BRING ASPEN HOME RALLY to support Aspen and Autumn. Saturday Oct. 28 meet 1:30-2:00 pm. Meet at the Northwest corner of the MERCHANT MILE (46) Walmart. 
Autumn and her mother, Christy Lee will be there. Please share with EVERYONE!! Please make and bring a poster board sign. If you need pictures of Aspen please contact Autumn’s FB page or any Aspen post.

I apologize for not providing regular updates. I want to cover a couple of things and then will circle back to the legalistic side of the situation in future updates

The emotional aspects of this incident and the affects  it is having on the lives are very important in this story.

With time is ticking  on and no sign of Aspen, it has been an extremely  intense and difficult couple of weeks. Our tears now freely flowing and emotions are raw. This is where we are as those of us who are merely attempting to assist Autumn and her family in this travesty. One can only imagine the depths of emotion that Autumn and her family are experiencing. 

The tears come from several emotions. There is the sadness of an innocent kitten, lost out in the vast rugged area with no one to care for her, puzzled as to why she was not wanted anymore. There are tears for the young woman, Autumn, who shows great strength, and grace outwardly but has to be totally falling  apart inside. How many evenings must her pillow be wet from the tears of her sorrow. Many of us would gladly take on some of her sorrow but know that that is just not possible. 

There are tears of anger and frustration that yet another animal was failed by our leaders in this area. Someone with evil intent will once again walk without any retribution. 

There are tears of disappointment, when kittens are spotted or trapped with the hopes of it being Aspen and then the realization yet one more time that it is not her. The disappointment of going day after day to check traps with glaring emptiness.

I am sure many of you have shed tears for Aspen and Autumn. If your heart is not breaking over this, it would be questionable if you had feelings at all. 

The reward is now up to $1000!!! 

When the reward was a mere $500 a post questioned $500 for a cat?, as if that was the most ridiculous thing that he had ever heard. 

What  is really the value of anything ?        Value is the importance, and to what extent something adds to our lives. 

This precious little kitten, Aspen, added that much value and more to the life of her owner Autumn. To those who love Autumn, the importance and value of happiness returning to her and taking away the sorrow that has entered  her young life is far more important than any riches that could be possessed. 

Having been in the Gatlinburg wildfire in 2016,I would like to portray and contrast two general managers of businesses and their actions in their communities

Many of you are familiar with the Gatlinburg aquarium in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

There was a tremendous individual that was the general manager of the Gatlinburg Aquarium, Ryan DeSear. 

During the wildfire DeSear, after sending his employees home, out of harms way, stayed by himself, in the aquarium to make sure the emergency equipment was functioning. He stayed to the point that he started being overcome with smoke inhalation. 

I was  part of the security check point that allowed people back into Gatlinburg for certain hours of the day. Car loads of aquarium employees were some of the first ones to return to Gatlinburg. 

NOT ONLY, I REPEAT NOT ONLY, did Ryan DeSear and his group care about the animals in the aquarium but they also cared about other animals in the community. 

After the Gatlinburg wildfires, once they knew the aquarium was OK, DeSear  and his employees formed a animal rescue team. Using the Ripleys truck they rescued stranded animals and gave immediate attention to both wild and domestic animals. 

 The DeSear group also fed first responders and helped the residents who had losses in the fire.

Now  to contrast ,Menards general manager,   Lee Dardis’ family trapped and dumped an animal from this community and possibly used  a Menard’s truck to do this ?? 

And by the way, where is the Dardis family ?? 

Many of us have given up time and effort from our lives, searching for Aspen. 

I am calling you out Dardis family you need to be out there looking for whatever animal you “claimed “ to have dumped . 

Let’s view the contrast in these two individuals. 

Ryan DeSear literally risked his life for the animals of the aquarium and then was out rescuing and aiding other animals in his community, not the garbage of dumping a little animal, in an unfamiliar area to fend for itself. 

The Dardis family dumps an animal from this community.  It is others that are taking time out of their lives to be out looking as the result of the Dardis actions while the Dardis’ are sitting in their cush home. 

Does anyone but me see anything wrong with this? 

Wouldn’t it be nice for Lee Dardis to donate trail cams or other equipment that would aid in the search? 

Ryan DeSear went above and beyond for his community. 

Folks in this community are out attempting to rectify the actions of the Dardis family  while the Dardis family is nowhere to be found in helping.
Is this the kind of individual that we want in our community and running our businesses ?

Everyone Autumn, and her family very much  need our support. Autumn and her mother Christy are both physically and mentally exhausted.

Many have already done wonderful things for them, searching for Aspen, passing out posters, donating, and signing the petition. 

I would like to steal some words from DeSear of Gatlinburg who I spoke of above. 

He said “ We just need people’s hopes and prayers. It really does matter. When you’re exhausted, you draw strength from that.” 

He also requested that people continue to send letters of support. 

Everyone’s comments, words and efforts have helped to keep Autumn going. Please continue them.

If you possibly are able to, please  support Autumn and her family by coming to the rally Saturday 10/28. 

Another thing that has made this such a difficult time is  last week was Aspen’s birthday.

It is difficult to imagine Aspen having to spend her birthday away. 

One of Autumn’s birthday traditions is to get a puppuccino from Starbucks for her babies. 

In honor of Aspen’s birthday, I would like to ask all of you to get your fur baby, a puppuccino and take a picture your baby enjoying it and send it and any birthday wishes to one of the posts on several sites or Autumn‘s Facebook page- Autumn Lee.