Blog Post 1: The Start of Sammie’s House

My name is Helen. I am 31 years old and if not for Sammie’s House, there is no reason whatsoever that you would have ever heard of me. The fact that you’re here, reading this blog post, already tells me something about you - you’re an animal lover and a supporter of our sanctuary - which means you’re pretty great. But you might not know how all this began, which is why I thought it would be an appropriate topic for my first blog post, before I get into the nitty gritty of building this sanctuary life.

When I turned 30, I was diagnosed with a degenerative rheumatoid disease. For months, my body betrayed me. I had been in the prime of my life - happy, fit, healthy in every way - and then almost overnight, I was crippled with pain, swelling, and stiffness so severe I could hardly walk. But, I was told by doctors that if we could just figure out the right combination of medication, which is all trial and error guesswork, of course, that I could obtain remission and be back to my “old self”. 

Months went by. All sorts of drugs were tried. I was taking a huge daily dose of steroids just to function, minimally. This went on for nine months before we hit the correct combo - and it was like a miracle occurred. 

I have been asked what kept me from completely becoming one with my sofa and letting the pain and frustration get to me. The answer is that I decided that life was short - and it was now or never if I was going to make my dream a reality.

At first notion, there might not be an obvious correlation between animal rescue and a daunting diagnosis. But really, there is. Because the common factor between both is resiliency.

Having worked for a variety of nonprofits for years, I decided there was no time like the present to use my expertise for a cause I cared deeply about. I had watched others working tirelessly for causes they felt a significant calling to spend their lives working for - from music, to education, to healthcare - and I knew exactly what would give me the same sense of lifelong fulfillment. 

Sammie’s House Animal Sanctuary is named in honor of my rescue dog, Samson. I found him through a rescue organization at precisely the right time. I didn’t even know back then how much I needed him - after going through a span of COVID related unemployment, a failed engagement, and general pandemic isolation. And I certainly didn’t know how much he would change my life - and what’s amazing is that I know so many people who would say the exact same thing about their rescue animal changing their life, too, simply by becoming a part of it. 

So while I was confined to my sofa, I wrote a business plan. And then, I dove into the specifics, creating a calendar spanning three whole start-up years. I made a legal plan. A financial plan. A property plan. A mentorship plan. A staffing plan. A fundraising and grant plan. An event and press plan. To say I was obsessed would be an understatement - I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about this vision I had that was so clear in my head. And yes, it helps that I am a serious planner and list-maker.

My vision for Sammie’s House is a multi-stage plan. (Updates will be posted to our Goals page on this site.) I envision our sanctuary not just as a safe, beautiful piece of land for animals to come home to; I see it growing into a public space that is well loved and visited by our community. A place to bring the kids for a walk through nature; a place where we hold lectures and classes; a fun date idea for a new couple; an event space for outdoor movie nights and fall fairs. But most importantly, a place where our supporters can come and see our animals, previously in dire situations, now flourishing - interact with them and take away the lesson that it can always get better, if we only choose to spread kindness and love.