in dealing with Rescue
efforts. You are faced with the daily trials plus having lost someone near &
dear to you, as well. Whatever you decide, we will all understand and continue
to applaud your many efforts & how much you have done to help with Pyr Rescues
in Texas, one of the worst states for abandoned Pyrs, I understand. No one
will be anything but thankful of what you & Rita have been able to accomplish
together. We care about you, though - not just about how much you have done
for Rescue!!  You are a very special lady & it's rare to find someone who has
done as much as you have to both help those poor pooches and to educate the
masses and try to help prevent/lessen the need for more rescues in the future.
I guess I'm trying to say that when we think of you and Rita it's with pride,
knowing there are people such as you in this human race of ours. So often we
feel almost ashamed to be a part of the same species as many who make the
headlines, by abusing or neglecting or killing people and animals. You and
Rita made us proud and I want to say "A job well done!!!!!" I'm very proud of
you!!!  And I'll continue to be proud of you, no matter what decisions you
make, Pam.
    I know I speak for many when I say you are in our thoughts and prayers at
this time (and many other times as well) and we are trying to send  as many
positive vibes & energy as we can your way, Pam. And I'm sure Rita is, too!
Please take good care of yourself!

Janice Vocke & family
MagEBroD@aol.com
Shelton, WA.

P.S: If any of you people in Texas can help Pam and her Great Pyrenees Rescue
efforts, PLEASE DO! Show her and these pooches that you care!  It is something
that will make you feel like you've really made a difference & can be very
rewarding. It can be heartbreaking, but those heartbreaks can make you want to
do MORE and make a bigger difference. Your help is needed, especially now,
that Rescue has lost someone who did so much to help.