Trinity

It's hard to believe a little over eight months ago I met the dog that would change my life, challenge my patience and capture my soul. The first time I met Trinity was on a Saturday. One of the girls had called because they could not get her inside. As soon as I stepped into the dog yard I saw what can only be described as a big black dog shaking in a corner terrified. Turns out Trinity's previous owners surrendered her to the shelter because they did not want to purchase a ten dollar dog lisence. In addition when she was a puppy they decided they didn't want to deal with her so they stuck her on a chain in their yard. Out of sight out of mind. At some point during her stay at the end of the 6 foot chain Trinity managed to injure her left eye. naturally her owners couldn't be bothered with taking her to the vet so she lost sight in the eye. Anyways back to the yard. After talking to her for a few minutes she allowed me to put a leash on and take her back inside. On my way home that day I knew I was in trouble. I have always been a sucker for the underdog and I am always up for a challenge. Over the next two months I fell in love with this big goofy girl. I encouraged her to meet new people and tried to work through the stranger danger issues. However a big black dog that is blind in one eye and has some issues is not high on anyone's adoption list. Then I found out I would be moving to Utah to follow my heart and work with an organization dedicated to the underdogs. I was full of mixed emotions. On one hand I had reached my goal and landed the job I always wanted. On the other hand I knew trinitys odds of survival dwindled without me. So for the next couple weeks I wrestled with the reality before deciding that I could not live without this dog. So on February 15 I adopted trinity. She had adopted me long before that day though. Since bringing trinity home we have packed up our lives and moved 3,000 miles away. We have done basic obedience training as well as some off leash work. We have consulted with a trainer and put together a training plan to help us work through her stranger danger. We have gone through the removal of her blind eye. But most importantly we have lived life together. I am happy to say that trinity meets new people all the time now. She is still cautious around men but she hardly ever spooky barks anymore. She finally knows sit! She gets along great with other dogs, something we did not think possible at the shelter. She has learned how to initiate play with her canine friends. She also loves cats and car rides. She is completely housebroken. She has the most adorable wink I have ever seen. She is an 80 pound lap dog :-) she likes to hike but hates to run. She loves food puzzles and will carry her kong around long after the peanut butter is gone. And she makes more and more progress everyday. Last week she played with a ball for the first time! She is no longer afraid of her crate an just this past weekend she went camping for the first time. And although she didn't love the water I know that with time she can overcome that fear also. Trinity fills my life with so much love and laughter but her story and her progress also give me immense hope. Time, patience, and positive energy heals. Trinity is proof of that. Trinity gives me hope for all the other underdogs sitting in shelters. All it takes is one Dedicated staff member or volunteer. You make a difference. You change their lives. "to the world you may be one person. But to one person you may be the world" mya angelou I know that is true for trinity. Each day I love her more. Each day she makes me better. I may have literally saved her first but she saves me daily. She has my heart.

24 years and 24 lessons

So I just read an awesome blog post and was inspired to copy it. I know my birthday was a month ago but who cares? So before I get started I do have to say that I couldn't have learned these lessons without all of the wonderful people in my life and the not so wonderful so thank you for your pact!!! 1. Laughter is contagious so share the wealth. 2. Everyone has a story. Are you stopping to listen to it? 3. The question is not "is the goal attainable?" but rather "how hard must I work to obtain my goal?" 4. True friendship survives regardless of the miles in between. 5. Happiness is journey not a destination. Keep pursuing! 6. Dance parties are more fun in the company of others. 7. True peace is found within yourself and Shared with others through your actions. 8. Recycling is legit so just do it. 9. Time is precious so live fully in each moment. 10. Passion without pursuit is just a hobby. 11. The higher the mountain the more glorious the decent! 12. It's ok to let loose, you might even enjoy it! 13. Honesty is never overrated even if the truth hurts. 14. The world was meant to be discovered from the seat of a bike. 15. Euthanasia is a reality, not a sob story, and we must do everything in our power to eliminate its unnecessary evil. 16. Always root for the underdog 17. Racism is just ignorance rearing it's ugly head. We should define things by who they are not what we think they are based on genetics. 18. Love is always beautiful. 19. Family is not simply defined by shared genetics. Your family is made up of those people who love, accept, and support you no matter what. The people that know your heart. 20. Cats make everything better. 21. The outdoors is therapeutic. 22. True service is compelled by love not obligatin. 23. Compassion is one of the greatest gifts you can give others. 24. Music heals the soul in a way nothing else can. Well there you have it! Life as I see it. Peace & Love Summer

