Photography by Christina Bush
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It's hard to believe in miracles. But what if there's one all around you? Extreme Makeover Home Edition's rescue of a tiny animal sanctuary is the greatest American success story many of us here will personally witness. The producer's vision, and an army of skilled volunteers made the impossible happen on a lonely plot of desert land. The work of EMHE, local businesses and the builders was such an overwhelming phenomemon, we don't know where to start the thank-yous. Was it the selflessness of volunteers and local businesses? The saving of magnificent animals? The creation of a world-class facility? The future generations who will walk through the gate? Forever Wild feels that the real winners of this experience are those of you who were part of it. Your sweat and sacrifice here will be remembered by Californians for years. It's not just your work that will remain here for thousands of future visitors; it's the monument to human kindness that was born as a result. We hope to see you bring your grandchildren by and say proudly, "I built that". Everywhere you turned, someone was working their heart out in freezing wind and rain - for people they didn't even know. So many, our little staff of a dozen couldn't thank them all. Working just as hard to take care of each other with a cup of coffee as much as toiling on a rooftop in 30-degree, 50mph winds. To get out of the blowing rain I snuck into a dark shipping container. There was a cabinetmaker and his 9 year-old son working under a single light, a big pile of Carl's JR. bags in the corner with their sleeping bags. Painstakingly sanding a beautiful custom birch reptile enclosure, the kind we could only have dreamed of just a week before. What can you say about such people, and how do you thank them? Perhaps we all just learned something about America this week. And what those who built this great country are made of. And for the Almquists, EMHE means the end of a 13-year struggle. In the middle of the night, the phone rings. An exotic animal owner (legal or not) has a four hundred pound problem with 3-inch teeth. The zoos won't take it. Animal Services won't take it. And if Forever Wild doesn't take it, that Tiger, Lion, Leopard or Cougar will be put down. For 13 years, this story has repeated itself night after night at the Almquist home. Every time, Joel and Chemaine have to choose between saving a magnificent animal, or their continued financial ruin. What is fascinating about the Almquists is their complete lack of common sense. While the rest of us work for a bigger house or 401k, the Almquists' goals are content to make it through the day without getting killed. I've called Chemaine to hear that Joel was on top of cages all night in freezing 50mph winds tying down roof tarps because a blizzard was starting. So cold he could hardly get down the ladder. With 600lb. tigers below waiting for him to fall in - because familiarity will not save you when you're in a Tiger's territory. Joel certainly has the best excuses for getting into work late. How many of us in this situation would want to stay in it, with 3 kids? But the phone didn't stop ringing. On a lark, Chemaine decided to apply to Extreme Makeover, which gave us a laugh. Hey, it was worth a shot but we knew it would be good for a few laughs and that's it. Without a proper public facility, we couldn't admit public visitors. Without admission revenue we faced a $10K care and feeding bill every month. Feeding and Vet bills were met by voluntary donations and help from nearby merchants - especially those with a butcher shop! Long ago the Almquists passed the point of giving more than they could, and last year foreclosure was just around the corner, followed by euthanization of most if not all of the animals. Though our government charges sanctuaries huge fees for licensing, regulation and enforcement, they provide no assistance or grants to help them. To perform their unpaid service to the public and environment, private citizens like Joel and Chemaine must navigate all the bureaucracy, legal risks and expenses without help. Except for you. We all know how humans are portrayed by animal show producers as the cause of everything bad. Don't you think that the animals at Forever Wild might wish to argue after this experience? It was not Superman who came to their rescue. It was regular Americans from Phelan, Hesperia and Victorville, who looked deep inside and gave what they could from their businesses and their own sweat. So next time you think it'll never happen to you, just look around. There are great Americans all around you in your hometown, from a country that's all about making dreams come true. - Forever Wild |
