Christina and Jimmy Crum, circa 1984

We recently learned that one of our volunteers, Christina, was a 1984 Easter Seals poster child and was featured with Columbus, Ohio television news celebrity, Jimmy Crum (who my grandmother loved–if Jimmy Crum said it, it was gospel) on a Columbus Dispatch “TeleView” guide. If you look closely at the photo above, you can see where Jimmy Crum signed the guide for Christina.

I have to say that when I first discovered this about Christina, I was startled, because honestly, I never think of her as having any type of handicap.  She does so much for Black and Orange–fostering kitties, cleaning cages at PetSmart, helping at adoption and fundraising events, and just going above and beyond for the stray and abandoned cats that come into our care–that she seems like a power house of energy. Nothing slows her down.

I now realize where Christina’s compassion comes from for she must have faced enormous challenges growing up, challenges most of us would find insurmountable. And yet, every time I see her she is smiling and happy and ready to take on the world for the next dog or cat in need.

Christina, all grown up, helping at a fundraising car wash.