Special people

Joy

A bit over a year ago Joy was diagnosed with terminal thyroid cancer and it was by pure happenstance that I learned of that fact when I met her in the hallway one August at the hospital where I work as a chaplain. I scarcely recognized her, but did realize that this was my neighbor who lived just a few houses down the road from me. The long and short of is that I became her chaplain and friend over the ensuing months and in the process saw her redefine and embrace hope.

Joy lived alone with her beloved dog, Abby, who had come to her through ATA (Animal Trustees of Austin). I knew her as the “Critter Buddies” lady who held bake and craft sales in front of Dollar General here in Elgin. What I did not know was that Joy had raised $75,000.00 for ATA with these sales over the years and that she would prove to be easily the most determined woman I have ever known. My first hint of this was when she decided to discontinue the chemo and radiation treatments which she felt were killing her. She made a clear choice for quality of life rather than length of life.

Joy slowly regained strength following her treatments and began to smile a bit. She was determined to visit my animals because, as she told me, she had never touched a donkey. The day arrived when she felt strong enough to make that visit to see the beginning work on the cattery then under construction and to touch Dawn, our resident donkey.

The first animals to greet Joy were Hugs and Kisses, the Pygmy Goats who function as ambassador goats for all who come through our gates. Joy was moved beyond words to discover that these little ones looked straight into her eyes and held her gaze for a long time. Sometime during this soul encounter, Princess, a tiny Cocker Spaniel, came up to stand quietly at Joy’s feet and soon enough was joined by Dawn, our beautiful donkey. I only wish that I had had my camera in hand on that day but since I didn’t I now carry the image firmly impressed on my heart.

Joy’s remission began in those moments and the coming months saw her undertake things that few others would even consider in the face of her form of cancer. Her debut was at the Elgin Hog Eye Festival, where for long hours on a hot fall Saturday, Joy and her friend Giselle held forth at a booth just off Main Street. She raised considerable money on that day, telling me as I worked beside her that it was for Critter Buddies. Early the following morning she called me to her home on some pretext and there presented Dreamtime Animal Sanctuary with more than $500.00. It is also thanks to Joy that the Dreamtime dog shelters are paved with the more than 1000 bricks which she helped move and place here.

The Hog Eye Festival was just the beginning for Joy went on to hold twice weekly bake and craft sales throughout the months of November and December for the benefit of Dreamtime. In the end she raised some $5000.00 for our animals, who lacked for nothing during that time. The days were hard on her and although we arranged for people to assist her on sale days, she grew steadily more tired but was determined to hold the sales again in March and April, this time on behalf of Critter Buddies.

March came and went with the baking and the sales beginning to wear on her but determination and the supportive assistance of her dearest friend, Leila, kept her going. Princess, the sanctuary Cocker Spaniel, also did her part as she had gone to Joy to be her therapy dog. April arrived and she began to doubt her ability to continue but was able to do so until the Friday before she died.

This dear woman for whom I began as chaplain - she didn’t care for her Hospice chaplain as she felt “he was too much like the Pillsbury Dough Boy” – became sister and friend. Nancy Jensen-Case

Evan and the cattery

Two summers ago, Evan called my home to say that a woman from our church in Bastrop, Texas, had suggested to him that my sanctuary might have a few options for his Eagle Scout project and that he should discuss that with me.

The long and short of it is that Evan and his dad, Steve, arrived at Dreamtime one hot summer morning with tape measures, cameras, pen and paper in hand to look at the various options I had outlined and to see which of them would be most feasible for an Eagle project. The project which most captured his imagination was the cattery. The rest is now history.

The process of the construction of the Dreamtime Cattery took about a year and a half from start to finish. Evan first had to prepare a well-documented proposal for BSA Troop 187 and this then was reviewed by a board. One he was given approval for the project, he began doing the fund raising to purchase materials for its construction.

Finally, in August, 2008, Evan was ready to begin work and from then he and various Scouts from Troop 187 work in their available time to complete the structure. In the spring of 2009 the last screw went into place, the wire was firmly secured to the frame, and the entry door was built. Evan’s “signature” went onto an interior post in the form of a raised star cut onto a block of wood and THE CATTERY WAS COMPLETE!

The cats began moving into the cattery and in the beginning found it a bit strange, as cats will. Cats, as with so many of us, are not at all fond of change. There was a period of adjustment and then came the day when the cattery became HOME!

They now delight in their new space where they can safely keep an eye on all that goes on in the outdoor world but without fear of danger.

All of this, thanks to a lovely boy who gave the gift of his time, love, and labor to the cats of the Dreamtime. Nancy Jensen-Case