As one of the three founding members of SOAR, I was delighted and proud when we were incorporated as a non-profit rescue organization in 2009.
One of the great joys of working with SOAR is that all of its volunteers are highly valued and treated with the utmost respect, and that it does such a superb job of finding the best homes for so many Airedales in need. I sat on the Board of SOAR for quite a while until I decided that, as I was aging, I had less energy, and decided it was time to step down. I do, however, continue to help with our annual Aire Affaire. Since I developed a database of the items and sales for the auction, I still handle that aspect of it.
A devotee of all things dog, I remain an active member of the American Kennel Club, where I used to compete in Rally obedience, and I’m the AKC Delegate for the Dayton Dog Training Club. I also volunteer at my local seniors’ center (which was also my last employer).
Depending on how one counts, I’m currently enjoying either my second or third retirement! My two sisters are my only family and live quite a distance from me, and so my more immediate family is made up of two furry, four-legged members. Their names are Rudy and Dira, both of them Airedales, of course. Rudy is a rescue male and a big loving lug. Dira, a little girl and a real pistol, was given to me by Nancy Secrist, a breeder of merit with the AKC.