Matters of the heart: love and service

Recently I have started to receive several compliments about my work ethic again. For those of you that know me you know how awkward I am when I recover them and you also know how much a I enjoy them. Anyways it has gotten me thinking about my life. To me there is absolutely no need to thank me for doing the right thing or doing my job to the best of my ability. Those things are ingrained in me. There are three overarching themes that I try to live my life by. The first is love. Love guides everything that I do be it work, volunteering, or just hanging out. For me love is the only logical choice. The second is compassion. In my experience love combined with compassion for others goes so much father than hatred and judgement. So I do my best to be kind and compassionate towards others. I think when you come from a loving and compassionate place it is only natural that you also approach things with a peaceful mind set. It is my goal to keep peace with others and continue to seek inner peace for myself. Once you understand that these three things govern my life you can begin to understand why I am like I am and why I do what I do. I love animals and people alike but my connection to animals is far more intense. I fall in love daily and I love deeply. My heart breaks for the injustices that theses creatures have to face and the cruelty that uS humans dish out so easily. So I choose to love them with everything I have and to work as hard as humanly possible to aid in there recovery. I work to build trust and heal old wounds with kindness and. O compassion. And I work as hard as I am able to because I don't know how to work any differently. Helping animals is what I wake up wanting to do everyday. It is something I never get tired of. It is what I was made to do. Many think that statement is extreme and maybe it is but I have never been more certain of anything else in my entire life. But aside from helping animals I also think its my duty to help people. Too often we let pride rule our lives making us to embrassed to ask for help. I have watched many friends struggle through it and excepting help isn't easy for me either but I have co E to realize that we are meant to live life together. The good the bad the ugly. So when I see a need I try to meet it. Sometimes that's talking to a friends for hours, sometimes it's moving furniture, sometimes it's holding back someone's hair as they vomit. Whatever it is I am always happy to help. I think far to often people are not both willing and able when it comes to helping. The concepts of being both willing and able combined with my passion for service and heartbreaking reality of the world we live in are what drove me to ride my bike across the country for affordable housing. My heart breaks for those struggling to keep a roof over their heads. The faces of those without homes living on the streets of Detroit are not just faces to me. They each have a name a story. So for me not helping is not an option. Helping is all that I know. It's who I am and it what I want to do with or with out the thank yous. Sharing your deepest passions is suh a difficult task and often times the words are not enough. I hope that I have done an adequate enough job sharing my heart, my passions, and my duty with you all. I hope in some small way it might encourage you to share yours with others or perhaps even pursue them. I help because I was made to. I work hard because its the only way I l ow how to work. And I love because I am one of those crazy people that truly believe love and compassion can heal the world one person or animal at a time. Peace & Love Summer

Starlight's journey

Starlight is a two year old sheperd heeled mix who came to the sanctuary after being surrendered to a shelter. This girl was over corrected as a puppy and as a result came to best friends completely shut down. When I started in feb all it took was one look at her sweet face and I knew that I was going to help this dog learn to trust again. At first she was so timid all I did was sat in her kennel and talked to her for about 3 weeks. Once she got more comfortable she started sniffing me and we worked our way up to petting. Once she got more comfortable with me we started working on leash skills. The first time I came into work and got a tail wag I was ecstatic! We continued to work on meeting new people and in the beginning she would simply shake and hide. Over time she has started shaking less. Each day she trusts me a little more so I. Decided to foster her. I figured it would be good for her to get used to going places and doing things but I was worried my very obn obnoxious dog might be too overwhwlming. As soon as they met they loved each other! Trinity immediately licked starlights face and tried to play. The girls are inseprabable T home. They eat together, they sleep together, they chew stuff together. But perhaps my favorite thing is that they play together! Starlight confidently throws trinity on her back and. Bases her throughout the house. Today she chased her tail and played with a toy for the first time in months. Last week she had enough confidence to chase a golf cart!! She barks at cars passing by the house! Each day she makes more and more progress. I could not be more proud of her! But our work is not done yet. I cannot wait to see what strides she makes next. It is an honor to see the dog she is becoming, the dog she was meant to be all along. To sponsor starlight and support her progress please visit www.bestfriends.org and find her in the adorable adoptables section. Together we can save the world one dog at a time.

