Last December, Laurie Yost and her mom, Gail Magnon, set out for Kanab from Pennsylvania on a special holiday mission. Arriving at the Welcome Center announcing that they brought some donations along led to a flurry of excitement, especially when we went out side to help them unload their vehicle. Their SUV was bursting with a smorgasbord of goodies for all the animals of the Sanctuary!
Laurie and Gail run Now Wear This!, an upscale, resale shop in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. They have a special rack called Dog Gone Bargains AND a coin donation jar sitting on the cash register counter. Each year they adopt a specific animal charity and donate the proceeds of the rack and jar to them. 2007 was Best Friends lucky year! Along with the SUV load of toys and tasty treats, Now Wear This! presented Best Friends a check for $1,151 from the bargain rack and $350 from the coin jar.
But their compassion and generosity didn’t end there. During their Sanctuary visit, they volunteered at the Club House in Dogtown Heights and formed a special bond with Chachi, a gentle black Chow whose back end moves very slowly and “loosely”. Chachi had undergone hip surgery earlier in the year - a Femoral Head Ostectomy to be exact (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femoral_head_ostectomy).
Laurie and Gail knew that he would be a wonderful addition to their family since they already have a Chow back in Pennsylvania. Plus, their SUV trunk was SO empty now that the treats had been unloaded – and what better way to fill it than with Chachi? He was a perfect fit! Now, that’s precious cargo!
We’re anxious for Laurie and Gail’s next visit and wonder what their magical SUV has in store for the animals this year! Thanks, Ladies!
(An update on Chachi: Laurie sent Best Friends a recent update saying that they enjoyed their trip to Best Friends so much and they tell their customers about us every day, handing out brochures as well. She and Gail are already planning their next trip to the Sanctuary! “Chachi is doing so well and is just the most loving little boy. My mom is truly in love with him and says she has finally found her perfect man! He loves all of our other dogs and he comes to our business with my mom several times a week. I recently adopted a little pit bull puppy, Emma, and she likes to take Chachi’s leash in her mouth and walk him around the store. Our customers love to watch them. Chachi loves everyone he meets and his tail never stops wagging!” You can check out their store’s website at www.nowwearthis.biz. Laurie is currently working on a pet lover’s page and will include more updated pictures of Chachi.)
Written by Diane Grenda
Photos by Diane Grenda & Laurie Yost