Family honors Gannon’s memory with day of giving back
The day could not have gone any better, Kim Gannon said of last Thursday’s work day at the Animal Preservation of East Texas/SPCA shelter in West Mineola to mark the one-year anniversary of the death of her brother, Jeffrey, who was just 40.
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Family honors Gannon’s memory with day of giving back
The day could not have gone any better, Kim Gannon said of last Thursday’s work day at the Animal Preservation of East Texas/SPCA shelter in West Mineola to mark the one-year anniversary of the death of her brother, Jeffrey, who was just 40.
The 1997 graduate of Mineola High School had a particular fondness for animals, and so Kim and family and friends dedicated the day to assisting at the shelter.
In addition to offering labor, they also gathered about $1,500 in donations and numerous supplies.
“There was a full list of things,” she said. ”They put us to work.”
For four hours the nine adult volunteers mowed, cleaned several facilities including the mobile unit, assembled pet beds and more.
“We accomplished everything we wanted,” Kim said. The goal was to turn around what would be a sad anniversary day and make it something special in Jeffrey’s memory.
“We put a huge dent in a lot of things that needed to be done,” Kim said.
The reaction from one of the APET staff members at the day’s end was tears of happiness.
Among those who came to assist were some of Jeffrey’s best friends from high school, Dr. Lana Harder, Class of ’96, and Steve Hooton, Class of ’97.
“Jeff has always been one of the biggest animal lovers I’ve ever known,” Harder said. “Honoring his memory through service at the SPCA was the perfect tribute to him.”
Many other reached out, Gannon said, after word spread about the idea.
Kim said they hope to do something similar each year on Oct. 8 and were heartily invited to return to APET next year.