Unexpected Endings

Where to begin. Today is the one year anniversary of Christina Gencko's death. I went for a bike ride today and reflected on the whole experience. I knew when I signed up for Bike & Build that riding was dangerous but hearing news of Christina's death was shocking. It was a much needed slap in the face. It really put things into perspective. It made me evaluate the things that are important in life. You truly never know when your last day will be. That reminds me to make every day count. Don't leave things unsaid. Don't go to bed angry. Love passionately with your whole heart. And pursue the things that make you happy even if they will never make you rich. Christina was passionate about affordable housing and that is a passion that she carried until the day she died. Her death has impassioned me to fight harder for cyclist safety and road laws. Her life has forever impacted mine. Today I road for Christina and it was a beautiful ride. Ironically enough yesterday was filled with tragedy as well. I received news that during one of our staff meetings two of our dogs got in a dog fight and Stella, a newer deaf pittie mix who reminded me so much of Sahara from the Michigan shelter, died. Again the news of her death was shocking. It wrecked me actually. What I can say is that I am glad that I had the honor of knowing her. I am glad that she was healthy and happy for a while and I hope that she knew just how much I loved her. I may have only known her a short time but in that time she captured a piece of my heart and it will forever remain hers. Stella's death, tragic as it may be only reaffirms the importance of the work that I am doing here. Many of these dogs have been damaged by us humans and I am more determined than every to shower them in love and compassion. To be patience and positive. To be a part of their healing instead of their brokenness. One thing that is very clear to me these days is that every life has an impact. Every life is significant animal or human. We must choose how we want to live. We must choose how we want to impact others and then we must have the courage to live that impact out in our daily lives. I hope that my impact is to be loving and compassionate,to seek peace and pursue passion, to leave the places I go and the people and animals I meet better than when I started. So I will continue to love until it hurts and then love more. And Stella will forever be a part of me just as Hoss remains. Peace & Love, Summer

9,000

The past couple weeks I have found myself in a state of evaluation and reflection. I still cannot believe that I work for an organization that does so much for animals. The impact that is being made everyday is so real and powerful. However I am under no illusions that millions of others will not make it through the shelter system. Their lives will be cut short as man tries to play God and gets ride of the ones that don't fit in a cookie cutter mold. 9,000 animals are euthanized per day. 9,000. This number horrifies me. The faces of this number keep me up at night. I go back and forth. Back and forth. Although I understand the shelter mindset and why certain decisions are made the longer that I stay here the more I realize that just because I understand it doesn't mean I am any more ok with it. This past week we had a dog fight in my area and as I race up the hill to my building and into the run I was shocked at what I saw. My first thought was of a lion with it's prey. One dog literally dragging another around by it's neck, clearly the proud victor. After separating the dogs and assessing the damage I needed a minute to process what had just happened. The conclusion that I came to is that no matter how much we love these animals at the end of the day they are still animals. They act on predator instinct and it's this same instinct that seals so many fates in local shelters around this country. I also found myself so very grateful that both of these dogs are safe, grateful that instead of being euthanized for their issues we will continue to work through them. I think much too often we reject those that are different. Those that require work and patience. For example I have been working with a dog in my area since the end of February. She was an owner release to a shelter and because of human cruelty she was completely shut down. Afraid to lift her head, make eye contact or even wag her tail. Starlight comes from an abusive past and although I have been working with her everyday for three months and she has made significant progress she still has a long path ahead of her. Our actions have such a powerful impact both negative and positive. For dogs like Starlight and Brady if people had spent the time that they were abusing, loving on these dogs maybe their futures would have been brighter sooner. I find myself wishing that shelters across the country would devote more time to the animals and less time focusing on how imperfect they are or how inconvenient they are. The Vick pits are the perfect example of the impact that time and compassion can have on these dogs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZDWRoNPDdg That's my rant for now until next time, Summer

