Letters to the Editor 1-7-16

Feeling of home
Editor: I have lived in Healdsburg since 1987, so I am still a fairly new resident here. As we all know, there are many folks who were born here and are now in their 80s and 90s. I feel that I must comment on how the loss of the Wild Sage Deli makes me feel. For those of us who often went there, this was not just a place at which to get a meal.
I am feeling a loss like I feel when someone I care about moves away or dies. Michele, Brian and Noel created a safe haven for many of us, a place where we were also fed on a spiritual and emotional level. After my cancer surgery, Michele’s special soup sped up my healing. What price can we put on her hugs and caring?
Our town is changing and we are sustaining frequent losses. For those of us who are hard-working regular folks who are not wealthy, places like the Wild Sage Deli are a very important part of that feeling we call home.
Mary Doll
Healdsburg
Dream coming true
Editor: On Dec. 17, I went on a “sneak preview” tour of Healdsburg’s new animal shelter at 14242 Bacchus Landing Way, off Westside Road, led by Melissa Dobar, Director of Development for the Sonoma Humane Society. It isn’t quite ready for prime time – it will open on March 1 – but it’s looking good, folks.
Remember our old shelter? This one will be three times larger, clean and shiny, full of light, with high ceilings, lots of windows and rooms that can function in different ways as needs fluctuate. Thanks to the connection with Sonoma Humane, people who don’t find the purr-fect (sorry) pet in the Healdsburg Shelter can use a computer right there in the lobby to look for a match at the Santa Rosa facility – yes, they can bark up a different tree (sorry again).
At last the dream of Charlotte and Rodney Strong, who left a generous donation from their estate to finance a new shelter, is coming true. If you’d like to help out too, look for donation boxes in local businesses. And while we wait for the new shelter to open, there’s a temporary facility in a trailer at the same address, where you can take stray animals or drop off donations of blankets, toys, food, and yes, they’ll accept money there too.
Nancy Roberts
Healdsburg
Shelter for animals
Editor: As a Healdsburg resident, President of the Sonoma Humane Society Board of Directors and long-time supporter of the former Healdsburg Animal Shelter (HAS), I am excited to announce the future opening of the Sonoma Humane Society’s Healdsburg Center for the animals, projected for Spring 2016.
The mission of the Sonoma Humane Society speaks to me and I am proud to be part of it. The dedication of the staff and volunteers impresses me, and the fact we are a no kill shelter is also a source of great pride. Our staff leaves no stone unturned to help an animal – from veterinary care, in-home foster, behavior and training, dog walking, cat socializing, bunny play time, to constantly thinking about how to improve the animal’s quality of life in our shelter. It is an amazing organization.
This building has truly had a challenging history; one that has been documented and discussed from front page news to casual conversations over coffee. Like so many of the people I talk with in our community, I have mixed emotions about the history of this facility. I am keenly aware of the investments already made by my fellow community members who, like me, want to see their animal shelter complete. Today I am happy to tell you the building is safe and the structure is sound. While the past has been controversial, the future of the shelter is bright.
The Sonoma Humane Society Board of Directors made the decision early on to complete the final construction of the Healdsburg Center through an investment of its own resources. We understood it would take this level of commitment for the community to embrace our efforts, welcome us into the community and return their support for our shelter.
The animals who will be our guests at the Healdsburg Center will not only benefit from the newly completed facility, but from the extensive supportive services of the Sonoma Humane Society. Our mission is to ensure every animal receives protection, compassion, love and care. This is the work we do every day and support from our community makes it all possible. We are an independent nonprofit, not associated with any national organization. We rely on our donors for our support.
I encourage the Healdsburg community to help us by supporting the center and our work. As the doors open, we hope you will help us bring the building to life and help us to achieve its full potential. I invite you to visit www.sonomahumane.org/hbg for updates and to sign up for a tour. Let’s fill the Healdsburg Center with love and support for the animals.
Evelyn Mitchell
Board President
Sonoma Humane Society