8A • COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • DECEMBER 19, 2018 Anna Joe eating a sandwich. “If it was a car though, all of her injuries would be the same, you know?” Asleson said. “My vet said they’re at all diff erent stages of healing, she didn’t sustain them all at once.” Chevron has security footage and the Aslesons are waiting to hear back to see if there is any evidence Anna was dumped there before being found. “She has injuries so if I can fi nd those people and pursue this, we might,” she said. “But I want to keep things love and from A1 time between when Asleson could drive down from Wash- ington and drive the streets, putting up fl iers on nearly ev- ery business in town. “Th e reason they have their dog back? Because Anna’s mom and dad are a force of nature,” Spevak said. Joe Reeves, however, was not a member of the Bring Anna Home page so when he saw what he thought was a white goat in the tangle of blackberry bushes behind Chevron as he worked the station, he didn’t make the connection. It wasn’t until he walked back inside, passed the missing poster taped to the sliding doors that he re- alized. “I was sitting at home in my robe talking with people about what to do next and this mes- sage comes up,” Asleson said. “It was like, ‘I think they found Anna.’ I got the text at 3:14 (p.m.) and I didn’t want to send people out again. I felt like I was starting to become a nuisance to the community and we had, had so many other sightings that turned out not to be her.” It was Donna Stearns, who had messaged Asleson just minutes before who didn’t take no for an answer. “We were having a conver- sation on messenger and she got this message,” Stearns said. “She told me the location and I said, ‘I’m 15 minutes away, I’ll go there right now!’” By the time Stearns arrived, there was a cluster of men in the parking lot and, in the far corner of the blackberry bush- es, a white dog. “It’s so noisy back there with the semi-trucks idling and the noise from the freeway, I was afraid we would spook her and she’d run up the embankment to the highway and we’d lose her,” Stearns said. “But then Cassie put the call out on Face- book and people started show- ing up.” Th e message, posted at 3:41 p.m. read, “NEED EV- ERYONE'S HELP THAT'S ABLE. PLEASE GO TO THE CHEVRON ON GATEWAY BY MCDONALD'S. We have 99% sure spotting but she is terrifi ed and we need bodies to help make sure she doesn't get on the highway! Please help! DO NOT SPOOK HER. FIND DONNA. WORK TO- GETHER.” Within minutes, eight cars of volunteers pulled into the gas station. First, there was a group of young girls who spread out to make sure Anna didn’t run into the parking lot. Th en, Greg Howe came and ral- lied people to the top of the embankment so she couldn’t dart onto the high way. “I was just in the car know- ing it was going to take me hours to get there because You Can Count on Us! We provide prompt and reliable, public transportation. Our experienced, courteous drivers will take you to appointments on time. PHOTO C/O CASSIE ASLESON The Aslesons, pictured above, were reunited with their dog, Anna, who escaped in Cottage Grove in late Nov. To celebrate, they took family holiday photos. at this point it’s 4 p.m. and it’s Portland rush hour and I just kept messaging saying ‘Work together, don’t spook her,’” Asleson said. “But it’s like tor- rential rain and I’m driving fi ve miles per hour just praying it’s her.” No one remembers who spotted the markings on Anna’s ears fi rst. She was hard to see through the jungle of blackber- ries—vanishing and reappear- ing as a white dash every few minutes. But once they were sure it was her, people started wading into the bushes. “Joe had given her his peanut butter and jelly sandwich and she took it so we knew she was hungry,” Stearns said. “So I left to go get a cheeseburger to lure her out.” Duane Taddei had seen the call on Facebook and appeared with clippers to help cut the bushes down. Greg Howe, armed with just a jacket and no gloves, dove into and managed to grab onto Anna. “He ended up getting bit because she was so scared but once he had her, you can see in the photo, she’s not struggling to get down,” Stearns said. “I can never thank this town enough. Th ere were people there just bleeding from the thorns on the bushes and had stayed with her. One girl, who went with her to the vet, she stayed with her for hours until I got there,” Asleson said. And while Anna is safely at home, her journey isn’t over. She has a broken pelvis, frac- tures in her legs and may be facing amputation. But her in- juries only add to the specula- tion of her disappearance. For Asleson, she’s sure someone had been keeping Anna. “I know because I have them on voice recording saying the family that had her was going to keep her and my vet said she MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS OCTOBER 15TH Do you need to Review next years choice? Call Paul to help simplify the complicated. 