Climbs & Decents: Life is Like Riding a Bike

The longer I am here in Utah the more and more I learn and as I learn the more convinced I am that life is like riding a bike. After spending a summer discovering the country sitting atop two wheels I find an odd sense of peace and exhilaration each time I take Fiona on a new adventure. Everything about my life here in Utah screams Bike & Build in so many ways but it is also charged with a new sense of maturity and growth. Everyday as I drive to work it feels so wrong and even unnatural to drive the very road that I biked up in June. That climb was gradual and daunting at times, but I conquered it surrounded by my friends and with a determination that I didn't even know I had. I think that's how life is really. It's a series of trials and triumphs and if you surround yourself with the right people you will get through it, you will get to the top of the hill. I found myself reflecting on a specific ride this week as I hiked a trail known as The Beehive. Right away the trail was uphill and very sandy but I wasn't too discouraged. I even remember saying that I like the climb because as challenging as it is there is nothing more rewarding than reaching that top point and surveying just how far you have come before you head downhill on an exhilarating decent. One of my fellow hikers agreed and said that he has a philosophy that life is like riding a bike. You struggle up and up and up when you are going through hard times and it seems almost hopeless. But once you make it past that the good times are truly beautiful and they recharge you. I found so much truth in that so with each uphill I thought of that glorious decent that we took on that one ride and how full of life I felt. I thought about how all of the blood sweat and tears of the summer were worth every minute because of the relationships that I formed, the landscapes that we crossed, and ultimately the lessons I learned along the journey. The hike was by far the most difficult that I have done yet but also the most rewarding. Just when we thought we were to the top and we stopped at an overlook with what can only be described as a breathtaking view. I sat there and pondered life for a minute and thought of all of the places I have been in the past four years and all of the growing I have done in that time. I thought of all of the dreams that have been attained and the new goals I have set for myself. It was an awesome minute. Peaceful and perfect actually. Then Jen discovered what was actually the rest of the trail so we continued upwards. The boys went on ahead and Jen and I took a detour and climbed on top of an awesome rock. Standing on top of that rock was so rewarding! After our rock adventures we began our decent and I couldn't help but smile. Sure I was sweaty and tired but I had climbed and climbed and climbed and stumbled upon some pretty amazing landscape in the process. During the walk back down I found myself again reflecting on this one beautiful day from the summer. There are so many things that I am thankful for and that day is certainly one of them. Today Haylee and I set out to hike the SugarKnoll/Red Cave trail which is a local favorite. Finding the place was a little difficult and involved some risky maneuvers such as hopping fencing and choosing which fork in the road to take. After again cimbing and pushing myself physically and mentally we found the slot canyon. I don't think there is anything cooler than exploring a slot canyon!!!! Such a good idea. After today's hike I was again exhausted and wondering why I push my body so much on my weekends off. Most normal people choose to rest and recover so they are ready for the week ahead. Not me!!! I have discovered that as much as I hate the climb when I am stuck in the middle of it that is where you learn the most about yourself. Hiking is so much like biking and biking is the perfect metaphor for life. I don't think that I could be happier at this moment. I live in Utah. I work at BEst Friends. I have a fur family that loves me. I have a family that supports my crazy decisions. I have friends who love bikes as much as I do throughout the country. I have new friends who invite me to girls night and stick a candle in some raw cookie dough to wish me a happy birthday. But most importantly I am physically able to live an active and rewarding lifestyle and I am just stubborn enough to make sure that I continue to push myself and succeed. All in all life is good. Now I must go ride my bike :) Peace & Love, Summer

