The last member of our core team at Missouri Lost & Found Paws team is someone who is especially near and dear to my heart.
I met her in 2008 when I first started volunteering for her rescue organization. You see, just two months prior, I was just your regular, average pet owner. I had come to find out that there were two dogs living in the woods outside my subdivision. Long story short, through that journey, I learned about the dedication and devotion that animal advocates have and provide to utter strangers.
I was so touched by the fact that these volunteers were willing to help me, a stranger. I reconnected with All Paws Rescue, whom I had met when I first moved to St Louis in 1997. I wanted to give back. I started volunteering with All Paws Rescue.
In my time with them, I learned so much for my mentor’s leadership. I learned about organizing fundraisers, motivating volunteers, community involvement, leadership of a volunteer based organization, giving, giving and giving with open heart to others who are in need of help and so much more. Though she is on the quiet side, her leadership resonated loudly to me. She was so inspiring. She was always open to new ideas. When I first started to explore the idea of starting an organization for lost and found animals, she was so encouraging! Over the years, I have been so blessed to not know her as just my mentor, but now as a very close friend.
Bev Kreinbrook, I thank you from the very bottom of my heart for being such an inspirational guide through this journey to develop an organization that I am so very passionate about. Thank you for always letting me bounce ideas with you. Thank you for all that you have done for so many years as an incredible animal advocate. You have helped thousands of animals, and many, many families through your dedication. I am so blessed to have you in my life.
As a side note, this photo includes a very special woman, Sue Prouhet. She and her husband were the first two people who showed up to help me save the two wandering dogs near my home in 2007. She and her husband, Harold, taught me my foundational skills for trapping animals like: use vienna sausages or braunschweiger, have binoculars on hand, how to set traps, the importance of monitoring traps frequently, securing traps so they can’t be stolen, the use of baby powder to monitor tracks approaching the trap just to name a few.
