Meet Ginny and Glen!

Interview with Ginny and Glen Nelson

Part 2

(questions by Jill Anne Sparapany)

You always attend the monthly Open House events. You drive to BCR on Thursday/Friday and stay the wkend.  You also bring a lot of donations to BCR every month.  Do you sponsor any cats at BCR?

Which cats? I sponsor Autumn and Annie and Glen sponsors Stevie.

When we come to Open House, we leave home at 5am Saturday and arrive around 10am. We stay at the Days Inn in St Pauls. We say a quick “hi” to the kitties, then I head out with Alana to go buy pizza for the crew. We  usually bring about 2 dozen 20 lb. boxes of Fresh Step, if Harris Teeter has it on buy one/get one free sale. If they don’t, we go to Pet Smart where they often have 25 pound boxes that have an additional 3 pounds free. After the Open House we head back to our room, then out to dinner often at Zachary’s, an Italian restaurant in St Pauls.

Sunday morning, we come back to BCR for about an hour before we hit the road for home.  Boy, do we wish we lived closer!!

** Lately we have assisted in box opening Saturday evening and we LOVE it!

Doing boxes with Fiona  

Candy Stretched out with Glen

How did you find out about BCR?  When and how long ago?

When you first learned about BCR, how long was it before you visited for the first time?

You know, I don’t have any idea how I first found them. I remember seeing pictures, and how awesomely healthy all the cats looked. When they went up on Ustream, I got on immediately. I think that was in the fall of 2012. I remember telling Glen how much I would love to go visit. Well, it just happened that on Jan. 7, 2013, I was going to turn 65 and I was pretty bummed by it. It hit me hard when I got my Medicare card. Now THAT is OLD!! So Glen gave me the trip for my birthday. I got in touch with Alana and set it up. It wasn’t an Open House – we didn’t know about Open Houses yet! Alana was so sweet, she even got me a birthday cake!! And believe me, when we left BCR, I was no longer down in the dumps –how could I be???  We try to come every month. We missed May because we went to Tennessee for Glen’s birthday, and December since there wasn’t an Open House, but I think we made all the others. We have been blessed that the Open Houses fall on the weekends when he will be off work.

First visit,  being a cat climber :)

Ginny being a climber too

Ginny & Autumn

What was your first impression of BCR?  Do you remember which cat you first met?

We were just totally blown away by the scope of the operation, how well-thought-out the layout is and the energy that Alana puts into it. I was, and still am, awestruck!  I was amazed at how the cats all radiated good health.  I have no idea which cat I met first, probably Snicker!

Glen & Snicker

When you left, how did your hearts feel…did you want to take some cats home?

Actually, our hearts were singing. There is no better place those kitties could be than right there with Alana and her crew. If I was going to “steal” one, it would be Autumn. She is such a little sweetheart. But she is better off where she is.

What is the most enjoyable part of visiting BCR – any certain cats you like to spend extra time cuddling when you visit? Glen…Scotty’s naps and Candy’s naps?

I love all the kitty love I get! And I love talking with the “regular” visitors. I especially enjoy the ride with Alana to get pizza, because I hear all the inside scoop!! I spend most of my time in Autumn’s room, I love all the kitties in there. I think it is the only room I can name all the cats in! And yes, I enjoy napping a little with them too, but Glen has made an artform out of it!!  All I have to do is ask ‘which room is Glen sleeping in?’ and everyone knows right away!! Oh – he also has napped with Stevie! He is an equal-opportunity napper!

Glen & Candy sound asleep

Scotty and Glen asleep

Stevie & Glen asleep

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourselves with the BCR supporters?

We think we are about to adopt a fourth cat. Name unknown. He started hanging out on our front porch about a couple of months ago and just didn’t seem inclined to leave. We made it about a week before we caved and put out food. By then we had learned that he belonged to some people a road over, across a field, but they were out of town. Apparently still are!!! This kitty, in addition to being plenty hungry, was STARVED for attention. We would be willing to take him in, if we could just talk to his people and clear it. Who leaves their animal outside and goes away for a month?? And it has been COLD at night! We have one of those “doghouse” beds – white with black dots – we put it out on our glider on the porch with a blanket in it, and a cloth over the opening to keep him warmer. He loves it! But what we really want is to get him vetted. Does not appear to be neutered, so probably has had no shots. He is a total sweetheart except he now, naturally, considers the front porch to be HIS territory, so there have been a few scuffles with Blackie.

PK,  Lucky to have a new home!

Update – After a few weeks we discovered he did NOT belong to the people we thought. So we  took him to the vet to be looked over, tested, and then neutered and vaccinated.  $325 later, he was all ours! We have spent the last month easing him into our cat group, mine don’t take easily to newcomers.. He is a sweetheart and loves to cuddle, it’s obvious he was someone’s pet at some time. I feel bad for whoever lost him. I was really hoping he had a chip, because we REALLY didn’t want a fourth cat!  Oh well, it wasn’t our choice, it was his!

Thank you for all the gifts from our Amazon wish list!   

http://amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/14VUTQST8F5XH

This is from several days of box openings

Thank you Eugene Kepner for the toys, crinkle chute, cat litter and foods!

Thank you Linda Whitenack for the Q-tips, play cube and toys!

Thank you Robin roman for the cat litter!

Thank you AJ Johnson for the Gain!

Thank you Peter Ruggiero for the toys!

Thank you Amanda for the ear cleaner!

Thank you Jennifer Marshal for the ear cleaner and laundry soap!
Thank you Rachel Albert for the scratch cube!

Thank you Kimberly Tischer for the play cube and toys!

Thank you Michelle Pych for the food and toys!

Thank you Teresa Kennedy for the Scratch Cube!

Thank you Sammy Norman for the toy!

Thank you Lauren Easlea for the toys and food!

Thank you Brittne Zimmer for the toy!

Thank you Linda Carden for the Water filter dispensers!

Thank you unnamed for the food, toys and shoe bed!