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A new lease on life for shelter

People in the Foothills proved the power of big hearts and social media once again this week. On Oct. 11, Heaven Can Wait founder Kim Hessel made a plea for help on Facebook.

People in the Foothills proved the power of big hearts and social media once again this week.

On Oct. 11, Heaven Can Wait founder Kim Hessel made a plea for help on Facebook. The animal shelter was in danger of closing its doors, facing more than $30,000 in debt while trying to keep up with its $10,000 monthly expenses.

She thought there might be a few friends who would step up to lend a hand, but the response from the region left Hessel in shock and ensured Heaven Can Wait won’t be closing any time soon. Within four days, people throughout southern Alberta and beyond responded to calls on social media - Hessel’s post was shared and went viral within 24 hours, and a GoFundMe page opened Oct. 12 which raised more than $100,000 by Oct. 17.

Heaven Can Wait wasn’t expecting the outpouring of support it received last week, but it’s not surprising in the Foothills region. From flood to food crises, from domestic violence to animal abuse, people in the Foothills can always be counted on to band together when the going gets tough.

It can’t stop here, though. The key is to continue building up these worthy causes before they need to be bailed out.




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