Rescue Journal

open house day...

Carol  ·  Jun. 23, 2012

i want to thank all of the volunteers and staff who have gone above and beyond helping us get ready for today. great job everyone!!!!

i hope visitors look past the scratch and dents caused by the hundreds of animals thru here and see the real heart of saints. we may be getting tattered and worn around the edges but the bones of us are still pretty great.

one day we will get the place re-painted but quite frankly the animals do not give a shit about fresh paint.
i get really nervous with each annual open house cuz this is the time that we open ourselves full up to the work that we do here.

what if no one comes? what if no one cares? what if they come and don't like it here?

and to be quite honest..this is my shameful "all about carol" fear every year...what if hundreds of people come and traipse thru my bedroom and house and walk away thinking i am insane?

it is a big worry, you can't get much more personal then what i do around here.....nothing like inviting the world into judge how you personally live your life every day.

still...it is like going to the dentist...totally necessary. down and dirty 24/7 rescuers tend to want to go underground..it is personally safer and less of a risk that way. we are in some ways like the abused animals we care for..slightly afraid that someone might unexpectedly take a whack at us today.

but i believe that if we believe we are doing what we are supposed to do...then we must stand up, and afraid or not, be willing to do it in full public view. that is what will ultimately stop us from going too far and slipping into the dark side of rescue.

it is hard because rescuers are not wired like most of the rest of the world. i don't know if it is because our wiring is totally messed up or if it is a unique gift....or maybe a combination of both.


all i know is that we are different and being different somedays scares the shit outta me...like on open house days.

today is our pubilic report card day...wish us luck!

(and please god, on a personal note....don't let anyone think i am totally insane.)

Comments

Barbara Ferris

I am sorry I am out of town for the open house and glad to hear it went well today.
On Carol's comment about feeling like being judged:
I am not a pessimmist however I do find people are quick to judge and less willing to actually do something.
The ones willing to do something outside of what is consider normal are going to be judged; so let them judge.
The like minded people who are caring and kind will prevail.
Hugs to all : )
Barbara

Debra

What a great day today's Open House was ! The weather even cooperated. Hope tomorrow is even better!!

Janey

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow! Really enjoyed my visit last year :)

Linda

A friend and I came today to the openhouse, my second time and his first. It's a magical place!!! You really impressed him and we both had a wonderful time.

Brigid

Wish I could be with you - hope it all goes well. Thank God for your brand of "insanity"!

Ann

and i'm with Brent too on this one! wishing i lived closer and could get to this - but mostly wishing you all a terrific weekend and hoping for lots of people's growth of education about animals!

another Doreen

I went to the Open House a couple of years ago and was totally impressed! I hope to make it back again tomorrow.
I was and am still amazed at how you manage all that and still work full-time. Your "insanity" is the good kind! It isn't harming anyone and is helping so many animals to have some quality of life that they probably wouldn't have had otherwise. And you educate so many through the Open Houses and the blogs etc. Be proud of yourself, you've got nothing to be ashamed of!

Lori Paul

I am one of 1,000 Saints specifically because of your willingness to be transparent and your (some might say insane) belief that all creatures deserve a chance to be comfortable and cared for (no matter how wrecked they are when they arrive). I feel better about this world knowing that you and your volunteers are on the job!

lynne

it will be great, as it is every year. if people trapse through and do not love it then there is somethig wrong with them. see you in a bit.

Penny

Carol - don't worry, you are a little insane, but in an incredibly wonderful, caring, self-sacrificing, big-hearted way. People like you are unique, and the world is a better place because of it. If people judge negatively, it's because they don't understand what SAINTS is all about. The people I know who are coming to the open house and very excited about seeing the animals.

Brent

Having watched the news these last few days and seen what "sane" people do the world and each other, I will take "insane" any day of the week thank you very much-