By Katy Kelewae, Class 22
STARS, Development Associate & Volunteer Coordinator
Yesterday I experienced something very difficult for me. Someone abandoned two small dogs on my street. The dogs were left on a Monday night with a small scoop of food on a napkin and no water. I saw them on Tuesday morning. Now, anyone who knows me personally will expect this story to end with me now owning five dogs rather than the three I already have. Spoiler Alert – it doesn’t.
What this experience made me realize is that many people don’t know all of the amazing services in our community for virtually any need imaginable. When I was fortunate enough to work for Scottsdale Leadership, I was exposed to so many caring individuals and organizations that are making the world better one issue/person/dog at a time. Not everyone has this knowledge.
What does School House Rock say? Knowledge is Power!
But with this “Power” comes a responsibility. That responsibility is to act when something isn’t right. That responsibility is to call the agencies and organizations that can help a bad situation. That responsibility is to spread the word so more people are informed.
Often times, people choose not to act because they think someone else will. Do you remember the story of the brutal killing of a homeless man who stopped a mugging in New York City this April? Nobody helped and for more than an hour, the man who saved a woman from being mugged was dying on the sidewalk as people walked past.
The people that are expected to act when nobody else will are those who are informed, connected to services and agencies, and aren’t afraid to act. They are you and me.
I acted on the Power I had. I made some phone calls and now the dogs are safely being kept at Maricopa County until one of the dogs, the Chihuahua, delivers her puppies. During this time, I am working with other agencies to find them a home, rescue or foster family.
What will you do with your “Power”?
The Scottsdale Leader 