Sunday, April 27, 2014

Golden Shovel

Hello Friends.

If you could have been with me last Tuesday you would have seen a Goose doing the happy dance.  Why so happy?  As a few of you guessed from my photo clue in my last post we have broken ground on our new homeless shelter, yes complete with a pet area!!  Many thanks to so many of you who sent in green papers to help fund the pet area.  And guess what????  I was invited to the ground breaking.  Not only was I invited to attend but I was honored to also be asked to be one of the "important people" to lend a paw in breaking the ground.  Seriously I was.  I know you are thinking, "Oh Goose your MOM was the one asked to do that."  That is true butt I got my very own invitation.  So lets get to some pictures shall we.

There were lots and lots of people there.  They braved the bad weather, 15-20 mile an hour winds with gust of 40+.  Dirt and sand was blowing everywhere!  MOM had sand in her hair, eyes, ears, nose, EVERYWHERE. 

This is Pamela Atkinson.  If you know anything about homelessness then you know this beautiful lady.  She is the BIGGEST advocate for the homeless.  She is wonderful and spoke some incredibly inspiring words.  Besides Pamela, there were government type of people who spoke too.  MOM wishes she had a video of when each person spoke and when everyone clapped, I barked.  Hey I had to keep my paws on the ground so I did not blow away.

These are the three clergy type of people who represented the three founding churches who started St. Anne's all those years ago as a simple soup kitchen to feed the hungry.  Rev. Claudia  from The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, David Thomas from Elim Lutheran Church and Father Ken from St. Joseph's Catholic Church.  And while St. Anne's is no longer a faith based organization these three churches do so much to help St. Anne's help those in need.  Check out the shoulders of Father Ken.  That is the dirt and sand building up on his shoulders because of all the wind blowing about (and he was inside the tent, imagine how much sand my MOM and I, and others, got who where standing on the outside of the tent.)

I really wanted to take a ride on this big digging machine.

It helped provide a little bit of shelter for me from the wind.  OH, and do you see I wore my very best tie to this ground breaking.

That's my friend Rich giving me a drink from his water bottle.  Rich works at St. Anne's as the security guy.  Check out his hair blowing in the wind.  hahahha. 

Here I am ready to break the ground of the new facility which will be know as Lantern House.

These are the "important people" ready to break ground.  You may have noticed that my MOM must not have gotten the memo about what to wear.  I mean look everyone is in dressy clothes, even me, I wore a nice tie.  In MOM's defense she had just finished cooking lunch at the shelter and rushed over to the new site for the ground breaking.  BUTT I will say this: My MOM's shirt says it all about how we feel and what we see in this new facility.

And it has begun!  WOOOOOO HOOOOO!

You might ask, "Why the serious look Goose?"  Well you see my friends I know this is a very important moment, a sacred moment.  This is where lives will be helped and changed for both people and pets. 

For people like Lucy and her Boxer, Blue, who are sleeping on the floor in the lobby at St. Anne's because all the beds in the woman's dorm are full.  (Lucy and Blue have a place of their very own now).

This here is what the new shelter will look like.  Pretty awesome huh?

Here is the blue print of the entire shelter, complete with the pet area.

I even got to save a stick while I was at the ground breaking.
 
Thank you friends for all your support though prayers, money, and well wishes.  In about 10 months I hope to give you a tour of the new place.  We still have about 1.5 million to raise so we have all the funds we need for the shelter to be complete. 
Blessings,
Goose














30 comments:

  1. Well now, Goose, that was a real honor and the project is awesome. You are the perfect ambassador to help raise the needed green papers to see it completed. We can all help you.

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  2. Dat looks like it'll be a very nice place and it's so cool you got to go to the groundbreaking!

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  3. That is one awesome project and well done to all. We hope it all goes well and will be up and running and doing good things real quick. Bravo we say. Have a marvellous Monday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  4. amazing story amazing photos amazing Goose and love that blowing hair shot... Lucy and Blue brought tears to my eyes.. this is a fantastic story of hope....

