We Stand Together

by Syd Sullins

May 2023, I was very optimistic and excited about the direction of The Ranch. We had just installed two new board members: Corrine Kelly and Dale Green. I was so thrilled to have these hard working, big-hearted women on our team of directors. Corrine has been a long time volunteer with a lot of history and she's seemingly tireless. Dale, the new kid on the block, is also energetic, but also full of new ideas. We all genuinely like and respect each other. We are comfortable bouncing around our ideas and we're all able to graciously accept when we're overruled by the majority. This duo would join Diane Hazen and myself as existing board members.

We started to get the AC amended and in place, plus adding the new members to the the bank account. Mexican red tape can be very frustrating. While we were still wading our way through the process, we suffered a surprising blow. Diane, an original founder of The Ranch, died in September after a brief illness. This left us unable to access our bank account because two signatures were required for every transaction. It took six months before the bank added Corrine and Dale.

Meanwhile, I had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily it was at an early stage and the type of cancer I have is usually very responsive to treatment but the treatment protocol is a long one that would stretch out for more than a year. Our insurance is in the US so I would need to spend a lot of time in the States.

But as always, our Ranch volunteers and friends are amazing people! So many stepped forward to help in my absence. Honestly, I don't know where we would be now if everyone didn't Stand Together.

During all of this, one local rescue had to shutdown due to lack of funding. Now it appears, one more rescue is headed in that direction. It's a sad reality, but running a rescue operation is expensive and we all need to rely on generous supporters and donations in order to continue to do the work we love.

Adoptions in the US and Canada have slowed to a trickle due to overcrowding in shelters. We definitely are feeling the effects. Our population grew from a comfortable 80 to 90 dogs, to over 120. Even with the overcrowding, our dogs get good care and remain healthy. Slowly it seems adoptions in the US are starting to pick up.

In the meantime, Corrine was forced to return to the US for about three months for some much needed shoulder surgery. Dale is handling many Ranch responsibilities now on her own, but our volunteers continue to be amazingly helpful and supportive. They show their commitment to The Ranch every day.

While I'm still spending too much time in the US for treatment, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think by July, I'll be back in Lakeside with only short trips to the US every three weeks. I also hope to regain some energy and be more of a contribution.

With so few rescues actively able to accept dogs in the Lakeside area, we feel our role in supporting the needs of our community is even more essential than ever. Funding has never been more critical! We recently ran a very important matching funds campaign and met our goal, and we are truly grateful to everyone that stepped up to help us.

We look forward to a new normal in the future - whatever that may look like.