I really Live in Utah: Life's Daily Adventures

I often wake up and pinch myself not believing that this really is my life these days. I still cannot believe that I am working for Best Friends or that I get to wake up to the sun rising over the red cliffs every single day. Lots is happening all the time and for the most part it is all good! Work is going great. I have to send out a big congratulations to Lance, Lucas, Layla, Mya, Ellen, Squeaker and Oscar all former Vick fighting dogs who have earned purple collars and can now interact with volunteers at the sanctuary. These dogs have been through so much and it is so nice to see them recovering more and more every day. I am also extremely proud of some of the dogs in my area. Starlight, one of my project dogs, makes more and more progress everyday. She is still very very shy with new people and places but she comes out of her shell a little more each day and I know that together we will overcome her fears and once she overcomes her fears I have no doubt that she will be adopted in a heart beat! Vegas makes more and more progress with me each day as well. She is tolerating her feet being touched!! Any day now we might be able to trim her nails :) Whoever adopts her is one lucky person because she is one of the most loyal dogs I have ever met. Cecilla is overcoming her reactivity one walk at a time and she has even started going to play groups with other dogs. This girl is very smart and will make a great companion for someone looking for an active and intelligent companion. Bessie is overcoming her fear of humans as well. Several staff members can actually pet her on the head now!!! I can't wait to watch her continue to grow and progress. Meryl has been doing a lot better with her reactivity lately as well. I love her so much. She is the best golf cart rider! And Rexy comes out of his shell more and more each day as well!!! This guy was so shy when I started and now he takes meat balls, comes up for attention, splashes around in his pool, he even came up and flopped down for belly rubs the other day! (I have a soft spot for him anyways, since he is the closest thing I have to a pointer.) My days off have been filled with lots of adventure as well. I have started hiking with some people from work on Tuesdays. Last week we hiked Lookout Canyon and it was so so beautiful. The canyon made me forget that I was in northern Arizona. Green everywhere, birch trees, even some patches of snow that the dogs really enjoyed. We even found rocks with fossils in them!!! This week we hiked Snake Gulch-Kanab Creek Trail which didn't disappoint either. The canyon was breath taking and I found myself more and more excited to discover what was around the next corner. Wildflowers and cacti were in bloom everywhere. But the coolest part of yesterday's hike was that we found cave drawings!!! It was a wonderful surprise and it gave me a crazy connection with our ancestors. Thousands of years ago people were standing in the very same cave that I found myself standing in!!!! Crazy!! I also hiked the Squal Trail last week with Haylee and Pepper and it was incredible. Although parts were a little frightening we persevered and made it all the way to the top. The view was incredible, as is everything here, but neither one of us had cameras so we will have to hike it again when we do. Family. I am learning more and more each day that family is what you make it. I am so very grateful for my biological family and all of their support since the move. Happy birthday again mom! So sorry I couldn't be there in person. Anyways, family is more than just your biological family. I also have my college family, my life group family, my HATS family, and now I have become a part of the Best Friends family. Thank you again to everyone who has supported me since the move. My life would not be the same without you all. I really appreciate the care packages and letters and phone calls! I hope you can all visit soon :) The furry family is doing well also! We just said goodbye to the bunker and hello to our new house equipped with a fenced in cattery. Riggs is in heaven and Oreo and LadyBug are learning to deal with this new found outdoor access. Trinity often gets the zooms and runs from one end of the house to the other. She is also continuing to make great progress with her training. She can sit, lay, and wait just like before but we are also working on her social skills. She is meeting new people everyday thanks to my coworkers and new friends and their willingness to help us! She has also been meeting other dogs and learning how to play! She really loves Pepper, a handsome shar pei and possibly rottie boy. I think they are going steady now ;) It's so great to see her make so much progress so quickly. Every time she meets someone new without any issues I smile to myself and think, people really wanted to euthanize this dog. Wow. So grateful that we found each other and that I can be a part of her transformation from scared, awkward kid to confident, goofy dog. I think the only other thing is that as much as I love this place and am settling in I still think it's weird that I will not be celebrating my birthday with any of the people that are back home. So many wonderful birthday memories from the last 5 years!!! For those of you who have been asking what to get or what you can send I would really love it if you sponsored one of the dogs from my area! Just visit the Best Friends website and click on giving to Best Friends. For those of you who feel you have to send tangible things I would love some honey wheat pretzel rods, mint cookie balance bars, feista ranch dip mix, meijer brand raspberry water, sun screen, socks, and bandanas. All of those things are super useful and most are not carried here. You could also donate to Invisible Children or send me something for the house since I have very few house items! But a phone call would mean just as much as a gift so keep that in mind. Now I must decide what to do with myself in this new place with my new friends to make the day memorable! Challenge accepted.

Settling In Nicely

Sorry I haven't been as consistent with this as I had wanted to be. But I figured it was time for an update. The job is wonderful! I cannot wait to get up and go to work every day. I am learning more and more about training and dog behavior each day. As of right now my favorite green collar girl is Vegas and green collar boy is Max. Favorite purple collar girl is Cecilla and boy is Riley. Favorite red collar girl is Meryl and boy is Julio. You can view their profiles and even sponsor them if you wish by visiting the Best Friends website. Aside from work I have been starting to make some friends which has been so so nice. I love hearing about how each person came to be a part of this organization and I love knowing that we all share this genuine and deep love for animals. Great foundation for friendships!!! Went hiking the other day and everything was beautiful. It reminded me a lot of Bike & Build!!! I love when you get bits and pieces of Bike & Build in the real world. I had my first visitor which only further cemented that fact that this really is my crazy awesome life now!!! Living my dreams. Crazy. I made my way back to Zion and I am convinced that I will never get used to it's beauty. The animals keep me busy and everyone is making such good progress!!! I have started to get mail, which is very exciting for me I might add, so send anything and everything that you would like to! Still adjusting to some of the things I miss from Michigan such as fiesta ranch dip, meijer brand raspberry water, pumpkin pancakes, socks free of sand ect. But in the grand scheme of things that stuff doesn't really matter. Anyways, I am hiking some more this afternoon! Here is the very brief update! For more details or to set up your next visit call me. Love you all!! Summer

Address Info!!!

