Road Home Animal Care Fund

My sister recently did a very courageous thing. After living in Northern California for 13 years, she got rid of most of her things, including her car, and moved herself and her youngest daughter to MA. Oh, and her three cats! She has wanted this for a very long time. She moved to CA with her ex-husband in 2000, and despite an unhappy marriage, she did what she does so well; she went out into the community and found work and friends that will last her lifetime.  During those 13 years, despite the loss of financial security, she left her marriage and made more life changes, and followed her heart to yet more love and friendships. She successfully developed skills to become an excellent vet tech and this has led her to her newest and perhaps her greatest passion yet - caring for older, dying and sick animals in their homes.. She plans to do just that in Northampton with her new business, Road Home Animal Care. She has never lived in Northampton before but felt drawn to the town and the area and believes the reasons why will unfold over the months and years to come. My special sissy has come home! 

Not long ago, a close friend of mine told me about an online organization called Fundly. She was raising some funds for a friend who is ill. When it became clear to me the extent of what my sister is trying to recreate here in MA, I had the idea to create a Fundly account for her to help get her going in her new life.  When I mentioned the idea to her, she crinkled her proud Capricorn nose and said, "No way!" But this time, Little Sister pressed Big Sister. I told her to think about the literally hundreds of people, animals, and families she has given to over the years, both emotionally and financially. She is a HUGE believer in being generous and in the concept of Paying It Forward. She has always given because it was the right thing to do. She creates joy and community and laughter everywhere she goes.

I told her to give people the chance to give a little something back. I also told her that paying forward some funds to her would not be just for her; they would be far reaching to all of the people and animals she would be helping in the near and distant future. Only then did I notice a small smile form on my very stubborn sister's face.

My sister has always been fiercely independent. She has always done everything herself. She has always paid her bills, made her homes lovely, never gone into serious debt. She has raised four AMAZING children. She hasn't saved much but her emotional bank account is among the richest I know.  She is an angel among us in generosity and that is one of the many ways that I look up to her. When I think she should be more worried about money, she shoos her little sister away like an annoying mosquito. She literally refuses to worry about it. Yet, it was a very brave thing to move across the country on her own and start over at her age. And I know she could use some help. She told me that she did not want to wake up one day and be 85 without having realized her dream to move back to her home (New England ). So despite the many odds against her plan, she went forward and arrived at the end of July. And I want to help her get started anew.  I assured her that I wanted to handle this little project since it was clear that the very idea of it made her squirm. She wants people to know that your support of her dreams will be known and felt WITHOUT a financial donation.

She knows some of you have your own financial challenges; health concerns, getting kids off to college, etc. She asked me to be sure and state clearly that if you are able to make a donation, that it is anonymous. If you would prefer to let her know it is you, feel free to send an email to her when you get the automated thank you!  She knows all the love is there in all its forms and she appreciates everything.  I know my sister and she means what she says! So many people love her - she has a worldwide community to prove it!  Many are grateful to her. Not all of those can be found, but I am happy you are in her address book so you could be contacted. 

So, if you are able to join me in this little venture of offering some help to my beloved sister, I am as certain as ever, that this will be a gift that keeps giving because it will enable the beautiful spirit that is my sister to  goon bringing more love into our world through the animals and families she serves.

Heartfelt thanks,
Barbi
The Little Sister