Today’s blog is not dog training related nor even dog related. I would like to relay an email I received from my sister in Vancouver on Wednesday morning.
In the midst of supper on Tuesday evening my sister’s oldest son received a phone call from his 16 year old best friend, who was at the police station. It seemed that his mother had been murdered and his step father was taken into custody, being charged with the murder. With no other family to turn to he called his best friend, my sister’s son.
The death left these five Columbian born children (ages 3-16) without anyone else to turn to for help. Some of the children where at home during the time of the murder and were traumatized to say the least. My sister and her husband (who already have four children to care for, the oldest in university the youngest is four years old) decided to take in these five children as Children’s Aid’s only other resource was to separate them into foster homes, something that no one wanted to see happen.
Here is where you guys come in. Often I get asked to donate money for an advertisement to announce a new agility champion or a memorial for a great dog that has past. All of these require little out lay of money and creates joy for the recipient, it is fun to do. Here I am appealing to all of you to reach out to these kids that neither you nor I have ever met but whom we can rally around during this very dark time of their very young lives.
A trust fund has now been established for the children and I told my sister what a great group of people I have that read my blog every day and that I would ask you all to do what you could. If everyone that reads this blog was willing to give up the cost of one agility entry to help these kids move forward with the rest of their lives, collectively we would not only be helping out this family, but also helping ourselves. There is nothing more powerful than the energy you create anytime you take a moment to help a stranger. See what you can do, no donation is too small.
You can make a donation by clicking the paypal “donate” button now
or by going to your bank and sending a bank draft to:
The Royal Bank of Canada
Transit #1200, Account # 5253778 The name of the trust fund is:
For the Children of Lesney Valencia
If financial support is outside of your current financial limitations please take a moment today to say a prayer both for the Valencia children and my sister’s family as they all transition into their new living environment requiring a brand new level of patience, flexibility and co-operation.
Today I am grateful for my sister Mary-Lynn and husband David, who without hesitation, where willing to step up and do what was needed during this time of tragedy.
**NOTE: Just to be certain you know this is not just another internet scam, here is the link to one of the many stories about this sad event.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/charged+with+killing+estranged+wife/2023012/story.html
What a wonderful sister you have! I’ll make a donation. Life is sure strange. I’ve been writing about how once a mentor of mine, Alice Eichholtz (she was a Ph.d researcher in genetic influences on behavior) asked me if I believed in free will, or fate. I was leaning heavily free will at the time, but the more I study behavior science and see how one thing influences another, I am increasingly leaning towards fate. We don’t choose our choices. We just do the best we can. Your sister is doing a great job. You must be so proud of her!
It’s always heartwrenching to read something like that. My heart goes out to the children.
Kudos to your sister and her family. I’m sure it ain’t easy for her to juggle with whatever she has already on her platter. But that they find the strength and love to reach out to these 5 little ones during this time.. I’m sure they have sow something into the future of these young lives.
God bless them..
This is so sad. You never know when domestic violence may affect you and yours. Just today at a trial I was talking with a woman I’ve seen in class for years. She told me that she looks forward to trials on weekends because she is living with an abusive husband, and agility gives her someplace to go. I had no idea. I can only hope that her situation changes for the better.
Thanks for posting this, it’s an eye-opener. My heart goes out to those kids and your sister and family for helping. I hope my small donation helps in some way.
Please take care of this children, they have been through a lot already and now they have to face what happen to their mother.
Your sister is more than courageous in the face of this terrible tragedy.
My only son was killed at age 22, my donation is in memory of his generosity of spirit and the value he placed on life.
My heart goes out to this family and my prayers of thanks to your sister Mary Lynn and her family for opening their hearts and home to those in need. If we all made that kind of effort to look after each other, there would be no need to! And thank YOU Susan for tapping into your own network to help.
Paypal in use….
Sometimes the world is really too sad, too bad… I don’t how to express my feeling about that, it might have no words for that after all. Anyway I’ve made use of your Paypal link, I hope this little help can help them.
Un-frickin’ believable!! My heart breaks for these children. May God bless them and your sister’s family through these trying times. The Valencia children are fortunate to have Mary-Lynn and David as their angels. My thoughts and prayers will be with all of them.
I have two beautiful young boys and it would break my heart for them to find themselves in the awful situation these children are in. They can gladly have my prayers, and I have of course made a donation to their trust fund. So very, very sad and my heart goes out to them.