Callie's Care - Remembering the 'Purple Cow'

Callie

We may have thought the 'olden days' where neighbor helped neighbor in times of need were long gone, replaced instead by governmental programs to solve problems for us, fostering apathy in its wake.  Not true, not yet anyway!  Here is a delightful story of a determined pet owner who bypassed traditional solutions to provide for her dog's care, looking instead to her own creativity, and while doing so, brought an entire community along with her:

"After a play session with friends, Callie came away limping and favoring her left leg. Then, just when she seemed to be getting back to normal, she fell down the stairs and couldn't get up. A trip to Dr. Dana Graham at Carter Veterinary Medical Center revealed the unfortunate truth about her injury; she needed a complex, and expensive, surgery. When I found out that Callie had sustained a rupture of her cruciate ligament, I was heartbroken. She is such an active, bouncy girl, who loves long walks and rough-housing with other dogs.

Callie is a rescue. She had a rough start in life, having been neglected, mistreated, and eventually given up. Though many would say I saved her life when I adopted her, I argue that it is she who rescued me with her pure devotion, unconditional love, acceptance, and appreciation.  So, when faced with news that Callie would need a specialized surgery to correct her injury, there was no question in my mind that she would have it. What I had no idea about was how I was going to afford her care. Single and self-employed, I had no clue where I would find the funds to get her back to the quality of life she loves and deserves.

First, I cried. Then, with a month before Callie’s surgeon, Dr. Kate Fitzwater, was available to do her procedure I had time to figure something out! Realizing I had to get creative, I summoned what I'd learned while studying for my degree in public relations, and knew I had a chance. I was going to run a public relations campaign for Callie to raise the money for her care, and it worked!


Callie After Surgery



In four weeks I went from an evening of hand-wringing and crying to organizing and managing three different fundraisers, all entitled "Callie's Care." My combined efforts gathered a small army of supporters, including a handful of key individuals who became very involved and recruited others for monetary and in-kind donations.

My three fundraisers consisted of a page on GiveForward.com for those who simply wanted to donate dollars, a special 'Groupon-style' sale for bodywork or yoga sessions with me, and a benefit dinner and raffle at a favorite locally owned restaurant, Moe and Johnny's, in Broad Ripple. I made sure that everybody was kept in the loop about progress with regular Facebook updates and an email campaign. Callie has a separate bank account in her name and I included photos of her in my outreach whenever possible.



Callie's Get Well Card



I never knew what my little endeavor would generate; I just focused instead on Callie and set the intention that she was going to get what she needed...somehow. I chose to stay positive and I told her story to anyone who would listen, anyone at all. In the process, I've not only raised the funds we needed, but also made new friends and amazing contacts. Moreover, I have experienced firsthand the power within a community and their heartfelt willingness to lend a hand to a neighbor. I still haven't been able to talk about this much without getting teary-eyed, but I'm working on it.




Brigid, Betsy, & Callie at Circle City

I am proud of my friends, their friends, and the local business owners who reached out to help - they are a special lot - each and every one! I am so honored to have had the chance to go to work for my dear Callie. Finally, I am grateful that I had access to the attentive, compassionate, and expert care Callie received at Carter Veterinary Medical Center and Circle City Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Hospital."




*For those of you who have not heard of the term, 'Purple Cow', it's the one who stands out from a crowd of brown ones.  The 'Purple Cow' represents a belief that we can accomplish anything with new ideas and determination.