Theo

 There was one cat that couldn't go to Florida with the rest of the crew.  Meet Theo!  When he came to the rescue, he was terrified.  His family abandoned him when his mother-in-law moved in.  He also had a lump on his face that was suspected to be cancer.  

Theo was a mess when he arrived.  He was so scared that he was attacking anyone who got near his cage.  A feral cat glove had to be worn by volunteers to put food in his crate.  

When the lump on his face turned out to be cancer, I volunteered to foster him as a hospice case.  Once out of the rescue/kennel, he was a different cat.  He's a love bug and follows me around like a dog.  I'm not sure how long we will have him, but this will be his home.

Theo after surgery at home

Theo loves a box

First time at home

The Great Cat Rescue

 Due to Helene, Furever Friends lost power at the rescue.  Plus, so many people lost their homes and gave their cats back to the rescue.  It was a nightmare.  Another rescue in Florida stepped up and offered to take 150 cats.  We had to load up all the cats in a few vans and get them safely to Florida.  It was a massive effort by both rescue organizations.

Haw Creek and the cats in blackout conditions

Loading the cats into the vans

There were cats from all over the region ready to go to Florida.

Emma supervised.  We had to get there at 3am so the cats could be on the road by 7am.  

Pam and Deb were on paperwork duty

Almost packed up

They all arrived safely at Brevard Rescue in Florida

Helene- Round 2

 When the water did come back, this is what it looked like for weeks.

Donations piled up everywhere.  Emma and I went to the sites to "shop".  She loved finding weird clothes.

I mean, who would donate a snake skin jacket and heels to hurricane victims??

This is called "secondary disaster".  People had good intentions but donated very unnecessary items.  They piled up in parking lots all over town and were eventually put in the landfill.  I tried to sort a lot of it and get it to goodwill but most of it was thrown away.  It was so upsetting.  The amount of trash generated was disgusting.

Chimney Rock was decimated

Black Mountain revived the town square meetings.  People would walk to the town to get information and pass it on to neighbors.  The community really rallied.  We all helped each other in ways I would never have guessed.  

Highland Farms did a great job.  My parents were very comfortable.

The police, volunteers, and ems playing with kids on the town square.  We had volunteers from all over the country come in to help

A local camp opened their facilities and let people come in to wash clothes

Old Fort

Going to Chimney Rock

Ruth and I were the stand in "love" people.  They are usually a large group that stands on the corner in town every Wednesday, spreading love.  

Emma and I volunteering at the Ingles distribution center