Stories of Impact

In the freezing cold hours of a winter night, volunteers with Red Rose Inspiration for Animals patrol neighborhood streets, looking for pets who have been forced to endure the cold with no shelter. They spy a mother dog and her pup chained, covered in ice and huddled against the skirt of a mobile home. The light is on, so they knock on the door. The owner pokes his head out and replies with indifference when asked for permission to cover the animals with blankets. Next, the owner shrugs and says, "Good riddance!" when the volunteers ask if they can take the mama and her pup off his hands. The dogs are unchained and bundled into the warm vehicle, covered in blankets and delivered to a foster home. Both are now healthy and happily placed with a loving, caring family.

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The Pitty Party Fund was founded by the Red Rose Inspiration for Animals to provide free spay and neuter services for put bulls or pit bull mixes in Sedona and the Verde Valley. Put bulls are the most common breed filling shelters and rescues across the country and this breed-specific fund helps to reduce the number of put bulls that are euthanized.

In a report for the Trauma Intervention Program, a TIP volunteer recorded a situation involving a 77-year-old gentleman who was pronounced dead at home. Fire and police personnel at the scene called for a TIP volunteer who arrived less than 10 minutes later to be with Mr. Smith*, the elderly man's best friend of 30 years.

Since there was no family and decisions needed to be made quickly, the TIP volunteer helped Mr. Smith with the choice of a funeral home. In an effort to help him regain control of an overwhelming situation, the volunteer focused on making sure all decisions were Mr. Smith's, not influenced by the volunteer's personal preferences. The world stopped for Mr. Smith as the volunteer patiently listened to him talk about the good times he shared with his friend, Mr. Smith’s Navy experiences during WWII, the loss of his wife on their second honeymoon, and his years as a chemist. The TIP volunteer's goal was to create a more grateful experience in Mr. Smith's memory tape of this day.

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* This name has been changed.

Ricky's teacher at West Sedona School referred him to Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters because he was struggling with his language skills and he felt like an outsider.

When he was matched with Ken, things began to change for Ricky. Ken not only helped him with school, he took Ricky to the library, played sports with him and included him in family activities.

Ricky’s self esteem began to soar, and as he came out of his shell, he began to do better in school.

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