The heat is on in Florida at the market! We went from wearing double layers to shorts and t-shirts today. Sunblock is my very best friend now. Lots of dogs today so check out the photos here:
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My super awesome experience this week was hanging out at Sophie’s Circle which is the only pet food pantry in Volusia County. It’s every Wednesday from 10-2 in Port Orange. Here’s the website: http://sophiescircle.com. Have you ever met someone or a group of people and thought “Wow!”? Well that’s how I felt when I went to meet with Kathy and Christy who are heading up the first pet food pantry in the area. Call it a lesson in karma or whatever you believe in but somebody put it out there that people who had recently experienced job loss needed help feeding their pets. Warehouse space was donated and the word is spreading. There were many people that came in to get food for their dogs, cats, rabbits (yeah-rabbits), and birds. Everyone was so grateful and relieved to be able to feed their furry feathered friends. The amount of energy was palpable as we passed food and kitty litter bags to recipients.
So why is this important?
If you’ve lost absolutely everything, all you have left is your dog or cat. When you make a choice to relinquish your beloved pet to the humane society or the streets, death/euthanasia is imminent. Believe it or not, it can be costly for us as a society because someone makes money off of putting the animals to sleep. Who pays for that? You as a tax payer. Stray dogs and cats don’t catch themselves either.
Teaming with Sophie’s Circle is Concerned Citizens for Animal Welfare http://www.ccfaw.org. They provide low cost pet spaying and neutering. To fully explain what they do, this is an excerpt from their home page:
“Each year, in Volusia County shelters, we kill over 21,000 animals whose only crime was being born. Statistics show that one dog and her offspring in just six years can produce 67,000 puppies and one cat and her offspring in just seven years can produce 420,000 kittens. Volusia County taxpayers spend over 1.5 million dollars each year to impound and euthanize unwanted dogs, cats, puppies and kittens.”
That statement alone is profound.
So what are you going to do if you live here locally? The next time you are out at the store and happen to cruise by the pet food area, pick up
a bag or two or three (okay one bag would be cool) for Sophie’s Circle. You can drop off at the market on Thursdays or Saturdays or on Wednesdays from 10-2. You never know when the tables will be turned and you might need help one day. Trust me, I never thought I would be unemployed and homeless but it happened and I’m so grateful for all that I do have including support from family and friends. Mostly I’m glad I’m able to provide for my dog Mia. Without her lessons in being diligent and tenacious, I would never have had the gumption to strike out on my own journey of entrepreneurship. I have no regrets and from where I am, the sky’s the limit. I hope that limitless possibilities can spread to Sophie’s Circle and to Concerned Citizens for Animal Welfare. One way or another, we are all connected.
See you at the market!
Today was a perfect weather day, so much so I took Mia to the market. She’s been missing her “job” and for a dog who rarely shows emotion, she was extremely happy to be there! Dexter, the Swiss Bread Man’s 12-year old Dachshund, graced his presence with us the entire day. Together, they were two old souls just relaxing in the Florida sunshine, enjoying the smells of the market, and fellow canine friends visiting. I am thankful for all of our repeat customers and our new ones that came by to say hello. LicoLove and the CheeChee Bones were the big hits of the day. As usual, our dehydrated sweet potatoes have become a staple of the Smyrna Market. 