So after being here over a month already I thought it would be a good idea to give everyone my address information!! My new mailing address is

PO Box 384
Kanab, UT 84741

I love to send mail and get mail so please share your address as well!!! Also, it looks like my days off are going to be Tuesday and Wednesday every week so feel free to call or text and update me on your life!!! I am also free most evenings after 8 EST time 7 CEN time 6 MTN time and 5 PAC time.

Hope to hear from everyone soon!

Peace & Love,

Summer

Meryl

Meryl is one of my favorite dogs in my area! This sweet girl is about 6 years old now and she truly has come a long way since arriving at Best Friends. Meryl was one of the 51 pit bulls rescued from NFL star, Micheal Vick's Bad Newz Kennels in Virginia in 2007. 48 of these dogs were placed in rescue groups across the country and Best Friends accepted 22 of these dogs. Meryl was one of them. Meryl is red collar and not allowed to be adopted out due to court orders. But dont worry this girl is healthy and happy here at Best Friends. Meryl is very affectionate. She loves belly rubs and car rides. She also really loves toys however she has had four surgeries for obstructions so she isn't allowed to have toys anymore. This girl also happens to be a poop eater so don't let her give you too many kisses! I took Meryl on a hike up south loop trail the other day and she loved it! Sniffing and marking and rolling in the dirt the whole time. I am so thankful for Best Friends role in the lives of these fighting dogs. Because of their efforts Meryl gets to live out a healthy, happy life. Anywhere else she would have been euthanized for being a product of what men made her. My favorite thing about Meryl is the fact that she gets along well with other dogs! That's right, former fighting dog now shares a kennel with other dogs. Her current run mate, Buddy Arnold, could care less about Meryl's breed or past. He just loves playing with her :) Stories like Meryl give me hope for the future of dog fighting victims across this country. Meryl is not available for adoption however you can support her care by donating to Best Friends!

Brady (Muffin)

Brady is a very special boy! This guy is a mixed breed who came to Best Friends from a rescue group in Florida. One of the volunteers for this rescue used to stand in front of Brady's kennel and kick his door all day long. As a result Brady can be very reactive at his gate with people he doesn't know. Brady is a red collar dog, meaning that only staff members get to interact with him. When I first met Brady I was very intimidated by him. He didn't know me and as a result he really didn't like me that much. However armed with patience, and understanding of his history, and lots of treats Brady and I have become good friends. Once he knows you, you can pretty much do anything that you want with this guy! He loves car rides and hiking the south loop trail on the sanctuary. He enjoys his trips to the dog park and will sit and wait nicely for cookies and meals. But Brady's favorite thing is butt scratches!!! This boy will walk between your legs strategically placing his rear end right in front of you so that you can give him some scratches. Brady's story is a common one among animals I like to believe. Abandoned by his original people, left to rot at a shelter, and then further abused by us "humane" humans. However thanks to Best Friends Brady's story ends happily ever after. Thank God.

Julio & Justice

One of my goals in working for Best Friends is to share as many dog's stories as possible why I am here. Today is about Julio & Justice.

Julio originally came to Best Friends with quite a history of biting. He is pretty notorious around dog town for his past behaviors. Julio fell in love with one of his care givers and was adopted!!! However due to unfortunately circumstances Julio is back. His owner died and the surviving family was unable to keep Julio. Julio was returned to Best Friends Oct of 2011. He is now 12 yrs old and we call him an american eskimo mix. Since I have started working with Julio he has really come around. He walks great on a leash. He knows sit and down and he loves to sniff around Tara's run. I truly love this little guy, despite his history.

Julio came in with his sister Justice. Justice is a 8 yr old rottie mix who is quite the character. This girl loves two things in life. Butt scratches and food. She will do just about anything for a biscuit and is often found with druel hanging out of her mouth at feeding time. Like Julio, Justice loves to cruise around Tara's Run. this girl will go up and down ramps, through the tunnel, she has even jumped through the ring a time or two. Together these two are just precious. Julio and Justice are both available for adoption. Visit www.bestfriends.org for more information on adoption and sponsorship.

What Now!?!?!

In the past three weeks I have successfully moved from a town of about 26,000 people with an elevation of 770 feet about sea level to a very small town with a population of merely 3,800 people with an elevation of about 4,970 feet above sea level. I never pictured myself living in a small town in the middle of nowhere yet that is exactly where I find myself these days and, to my surprise, I am loving every minute of it! However having obtained my dream job and moved to Utah I now find myself asking what's next? What exactly does one do after they have reached their life's goal at age 23?