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  5. Hari Om
    OMD, I teared up a whole lot here Goose and Pastor M... this is just sooooooo awesome. I love the design - it is reminiscent of wings... of an angel perhaps??? Amazing work and I will add my prayers for it's smooth and timely completion. Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx

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  6. Goose that is such a wonder project and thank you for sharing the ground breaking with us. I sometimes hear people talking about homeless folk who have dogs and they say that should not be allowed. Well I think they must be non pet owners because I know that a dog can bring such joy into ones life. I live on my own and I am always so pleased to see VIcki in the garden or at the door when I come home and she is such wonderful company, so I am glad to see that the new home will have a pet area. Looking forward to seeing the completed project and good luck with the fundraising. Hilary and Vicki

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  7. Very awesome!! And nice work supervising all those people in suits, Goose! We look forward to the completed facility!

    *kissey face*
    -Fiona and Abby the Hippobottomus

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  8. AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!!! The new facility is going to be beautiful. Kudos to all those involved and we will say prayers that the construction goes smoothly. We think your Mom's shirt was perfect for the groundbreaking.

    Hugs,
    Lily Belle & Muffin

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  9. This is great news for your community.


    xo Cinnamon

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  10. what a momentous day and we are so happy to see you be a part of it Goose.

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  11. What a wonderful thing to be a part of. We can't wait to see the progress.

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  12. this is just the most pawsome thing. we can't wait to see it when it is complete. You and your Mom are so wonderful to be a part of this
    hugs
    Mr Bailey, Hazel & Greta

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  13. THIS is just SO wonderful. WE are so very much happy that YOU and your Mom were there to help break the ground and to Save a STICK... which is exactly the thingy this Lantern House will be doing..... SAVING PEOPLE and their Pets.. TOGETHER.
    WONDERFUL.

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  14. Oh GOOSE we are so happy that this dream is coming true. It will change the lives of everyone involved.
    stella rose

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  15. Well, mom's eyes are leaking, Goose! Congratulations!!

    -Bart, Ruby and Otto

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  16. I am so proud of you and your momma for all your work! Lantern House sounds like an amazing place, and it's going to help SO many people and animals!

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  17. It will be a wonderful place when it is done. We didn't realize it started with those 3 churches!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  18. What an amazing idea that the pets will be able to stay with the owners. It is so heart breaking to see people have to make tough choices not to get help or to abadon pets to get assistance.

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  19. This is so amazing! I can't wait to watch this site go from dirt and bulldozers to puppies and their families reuniting and finding a safe place of refuge in a brand new place! We are so excited for the community of Ogden and all those involved! Goose, you and your MOM look like pros with those golden shovels!

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  20. Did you get to like pee on it???

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  21. Goose - your happy dance was felt by many - even if Tennessee

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  22. Wow that is wonderful Goose. Can't wait to see the progress over next few months.

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  23. Goose that's great! I bet Lucy and Blue will be happy about the new shelter and all other peeps and pets too. I could send my staff to help you, but that's more counterproductively. I would like to take a ride on the big digging thingy too, imagine what holes we could dig in our back yards! Oh and I'm impressed that you can drink from a bottle, I sadly failed as I tried that.

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  24. Hey Goose!
    Wow, what a wonderful place this will be! Congrats to you and your Mom for getting to help with the all-important digging job. Love the pix and I barked at the guy with the blowing hair. BOL Thanks for letting us all enjoy the big day with you.
    Grr and Woof,
    Sarge, Pol Comm

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  25. Goose we are speechless this is wonderful news!
    Hugs
    Madi and mom your bfffs

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  26. This is really so very beautiful, Goose! I think my favorite picture is the one of your friend Rich giving you a drink from his water bottle. How nice is that? Sharing with a friend in need. That is beautiful.
    Cammie!

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  27. Oh wow this is excellent news! We were only able to help a little bit, so it is wonderful to see the groundbreaking finally happening!

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  28. I has a happy tear in my eyes. Yay for helping people and critters. Yay! :)

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  29. Hi Y'all!

    My Human read this post on her smart phone and she's never gotten the comment thing down when she uses the phone (and they call it a smart phone!).

    Y'all come by now,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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