On Saturday, Nov. 10, I worked my last shift at Foothills Humane Society.

My dear wife, Elaine, asked me to retire last year but I told her, “I’ll be fine.”  I tried by best not to show it but I’ve been working in severe pain for months. My retirement is only from physical labor, I am still affiliated with the shelter and will assist as often as I can. My work with and for the animals will go on but there may be some changes. My paychecks from FHS went directly into Lennie’s Fund at Tryon bank and I used that for expenses. Over the years I’ve spent more than $10,000 of my personal retirement account to support my cause, not including FHS paychecks. Now both those wells have dried up and I will have to seek a different path to achieve my goals.

On the brighter side, my support is as strong as ever with the local vets, the shelter and the community at large. I have a few steady supporters to my FHS fund along with the occasional check I receive for my personal fund. I could never discount all the wonderful folks who simply hand me money and say, “this is for your kids.”  I will still do my major fundraisers twice a year and I may setup some yard sales, I have lots of great stuff.

I have signed my final papers for a nonprofit 501(c) (3) and I have some major donors waiting in the wings to get me started and I can now apply for grants.