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The Dog Days Are Over
SYDNEE FLOTRON
For Horizon Magazine Published Fall 2020
Adopting or fostering a pet is a route that’s becoming more popular for animal lovers, and thanks to the new coronavirus outbreak, it’s become a lot easier to get involved. There are plenty of shelters to choose from, including the Roice-Hurst Humane Society right here in Grand Junction! Since the initial quarantine period in March, Roice-Hurst experienced an incredible jump in foster family applications and adoptions. The lockdown forced them to clear their shelter so they could make room for new abandoned animals in need, and they desperately needed as many fosters as possible to provide temporary homes during such an unpredictable time.
Roice-Hurst is constantly filled with dogs and cats that have been transferred from other shelters, or have been surrendered by their owners. Most animals are typically ready to adopt once they’re old enough, have been cleared medically, and have no serious behavior issues. Most animals can be medically treated on-site thanks to Dr. Hoppe, the recent full-time veterinarian addition to the Roice-Hurst team. Jenna Kretschman, the foster and volunteer coordinator at Roice-Hurst says that, “When coronavirus hit, we had to change the way we ran our shelter. We had to send all of our animals into foster care to lighten the load on our staff and to make room for any community relinquishments we had to take in...It’s definitely been really great having a vet on staff this year.” In just 1 month during the initial quarantine period, Roice-Hurst cleared out their shelter and received over 200 foster applications- so many they had to save some applicants for future foster opportunities. Kretschman admits she saw a spike in the number of families choosing to adopt pets straight out of fostering during this time as well; likely due to the amount of time people spent with these animals while quarantining at home.
One example comes from Grand Junction resident Melissa Pipkin and her family. After responding to the initial social media ad for fosters back in March, the Pipkin’s didn’t hear back for a while due to the overwhelming response of applicants. In fact, it took until July for their family to be called upon for a second round of foster applications. “We found a dog that we thought would fit well with our family and started coordinating with Jenna (Kretschman), who was just wonderful to work with. We ended up going to the shelter and bringing a dog home,” Pipkin recalls. However, adopting a dog was not the intention at all initially. Pipkin states that, “The very first volunteer we met when we came to pick up our dog said to us, ‘you know, oftentimes foster dogs end up being adopted by the foster family’ and we just kind of chuckled. We ended up adopting the dog so apparently the formula was right.”
There are plenty of ways to get involved with Roice-Hurst just like the Pipkins did. Fostering animals is always needed, as well as regular volunteers at the shelter who can help walk dogs, socialize cats, clean, and so much more. If you don’t have a lot of time to spare, donations are always accepted. Money is always useful, but Roice-Hurst also has a wishlist on rhhumanesociety.org with pet supplies needed that can be donated as well. Roice-Hurst is a non-profit organization, meaning they are completely funded from donations and adoption fees. Kretschman says, “I know this is a hard time right now for people to keep their pets, especially those who have lost jobs or housing...We really try to focus on keeping pets with their owners if possible.” Roice-Hurst has plenty of resources for struggling or new pet owners that not many people know about. They have a pet pantry full of free food and supplies for owners in need, as well as plenty of training programs and a 30-day boarding programs designed for owners who have lost their housing and need a place for their pets to stay temporarily while they get back on their feet. The moral of the story is that a little can go a long way, and this community is a vital piece in the well-being of these animals. “We probably have the most robust foster program right now than we’ve ever had thanks to coronavirus-the one good thing that came from this pandemic,” Kretschman says. “We’re so grateful to the community for stepping up and taking in these animals.”
Liberating the Maverick
SYDNEE FLOTRON
For Horizon Magazine Published Spring 2021
Tim Foster has had many adventures throughout his years, whether it be practicing law, being elected to the board of representatives, or running the department of higher education. Acting as the president of Colorado Mesa University (CMU) for 17 years has been one of his biggest adventures to date, and summer of 2021 will bring an end to his historic run. While many students, staff, faculty and community members are uneasy about the new era that lies ahead, President Foster has never been more optimistic about the future of the MAVily.