541-517-7362 Paul Henrichs ~ Independent Agent coverage4oregon@gmail.com was kept. She had been outside for 18 days in the rain but she wasn’t dirty. She’s a white dog. Her paw pads were fi ne too,” she said. Other theories include a run in with a car and local law en- forcement say the dog may have just been too skittish to approach people until that last day at Chevron when Anna saw Medical Offi ces • Pharmacies ✓Serving the Communities of South Lane County South Lane Wheels 1450 Birch Ave, Cottage Grove southlanetransit.com 541-942-0456 Disclaimer: All vehicles are operated in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. South Lane Wheels complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Information about the transit agency, including information in non-English alternative formats, may be obtained by calling 541-942-0456 or rlinoz@southlanewheels.com Worship Directory First Baptist Church 301 S. 6th st • 541-942-8242 Interim Pastor: Reed Webster Sunday School 9:30am Worship Service 11:00am Youth Wednesday 6:30pm cgfi rstbaptist.com DRAIN: HOPE U.M.C. 131 W “A” St. Drain, OR 541-315-1617 Pastor: Lura Kidner-Miesen Fellowship & Song: 11:30am Potluck Lunch: 12:00pm Worship: 12:30pm First Presbyterian Church 3rd and Adams St 541-942-4479 Rev.: Karen Hill Worship: 10:00am Sunday School: 10:00am fpcgrove.com COTTAGE GROVE: 6th & Gibbs Church of Christ 195 N. 6th St. • 541-942-3822 10:00am Christian Education: Pre-K through 5th www.6thandgibbs.com Calvary Baptist Church 77873 S 6th St • 541-942-4290 Pastor: Riley Hendricks Sunday School: 9:45am Worship: 11:00am The Journey: Sunday 5:00pm Praying Thru Life: Wednesday 6:00pm Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove 1447 Hwy 99 (Village Plaza) 541-942-6842 Pastor: Jeff Smith Two Services on Sun: 9am & 10:45am Youth Group Bible Study Child Care 10:45am Service Only www.cgcalvary.org Church of Christ 420 Monroe St • 541-942-8565 Sunday Service: 10:30am Cottage Grove Bible Church 1200 East Quincy Avenue 541-942-4771 Pastor:Bob Singer Worship 11am Sunday School:9:45am AWANA age 3-8th Grade, Wednesdays Sept-May, 6:30pm www.cgbible.org Living Faith Assembly Church Cottage Grove Faith Center 33761 Row River Rd. 541-942-4851 Lead Pastor: Kevin Pruett www.cg4.tv Full Childrenʼs Ministry available Services: 9:00am & 10:45am Delight Valley Church of Christ 33087 Saginaw Rd. East 541-942-7711 • Pastor: Bob Friend Two Services: 9am - Classic in the Chapel 10:30am - Contemporary in the Auditorium Hope Fellowship United Pentecostal Church 100 S. Gateway Blvd. 541-942-2061 Pastor: Dave Bragg Worship: 11:00am Sunday Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday www.hopefellowshipupc.com “FINDING HOPE IN YOUR LIFE” Living Faith Assembly 467 S. 10th St. • 541-942-2612 Worship Services Sundays: 9a & 11a Youth Worship Sundays: 11a (all ages welcome) Mondays: 5:30p (6th-12th grades) St. Andrews Episcopal Church 1301 W. Main • 541-767-9050 Rev. Lawrence Crumb “Church with the fl ags.” Worship: Sunday 10:30am All Welcome Seventh-day Adventist Church 820 South 10th Street 541-942-5213 Pastor: Kevin Miller Bible Study: Saturday, 9:15 am Worship Service: Saturday, 10:40 Mid-week Service: Wednesday, 1:00 Trinity Lutheran Church 6th & Quincy • 541-942-2373 Pastor: James L. Markus Sunday School & Adult Education 9:15am Sunday Worship 10:30 am Comm. Kitchen Free Meal Tue & Thur 5:00pm TLC Groups tlccg.com United Methodist Church 334 Washington • 541-942-3033 Pastor:Lura Kidner-Miesen Worship: 10:30am umcgrove.org “VICTORY” Country Church 913 S. 6th Street • 541-942-5913 Pastor: Barbara Dockery Worship Service: 10:00am Message: “WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES” Non-Denominational Church of Christ 1041 Pennoyer Ave 541-942-8928 Preacher: Tony Martin Sunday Bible Study:10:00am CRESWELL: Sunday Worship:10:50am & 5:30pm Creswell Presbyterian Church www.pennoyeravecoc.com 75 S 4th S • 541-895-3419 Rev. Seth Wheeler Old Time Gospel Fellowship Adult Sunday School 9:15am 103 S. 5th St. • 541-942-4999 Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am Pastor: Jim Edwards website www.creswellpres.org Sunday Service: 10:00am Join in Traditional Christian Worship Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Philip Benizi Catholic Churches 1025 N. 19th St. 541-942-3420 Father: Joseph Hung Nguyen Holy Mass: Tue-Thu: 8:30am; Sat:5:30pm Sun: 10:30am Confession: After daily mass, Sat. 4-5pm or by appointment St. Philip Benizi, Creswell 552 Holbrock Lane 541-895-8686, Sunday: 8:30am Worship With Us! Our Worship Directory is a weekly feature in the newspaper. If your congregation Candlelight Service Dec 23rd 9:00am and 11:00am would like to be a part of this directory, please contact the Candlelight Service Dec 24th 6:00pm light. I mean the magic is so incredible. Roxann helped me fi nd her and my dog’s name was Roxy and Greg Howe showed up with his wife whose name is Anna. What if I hadn’t been messaging with Donna specif- ically who just happened to be in Cottage Grove 15 minutes away? What if Joe hadn’t been looking in that direction or if Anna wasn’t in a clear patch of the bushes for him to see her? Th is town never stopped. I can never thank them enough to have my Anna back.” 467 S 10th St, Cottage Grove, OR 541.942.2612 Cottage Grove Sentinel @ 541-942-3325