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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 2014)
community Changes Happening at Indigo Ranch Grace Family Fellowship continued from front page cleaned up and back to work like God has intend- ed,” said Lindsley. “We’re just thrilled to be part of it.” In addition to the expansion of the campus, Grace Family Fellowship is also completing a small ad- dition onto the gymnasium portion of their original building. The addition will serve as a storage facility. The final change at Grace Family Fellowship is the recent purchase of a baby grand piano which will be used to enhance the music portion of the servic- es at the church. Grace Family Fellowship has a new baby grand piano, just in time for Christmas. Things to Ponder: continued from page 20 promised us that faith in Him would bring us a new life that no one could steal. When the world looks at us do they see humble, gentle, peaceful, forgiving people or do they see people that think they’re better than everyone else? This Christmas my hope for the Church is that the world will see Jesus in us and be drawn to Him. My prayer is that we will think more of others than we do ourselves. Is it possible for the Church to change the way the world looks at us? Is it possible that we can recover some of the lost ground we have surrendered because of our arrogance? Many call on Christ and honor Him with a sincere life, live only for His glory, and want to do His will, but others see Christianity as a means to an end. We can change how the world understands Jesus if we put Him first, others second and ourselves last! God bless and Merry Christmas. december18 2014 21 continued from page 4 guests. “We play with them, we throw the ball Indigo Ranch sometimes are required to spend with them, with lay on the floor and sit on the some time in crates, depending on the number couch with them,” says Wright. “They get tons of dogs being boarded. Wright says dogs are of attention.” rotated in and out of doors for play time and in “We just love them,” adds Bettencourt. and out of crates throughout the day, to make Both Wright and Bettercourts’s enthu- sure all dogs are kept safe. Making sure dogs siasm for their work and the joy they receive get introduced to each other and will get along from being around their dog guests, shows on their faces and in their conver- sation about Indigo Ranch. “Sometimes I just can’t believe I get to do this for a job,” says Bettencourt. Caring for a group of dogs, es- pecially dogs that don’t know each other, can be challenging. “We have two man- tras here--‘Safety first,’ and ‘Know your dogs,’” says Wright. “We have to get to know them so we match them up and know which dogs can safely stay and play together, because we want them to have a really great time while they are Angela and Sam with Laura Wright and Otie. here.” One of the dormitory rooms is desig- is a top priority for the staff, says Bettencourt. nated as a “small dog dorm,” says Wright, and In addition to dogs, Indigo Ranch is generally houses the littler visitors, although also home to several barn animals who have during very busy times, when living space gets been rescued when they needed a place to live, a bit more crowded, some gentle larger dogs including several alpacas, goats, chickens and may bunk with the small dogs. bunnies. These animals live in the large red Wright says Indigo Ranch can board up barn on the property which has separate fenced to thirty-two dogs at a time and will be full to runs to keep them contained. capacity during the holidays. Wright says one of her favorite things Dogs at Indigo Ranch get to eat their about living and working at Indigo Ranch is own food, including a raw meat diet. “Whatev- seeing dogs excited to come back for a return er they eat at home, that’s what they get here,” visit and overnight stay. “When they get used says Wright. In fact, Bettencourt says the staff to us and then come back—seeing them come has even had to prepare special meals for sev- running through the gate wagging their tail— eral guests that were not feeling well, includ- it’s just the best feeling. It’s important to us that ing scrambling eggs and preparing pumpkin for our clients feel comfortable leaving their dogs their upset stomachs. with us,” says Wright. One misconception about Indigo Ranch is that it is a cage free facility. Wright says For more information about Indigo Ranch visit because of the nature of dogs in general, and indigoranch.org. For more information about caring for them in confined spaces, the dogs at Indigo Rescue go to indigorescue.org.
