The kind of day when the first people were in line by 9:30am, a full 2.5 hours before The Pongo Fund Pet Food Bank would open. And I was curious as to why someone would knowingly wait such a long time for pet food?
Carolyn was toward the front of the line, so I asked her why she came so early; did she know that we didn’t open until noon? She said she did, but she arrived so early because it brought her joy. I didn’t understand; what part of waiting for 2.5 hours brought her joy? And she said all of it. I could see it in her eyes, but I still didn’t understand.
She said she spent the time thinking about her friends, and how much she looked forward to seeing them and their honest smiles. But still, why would she wait here for such a long time, only to be thinking about friends she could be with at that very moment?
But I had misunderstood.
Because when she spoke of her friends, I thought she meant people she’d known for years. People that were a regular part of her life. But the friends she spoke of, the friends she was thinking about, the friends that she looked forward to seeing…they were our Team Pongo Volunteers that run the pet food bank. People she knew only by the names on their nametags and their honest smiles. These were the friends that she was willing to wait 2.5 hours to see.
She said she felt impolite, leaving so quickly after getting her dog food. But she was always careful to say thank you, and let everyone know how much we meant to her. She said that these Sundays left her with a smile frozen into her face; we made her that happy. And when she got home, she and Harvey would have lunch.
I was curious and asked what they’d have for lunch? She looked at me and laughed, one of those laughs that you might only get to hear a few times in a lifetime. It was a real laugh, and it was loud. She said honey, Harvey’s lunch would be the food we’d just given her.
They had a ritual. She took the bags home and put them next to Harvey, and watched as his tail drummed thumpthumpthump, right on the bags. And then she’d carefully open one up, right at the corner, just enough to let a few kibble fall out. Then Harvey would carefully pick each one up and crunchcrunchcrunch until he’d gotten them all. I asked what she would eat, and she laughed that laugh again. She said that watching Harvey enjoy the food we’d provided her was all the nourishment she needed. And then they both took a nap.
So what kind of day was Sunday, February 28th, 2010?
It was the kind of day when we set another attendance record, as our guests patiently waited in a line that reached all the way to the corner and part way around the block. The kind of day when we provided nearly 16,000 Canidae, Felidae and Dogswell meals for the hungry pets of some 160 families. In just three hours.
It was the kind of day when Kathie Nelson, Executive Director of Oregon Spay/Neuter Fund, spent three hours in our lobby and walked away both thrilled and exhausted after 43 of our guests made the decision that very day to have their pets spayed and/or neutered.
It was the kind of day when Emilio DeBess, State of Oregon Public Health Veterinarian, spent his afternoon in our lobby speaking at length with every one of our guests that needed guidance, advice and compassion with health issues faced by their family pets.
And it was the kind of day when we nourished Carolyn’s soul by giving her dog food to feed her best friend Harvey.
It was a very good kind of day.
Thank you to our Team Pongo Volunteers Andrea, Becky, Bryan, Chelsea, Christina, Crystal, Dalene, Darla, Debbie, Doug, Emilio, Jim, Julie, Karen, Kathie, Katie, Kelly, Kim, Kristen, Larry, Laurie, Leslie, Lesley, Linda, Lori, the three Marks, Michelle, Mike, Nancy, Peggy, Sarah, Shannon, Stephanie, Tad & Tanya, for giving of themselves on this good day to make the community a better place. Without their kindness, respect and honest smiles, none of this would be possible.
Larry
Larry Chusid
Director, The Pongo Fund