In memory and honor of Andrew Keith Anderson, numerous donations have been made to a host of causes since his leaving in November of 2004. These memorial donations began immediately following Andy's death, and continue today.
Countless memorials were made in his name to benefit Lethal White Australian Shepherds through groups such as Aussie Lads Rescue Group - to which Andy belonged. LWARC (Lethal White Australian Shepherds Carolinas) was founded by his mom in his name to further educate the public on the genetic error that leaves many of these pups with blindness and/or deafness. LWARC members also work to rescue, transport, foster and adopt 'Lethal Whites' in the effort to save the lives of so many otherwise culled puppies. LWARC now has two websites (including a newly created inter-active board) and well over one hundred members representing areas throughout the United States.
Memorials created and made in Andy's memory continued.
In Andy's name and for his 25th Birthday, 'presents' went toward building Andy's Sanctuary at Our Lady of Mercy Catnip Cottage: http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=4671799&adTarget=468petsgeneral&SessionID=4087af0f789155f2-app3&display=&preview=1&row=0&tmpl
( See also "Andy's Sanctuary" Page on this website: http://andrewkeithanderson.tvheaven.com/catalog.html)
As part of Andy's Christmas of 2005, his family and friends donated just over $100 toward the Macon County Animal Shelter in November - December. Every dollar donated was matched by Mason County area businesses. Those donations were made in the name and memory of Andy as a 'Christmas Miracle Donation'.
In 2007, Andy's 27th Birthday Memorials were made to Jacksonville Humane Society's shelter rebuilding fund after their devastating fire.
For Andy's 28th Birthday, we are asking for your kindness again, for a wonderful, heartwarming and inspirational cause.
www.MaranathaFarm.org is a very active rescue in South Carolina, who started by rescuing the unadoptables, the dogs no one wanted, the dogs that found themselves horribly abused and abandoned. Karen Wilkins, founder and President of www.MaranathaFarm.org has turned her farm into a rescue and a sanctuary for life's discards and humanity's victims.
Karen and her husband, Dwane, have branched out to help and save the lives of handicappedpets who have been shot, torturned and in all ways mistreated.
www.MaranathaFarm.org was called out to an emergency a few days after Christmas, for a puppy who had been shot and was screaming in pain. That little baby, Buckshot, is now paralyzed, and Karen and her husband built him a cart, his first, and have progressed in the cart-building to the point where they have been adopted by 4th graders at our local elementary school, to build carts for other para-pups whose families don't have the financial resources to purchase one.
Buckshot's inspirational story (and Karen Wilkins' journey as well) can be seen at: http://www.handicappedpet.net/helppets/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=10465
To read all of MaranathaFarm's inspirational rescues, please visit www.MaranathaFarm.org. Kleenex warning, these are very heartfelt stories.
We ask that you visit Karen's Sanctuary at www.MaranathaFarm.org and if you want to remember Andy in the way in which he lived his life, please make a Birthday Donation in his memory at www.MaranathaFarm.org.
Andy would have loved Karen, and I believe she would have been quite taken with this quiet, gentle soul whose life was surrounded with critters of all kinds, furry, hairless, scaly, all of which found safe haven in Andy's world.
Happy Birthday, Son. Happy Birthday to you.
