CROSSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Here at NewsChannel 5, we are about to be part of a pet food drive. We wanted to introduce you to one of the places that will be benefited by this effort.
Shelves were lined with a variety of items. In addition to racks of clothes, there was Tickle Me Elmo. A 50-year-old clarinet. A vintage game of Clue. That's the beauty of a thrift store; no two of them are quite the same.
That makes running the A Time 4 Paws thrift store in Crossville so much fun for Karen McMeekin.
"We literally have everything including the kitchen sink!" she laughed.
She's not kidding. Outside, there's a sink.
Just as every thrift store is unique, there is no story quite like McMeekin's. She moved to Crossville as a golf instructor 21 years ago, but in her community, she saw a need.
"There were a lot of strays running the streets," McMeekin said.
She came up with a plan to help those animals. Sales from her thrift store and donations help with the A Time 4 Paws Adoption Center and Spay and Neuter Clinic.
It houses cats. There are certain cases where McMeekin's group comes in.
"It's families who absolutely love and adore their animals, but they are going into a nursing home, they've had a death in the family, illnesses," she explained. "We have domestic violence victims, folks who we try to help get to drug rehab."
Depending on the situation, some of the cats are fostered. Most are in need of a new home.
"We work closely with the Cumberland County Animal Shelter," McMeekin continued. "We have 35 cats [at the adoption center], and they live there until they're adopted, and there is no time frame."
Not only that, McMeekin helps people with dogs by getting them new homes through an adoption team and also taking donations of pet food.
McMeekin is doing all this work while also living with breast cancer.
"This is called the Fight Like a Girl symbol," she said, showing a tattoo of a pink boxing glove on her forearm. "It's for breast cancer. I got this for my mom when she had breast cancer when she was 70. Then, I think I'll have to get one for me going the other way, getting a little team boxing going on cause I'm a survivor now too."
There's a picture on the wall of the A Time 4 Paws thrift store that reminds McMeekin of herself as a child. It's of a child holding a dog.
"I told my mom I was going to save all the animals that needed a home," she said, thinking back to her childhood.
McMeekin's still working to do that, and that focus helps her through everything in life.
"Our county and our facilities are teaming up," she said. "More animals will be off the streets, more animals will be spayed and neutered, cared for medically, and so forth. It gives me encouragement that there will be people in the future that will follow in my footsteps. I'm very grateful as well."
NewsChannel 5 is partnering with more than a dozen nonprofits to stock the shelves of local pet food pantries.
All you need to do is go here for a list of places where you can drop off pet food in your area.
On Wednesday, both Nick Beres and Brittany Rainey will be at the Nashville Humane Association for an all-day food drive. They'll be there beginning at 9 a.m. We'd love for you to stop by!
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
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