My name is Ms. Moores and this is Joshua Bear,” said the
note that accompanied the brown teddy bear sporting a basketball uniform on his
journey to Newtown, Connecticut, following the horrific shooting, December 14th
in that town.
Thousands of stuffed animals arrived in Newtown from people
all across the nation who sought to offer some small comfort to the town’s children.
When FOTAS’ president learned that by Christmas, the town was
pleading for donors to stop sending teddy bears, she contacted them and asked
for a donation of stuffed animals to bring comfort to Aiken County’s homeless
and motherless puppies.
Newtown’s person responsible for storing the bears agreed to
send 100 to 150 teddy bears if FOTAS paid the shipping. UPS shipped them at a huge discount. Joshua Bear and his Journal were in that
shipment.
For five years, from the fall of 2005 through the summer of
2010, Joshua went home with kindergarteners, children about the same age as the
twenty children slaughtered at Sandy Hook.
“Hi, I’m Joshua Bear!” the message inside the journal cover
reads, “…Please write in my journal about my visit…then send me back to
school…” There are fifty-two entries.
“Joshua is filled with many hugs and happy memories,” wrote
teacher Moores in her note to Newtown. “He has comforted students when they
were sad and taken part in the joy of everyday life.”
Reading through the little stories, what emerges is a mosaic
of connection and caring. The children
tell where they took Joshua Bear, how they changed his outfits, and how his
presence made them feel – always better.
Their message is about home and family, and how mothers, fathers,
siblings, grandparents, friends, and neighbors make life matter, especially to
the very young, new to living at all.
If you translate that to the world of puppies, kittens, dogs
and cats, as we do in the FOTAS family, not all that much changes. Yes, the pups are likely to find joy pulling
the stuffing out of their toy and playing tug-o-war with the fabric, but our
impulse to provide puppies and kittens with a clean healthy environment; to
offer appropriate toys, good food, and clean water; and, to make the warm,
happy sounds humans make when in their company, that impulse comes from love.
When the shipment of teddy bears was certain, in the spirit
of partnership, FOTAS offered to share them with the Aiken SPCA. They happily accepted and paid half the
freight. The goodwill just kept flowing
outward.
“He is excited to have a new place to call home. I hope he can comfort you in your time of
need,” wrote Ms. Moores, never expecting Joshua to end up in South Carolina,
“…My thoughts and prayers are placed inside of him as well.”
We finally break ground for our new shelter on March 3rd, so some prayers
are being answered. We still need your
donations and fund-raisers to furnish it.
Prayers include more foster homes and spay/neuter funds. Let’s make Joshua Bear proud of his new home!
Aiken County Animal Shelter: “By the
Numbers”
February 18th
thru 24th
Received: 43 dogs and 29 cats
Adopted: 13 dogs and 2 cats
Put down: 35 dogs and 36 cats
 |
| CAREN – 4 yrs. This golden-eyed lady still needs a home! Only $35 |
Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!”
 |
| BOB – 1.5 yrs. Bull Terrier mix. He is a loveable sweetheart! Only $70 to be yours |
*All adoption fees include: Spay/Neuter, heartworm
test, all shots, worming, and microchip.
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Your comments and input are always welcome. We appreciate any suggestions or thoughts that will help FOTAS with their goal to help the Aiken County Animal Shelter become a happy, healthy place that never has to euthanize an adoptable pet.