Seventeen years ago, Mesa State College was in a bit of a rough patch. Foster stated that at the time, “from a financial perspective, they were operating at a net loss. Which you can do periodically, but they were doing consistently.”
With little previous knowledge about the school or its management, Foster accepted the open presidential position. Mesa State College had recently been elected its own board of trustees and no longer had to share funding with its competitors: Metropolitan State University, Adams State University and Western Colorado University. This was a huge selling point, and it meant that Mesa had potential. Foster recalled, “looking at that picture, it was really ripe for a turnaround. It just looked like there would be a lot of opportunity to really make some changes.”
Foster made it his mission to grow the university exponentially - seeing most buildings and projects through to completion in record time. As of Spring 2021, CMU is sitting at just under 11,000 students. When asked about CMU’s potential growth in the future, Foster explained that “Colorado is one of the most educated states in the union, but that’s mostly confined to the wealthier metropolitan areas in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and Boulder. You don’t see it as much in the swasts of land like here in Western Colorado. Looking at our current population and assumed migration, I’d like to see us one day be [at] about 15,000 students to be above the statewide average.”
Growing Mesa State College into Colorado Mesa University was no easy task. Yes, even President Foster has made plenty of mistakes over the years. His advice to current and future students is to slow down, take your time, and be thoughtful about everything in life.
“I make mistakes all the time! Strategic ask mistakes, communication errors, etc. We all tend to get in a rush and it ends up being an issue … I’ve learned that lesson a couple of times. But over time, people will come to appreciate that your intentions are good,” Foster advised.
CMU is a campus full of life and full of Mavericks who aren’t afraid to exist loudly. It’s what drew Foster here in the first place, and it’s what he hopes to see thrive long after his departure.
“Going and watching folks perform over the years - music, theatre, athletics, interacting with student leaders, graduation, or just running into you guys and stopping to chat, those are my favorite memories of this place,” Foster recalled.
Open office hours were also a staple during Foster’s presidency. “It’s been really emblematic of how informal this place is: students feeling comfortable enough to stop by - some of them just to chat or say hello. I love the culture of this campus among everyone here: coaches, professors, students - everybody.”
Many students worked closely alongside President Foster over the years - one being Jacqui Cordova: CMU’s 2020-2021 Associated Student Government (ASG) Student Trustee.
“During and after meetings, Foster [would] give me constructive criticism to improve my reports. Since the first trip I did with him to represent first-generation students, he’s always pushed me to be greater, to make more connections, and ultimately it led me to some of the biggest opportunities I’ve had thus far,” Cordova reflected on her relationship with Foster.
Although the hunt for a new president may be nerve-racking, Cordova said that “[she] understand[s] the large shoes Foster has left behind, but [she is] confident that the Board of Trustees will appoint only the most qualified future president.”
Foster was initially slated to retire in 2020, but the Coronavirus pandemic shut the world down for much longer than expected, drawing an early end to the Spring 2020 semester. Deciding to delay retirement was a circumstance faced by many, but to Foster, “there was no decision to make, right? You just, you can’t go. Part of it was the hotel. We had a blowup with our first management company, and I knew I couldn’t leave that for someone else to walk into. Once we got that fixed, then Coronavirus hit, so I said, ‘alright, I’ll wait.’”
Foster was in no rush. Delaying retirement allowed him to assist in lifting CMU out of the rut that was 2020. In fact, when asked what his parting advice would be for future students, he gave a similar answer.
“Enjoy your college experience, and do a lot of things. We always start looking down the road at the next thing, but slow down, smell the roses, and enjoy the moment. I’m always intrigued when people say ‘those were the best years of my life’ because that would be disappointing to me. Whether it's high school, grade school, college - whatever, all those years are different, but they’re all great,” Foster said.
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