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CP Gloves seeking comfort from her 1st Volunteer Foster Mom

Honoring All of Col. Potter's Unsung Heroes

An unsung hero is defined as:  “a person who makes a substantive yet unrecognized contribution; a person whose bravery is unknown or unacknowledged.”  Sometimes these brave people are unknown because they simply do what they believe is right and simply draw no attention to themselves.  At other times, these wonderful people deliberately choose to remain in the shadows, unseen and without recognition, because that anonymity is what is imperative for the success of their many efforts.  The cause is simply more important than accolades of any kind.

It is with this in mind that I have chosen as my Unsung Hero every Anonymous Volunteer from Everytown, USA & Canada, for the tireless work they do as Volunteers for Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network (CPCRN).   CPCRN is an all-volunteer organization.  Since its inception in 2001, CPCRN has rescued 3,577 plus dogs in need.  Col. Potter (CP) Transport Volunteers alone have traveled a combined average of 15,000+ miles each month, 187,064 miles each year, totaling 2, 244,768 miles and counting.   It takes hundreds of Volunteers to do this work!  A single transport can take 10+ drivers and cover more than 800 miles.

How do I choose between the group in Vancouver who did valet parking for a weekend to raise funds, or Volunteers who make bellybands, bandannas, and dog blankets to sell for CP?  I believe our Rescued Cairns would nominate our Volunteers who make and send each Foster their own blanket!  Should I honor the Volunteers working on our web site, or those who stock, process, and ship items sold from the CP on-line store? 

Should I select CP Volunteers who drop everything to save a dog that has only a few hours to live?  Maybe I should choose Volunteers who search on-line, each day, for Cairns needing rescue, making calls to shelters, asking to hold that Cairn until a CP Volunteer can pick it up?  I could pick CP Volunteers that respond to calls for help from other rescue groups when Cairns are saved from a bad environment.  These CP Volunteers see dogs in horrific condition and are the first to welcome them to the safety of Col. Potter.

I could choose each CP Foster Volunteer for the care they give to every Foster, but how would I choose?  Should I pick the Foster home who took in three young puppies, all with CMO, a potentially deadly genetic condition?  They showed these babies love and structure, while monitoring pain cycles, preparing liquefied meals to be licked, not chewed, and feeding by syringe, as needed, to ensure the pups got enough nutrition.  What about the Volunteer who Fostered a young Cairn who screamed in pain with every bowel movement, suffering a condition so complex, her specialist had never seen a case like it?   Should I give the nod to the Foster Home that worked through many nights to  save the life of a pregnant Cairn with life threatening infections, helping her deliver and care for eight live puppies?

There are many wonderful Volunteers who do great work for CPCRN, each one in their own special way.  Not for the glory, but because it’s the right thing to do.  It takes a special person to put their own needs aside to do what is right for a helpless little dog, and I am so proud to say that I personally know so many such special people.

Contributed by Marie S.
Originally published 1/7/2013 on the CP Blog

CP Foster Mom, Transport Volunteer, Home Safety Visit Volunteer,
and Mom to Ella and Gigi
July, 2013

Please feel free to cross-post!

Watch "We Promise This..."

http://youtu.be/VUqrfTG8veI

Col. Potter Needs a Few More Unsung Heros!

Please Volunteer to Foster and help us help every Cairn in need!

Please  Consider being a CP Volunteer!

CP Foster Home Application form:

http://www.cairnrescue.com/rescue/foster.htm

CP Transport Volunteer Driver form:

http://cairnrescue.com/rescue/transport.htm 

CPCRN Volunteer form:

http://cairnrescue.com/rescue/volunteer.htm