Five words. Ten syllables.
That comprises the entirety of the mission at Tabby’s Place: A Cat Sanctuary: Saving cats from hopeless situations.
The mission could be more detailed. It doesn’t need to be.
The mission could express so much more. It doesn’t have to.
The mission could be neither more poignant nor profound: Saving cats from hopeless situations.
It is simply stated, but the mission says everything about what everybody does everyday to see that miracles come to fruition at Tabby’s Place. Individuals as diverse as the complete spectrum of light, who have in common giant, warm hearts and unstoppable determination, turn their light and their love toward helping animals who need us. And now, these remarkable individuals are doing even more than ever before.
On the cusp of the grand opening of Quinn’s Corner, it is time to celebrate. Sure, there may be this gnarly virus that insinuates itself into an unsuspecting feline population. Sure, until now a positive test result was considered cause for something that we shall not consider, excepting that being FeLV+ is still considered to be a hopeless situation.
I
t would be curious to see anybody try to explain to Lovebug and Sammy just exactly how their situations were “hopeless.” This darling duo are recent arrivals to Suite H, one of three suites that lie within the sheltering cove of the Quinn’s Corner lobby.
Similarly, Tortellini, Suite F’s newest addition, might be surprised to find out that her situation was supposedly hopeless too. For all three, a positive test for a grimy little virus didn’t have unwanted, negative consequences. That’s because Tabby’s Place emphasizes the “hope” and takes the “less” out of “hopeless.”
A tabby and two torties now have everything they need, including doting humans and endless fish mush. These things will be provided until their forever ride to the Midwest shows up, so they can go visit Poncey and Andy.
Meanwhile, the big personalities in Suite G surely would refuse to listen to anyone utter the word “hopeless” in their presence. Tucker’s amazing, rebounding, bountiful inner bigness belies any kind of negative positive. He and Oram still enjoy wrestling full-on sumo-style or even free-style.
For Derby, being so very, very Derby, the word “hopeless” just doesn’t register. Hopeful is his way – hopeful that Charles will be up for some Greco-Roman wrestling, hopeful that someone will come by with a wand toy, hopeful that the delivery guy is about to arrive with the dumplings and lo mein he ordered ages ago.
So, yes, the mission is: Saving cats from hopeless situations. The reality is: Creating hope and delivering it daily. It’s an extra word and a couple of extra syllables, but this is where the mission truly begins. Once a cat arrives at Tabby’s Place, the real efforts start in force. The Linda Fund has made so much possible, including giving Tucker an opportunity to befriend and “be-foe” Oram in all the best ways. The Linda Fund continues to provide hope and life-saving interventions. Now, Quinn’s Corner will be right there at the heart of the sanctuary, furthering the reach of hope and saving even more lives.
None of this would be possible without a visionary leader, who imagined something better than a typical animal shelter. None of this would be possible without his supportive, powerful co-creator, and his cat-muse. None of this would be possible without a global community of donors along with an outrageously magnificent staff and dedicated volunteers. All of this melds into solid proof that the mission in action is far greater than five-words in ten-syllables.
This mission is about 20 years of human kindness and effort.
This mission is about doing even more good far into the future.
This mission is about redefining “hopeless” and reframing it with more “hope” and less “less.”
Quinn’s Corner is a brand new cornerstone that is delivering fresh hope. There is hope that within the next 20 years most of the world will have reevaluated what a FeLV+ diagnosis means.
There is hope that more shelters and sanctuaries will be able to join Tabby’s Place in taking care of the most fragile cat populations, including kittens.
There is hope that we can get even more of the world to join us in saving cats from hopeless situations.
It may seem simple, but this is a profoundly possible mission.