the WINNER is ......................................

I want to thank everyone for being so patient waiting for the winner. We have been playing phone tag for a couple days but finally talked tonight!

First I want to thank all of the entries, it definitely wasn't an easy choice! There are many deserving people out there. I will be doing this again this year!

Anyways on with the winner, here is the entry:


After having decided to give some thought to who I would nominate for the Giving is Awesome Photography Package, I discovered it took me no time at all that I came up with a name.

While I do not know this persons personal life well, I do know from my stand as a reporter and photographer from a local newspaper, this person has quietly worked in the background of our society, picking up what other people may consider as useless or trash and given them a new life.

This person, is Alynn of the Barkin Rescue.

I first met Alynn, a little over a year ago when someone on Facebook had mentioned that they had rescued a dog from the Barkin Rescue. Intrigued I queried as to what exactly the Barkin Rescue was and quickly discovered that it was a dog rescue in our local area.

Being a reporter I am always looking for a news story and contacted Alynn, and needless to say after a brief conversation she agreed to meet with me.

As with any story of humanity, I was not sure what I would see when I first arrived at Alynn's home, not only in the sense of what animals or what condition they would be in but also what kind of person Alynn was.

I was greeted by three barking dogs, who all bore the scars and markings of coming from a past that was best left behind, followed by a smiling young lady who warmly welcomed me into her home. Despite the battle wounds they (the dogs) were happy once again.

After the usual greetings, I asked Alynn to tell me her story, which I will now tell to you.

A few years ago, Alynn lost her faithful companion and decided to adopt a rescue dog from the Barkin Rescue, then run by a former local police officer. Upon discovering what the Barkin Rescue does for abused and neglected dogs and sometimes cats, Alynn quickly became an advocate and upon the rescue founder’s job relocation, the owner and operator.

In Alynn's time with the Barkin Rescue she has seen some of the most horrific acts of cruelty to man's best friend in the way of abuse, torture, starvation, and neglect. In our meeting, I learned that Alynn has rescued over 800 dogs who have been fostered and introduced to a new life in their "forever homes". Barkin Rescue is a non-profit organization and is solely run by Alynn and the odd generosity from people who realize what she has done for these animals. The rest all falls on Alynn and her determination to change the way the world sees animals. That they have feelings and can love again even after what they have seen from others.

I also learned that Alynn is also a mother, who also works full time, and has a caring heart for all around her. She is a quiet person, yet one who has the strength to enter into situations that would make anyone of lesser resolve cry or just simply walk away.

By the end of our meeting, Alynn had become quite concerned about the publicity I was going to give her. She did not want the story to be about her, what she wanted was for me to inform the public about the cruelty these animals face, and that we as a society need to take a stand and ownership for our actions.

I can honestly say after meeting with Alynn I could not forget her story and two months ago, I had the opportunity to work with her again. I had two young students from high school, who had a school project on communications, and asked if they could work with me for a day. Not knowing what to exactly assign my two shadow reporters, I was at a loss until Alynn contacted me for some more coverage on a newly released book that was written by the founder of the Barkin Rescue.

After explaining my shadow reporters to Alynn she quickly agreed to meet with my girls to do a story with them. Our meeting left the girls with the same impression as I had the first time I met her. Wow, this woman goes to the lengths of the universe to give a new life to something that was thrown out as trash.

She doesn't do it for the glory or publicity in fact she shies away from that. She doesn't do it for the money. She doesn't do it for anything other than the lack of love and humanity that these dogs have seen.

I would like to nominate Alynn, because anyone who could do so much for someone who was told and shown by their owners that they were useless and nothing but trash, when it would be easier to just walk away and ignore the situation like the rest of society tends to, deserves to have something special like the Giving Is Awesome photography package.


I have spoke with Alynn on the phone and checked our Barkin Rescue website, I am very excited to spend some time getting to Alynn and her family on our photo session!

Thanks to everyone for caring and nominating! I was truly touched by all the stories!

Cheers!
j