Several people tell me that I am just supposed to be happy for the rest of my life and although that sounds like a great idea, those of you that know me also know that I am not one to sit around and be complacently happy so to speak. I need goals and purpose and a general direction to my life. I am an ambitious person. I like seeking wholeheartedly after my dreams. So I find myself taking a good hard look at my life and the things that I am passionate about so that I can set some new goals.

Obviously my biggest passion is animal rescue, welfare and advocacy. At first glance working for the largest no kill animal rescue in the country pretty much takes care of this one for me. However I would really like to use everything that I am learning here to help my shelter back home make more progress. They are a small but passionate organization and I am dedicated to helping them better themselves so that we may save more and more lives, educate more and more people, and ultimately create a healthier, happier environment for the staff, volunteers, and every animal in our care. A piece of my heart will always be in Mount Pleasant MI. Along those same line s lies my passion for pit bulls and pit bull advocacy. I sure do love the underdog. In the past four years I have immersed myself in anything and everything pit bull related. The good, the bad, the ugly I find myself drawn to this breed and the main injustices that we humans have inflicted up on them over the years. Within the next year I would really like to expand my understand of this breed and the issues it is facing in today's society. I believe a very important step in this educational endeavor is to visit the world's largest pit bull rescue which happens to have a new center located in New Orleans, LA - one of my favorite places in this country. I am excited to learn from people who have dedicated their lives to understand and rescuing the breed that everyone else shies away from.

This leads me to my second and third passion. Disaster relief and affordable housing. Since 2008 I have been spending at least one week of my life giving back to broken communities across the country. Communities ravished by hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. There is something so humbling and rewarding about helping someone rebuild their home and in turn their life. Too often I take for granted the simple fact that I have a home. Which is why I am also dedicating at least one week of my life to rebuilding communities for the rest of my life. I was greatly moved by hurricane Katrina and it's impact on the entire Gulf Coast. This past summer I had the privilege of working with the Saint Bernard Project- an organization dedicated to rebuilding not only homes but lives throughout the lower 9th ward in New Orleans through affordable housing projects, mental health services and equal opportunity employment. Working with SBP only solidified my love for NOLA and it's people and my dedication to rebuilding what Katrina tore apart. I have also decided that I will be working with the Saint Bernard Project once a year as well.

Living in Southern Utah reminds me of Bike & Build each and everyday. As I drive to work I find myself looking back to that spot I chalked, or that hill I climbed next to Tiffany. I pass that shade tree at the top of the climb and that beautiful decent Corey and I took together. Bike & Build is everywhere here which is why I am looking forward to meeting SUS 12 when they roll through this summer. And as long as SUS is rolling through Kanab I think that it's my duty to spread some SUS 11 love with them by chalking for them and baking for them and if I am lucky enough, riding with them. I am already working on my plan of attack for this year. I would really love to host an SUS 11 reunion during the time that SUS 12 rolls through so that everyone could meet and bike and bond over the heat and some PB & J. Still working on the details though! The weather is so perfect here and the red cliffs are so inspiring I find it hard to sit inside. I can ride my bike everyday here!! Fiona and I were so happy to stretch our legs for the first time after arriving. There is nothing more therapeutic than strapping on your helmet and hitting the road. I have also started running again since arriving. I have decided that if one can bike from ocean to ocean in the dead of summer with minimal injuries there is no reason that I can't train for and run a marathon. But quite possibly the thing that I am most excited about is yoga!!! I have started doing yoga every day and let me tell you there is nothing more beautiful than doing yoga against the red cliffs.

For now I will be working on physical perfection, and giving back to as many people and animals as possible. Please let me know if you have any ideas for me! I am always looking for ways to grow in knowledge and service to others. Who knows what's next!!!!!

Peace & Love,

Summer

Every New Beginning Comes from Some Other Beginnings End

So much can happen in a week! Its hard to believe that a week ago I was packing up and preparing to say goodbye to my friends and family and everyone at the shelter. With goodbyes done and my attempt at a road trip complete I find myself settling into my new home quite nicely. Stress levels are somewhat high due to my $2300 transmission bill but what can you do? Roll with the punches I guess! The animals are adjusting quite well. Oreo is the resident trouble maker. I think he feels it's his duty as the only male in the household! Riggs loves to sit in the sun for most of the day. She tries to snuggle with Trinity but Trinity doesn't understand this foreign concept. Lady Bug is definitely my lap cat. If you are sitting she is in your lap. And Trinity... where to begin! Everyone here thinks she is beautiful, which is hard to argue with :) She loves our walks and is slowly adjusting to the gentle leader. She is a champ in the car now and we are working on all kinds of basic commands. She is afraid of her own shadow and sometimes growls at the t.v. She is a bed hog and she snores but I love her and she loves me so what more could one really ask for?

I find myself missing the shelter already. Sometimes I forget that I am not going back. Utah is still so new it feels like a vacation. But I know that all is well and that Chelsea and the kennel staff are hard at work finding our dogs homes. I miss So many people back home but I also know that many will visit and many will stay in touch. I look forward to skype dates and snail mail. I start work on Sunday and I am SO excited!!!! I think starting work will solidify the start of my new life in this crazy beautiful place!!! There truly is nothing more beautiful than sun rise on the red cliffs. On that note I must go ride my bike!!!

Peace & Love,

Summer

Single Digits!!!

It's so hard to believe that I leave for Utah in 9 days!!! I cannot believe that I have landed my dream job or that I am actually moving 3,000 miles to Utah. But I do know that I am PUMPED. I have slowly been packing up my life, piece by piece. Last week marked the start of goodbyes. I really hate goodbyes but saying goodbye to one thing always leads you to say hello to another. I look forward to new beginnings, new friends, new hobbies, new experiences but I also treasure all of the relationships and life lessons that have lead me to this point in my life.

Utah becomes more and more real with every passing day. I have reached the single digit count down!!! Cat crates have been purchased. Staff transitions have started. Thank you letters are written. This thing is really happening!!!!!

The list of things that I still have to do be before I leave grows smaller and smaller! Laundry :P pack the car, map out final route one more time, and most importantly, find a home for TRINITY!!! LOVE THAT DOG. If you or anyone you know is looking for a female black lab that happens to be blind in one eye CALL ME ASAP. Also, as the count down continues make sure that you make plans to see me before I leave!!!!

The Joys of Packing....

So I confirmed my travel arrangements today and I will be leaving the great state of Michigan on Feb 17th!!!!! It looks like My Pleasant to Omaha. Omaha to Denver. Denver to Kanab. Kanab to Vegas. Vegas to Kanab. But before I can actually leave I have this little thing called packing to do. As many of you know, I hate packing. a lot. I have to fit four years of life into one blazer with 3 cats and my best friend. This is going to be a challenge to say the least. However I am looking forward to packing light and starting my new life off living simply :)

Before I leave I not only need to pack up my life. I also need to see as many people as possible, adopt out as many dogs as possible, and locate a gps, bike rack, and computer. So if you know me and you are an important person in my life, you know if you are, lets make plans asap! If you know anyone looking for a female black lab who is blind in one eye send them my way. Her name is Trinity and she is the current love of my life. And if you are super nice and have a bike rack or gps that I could borrow lets be friends :) The computer search continues.... BUT I'M MOVING TO UTAH!!!! TO WORK AT BEST FRIENDS!!!!! WITH MY CATS!!!!!!! AND MOUNTAINS!!!! AND NO MORE EUTHANASIA!!! Does it get better than this?

Good News At Last!

SO as many of you know I LOVED my time in Utah and with Best Friends this past December and I have been waiting, very impatiently, to hear back from them. Last night Michelle Logan and I played phone tag for a while before actually connecting today.... AND IT WAS GREAT NEWS!!! I got the job!!!!! I am going to be working for Best Friends!!! In Dog Town!! Oreo and I will be Utah bound in a few short weeks. So hard to believe but such great news :)

I truly dont know how to feel right now. It is an intense mixture of excited/overwhelmed and sad/nervous. I mean when you are a kid the goal is always to reach for the stars. Then as an adult you do everything in your power to make your childhood dreams come true. But what do you do when you actually reach your goal? When you actually obtain your dream job? I for one jumped up and down, screamed a bit, and then did a happy dance. Although working for Best Friends and being a voice for animals has always been my goal obtaining it is bitter sweet because it means that I will be leaving everything and everyone I have ever known. Now for me the unknown is pretty exciting!!! It's the leaving part that gets me. So I arm myself with courage and hope for the journey ahead. Leaving HATS and all of the animals it cares for is a huge leap of faith and I can tell you a whole lot of courage. But I have hope that the excellent staff and dedicated volunteers will carry the torch in my absence because unlike last time this leave is permanent.

So in 4 short weeks I need to train staff and share as much knowledge and as many connections as I possibly can. I need to pack my 23 yrs of life, say my good byes to family and friends, grab my cat and hit the road! I'M MOVING TO UTAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH