My friend Linda Walden is 76 years old and has worked full time at Smith's Food and Drug for 43 years this September 24th. Linda has had a few set backs this last couple of years. She has some health complications that makes life for her a little harder. Such as, Linda was born without a thyroid, a condition that has complicated her life, and she's managed health struggles throughout her career, but she never complained about it and never took off work if she had anything to say about it.

Recently, Linda suffered a stroke. She's also dealing with SARS2 and COVID type C, and her immune system is still very weak. Her doctor told her not to return to work yet, not because she was contagious, but she was still to weak to go full time. She had the doctor sign off that she could return to work, so she went back today because she had already missed two weeks and financially that hurts her. She just keeps going, putting the Energizer Bunny to shame.

She has raised her sons alone, after an abusive relationship, and she's been there for me throughout my own hard times. When I needed help saving my Great Dane, she didn't hesitate to give me $2,500, even though it affected her financially. She knew my dog was dying and needed stomach surgery right away and called our vet and told him no matter the cost to save my Sigurd.

Linda even helped and stepped in 3 weeks ago when a woman at our veterinarian clinic came in with a 2 week old kitten that was in bad shape. Not knowing what to do, this lady had been feeding this kitten adult food. Linda did not hesitate to take the kitten and rehabilitate him for her. The lady would ultimately give up ownership of the kitten to Linda, who in turn gave the kitten to me. This is only one story of many where Linda has always stepped up to help people in need with their animals. She has two dogs right now that have special needs that she attends to and goes above and beyond to make sure they have everything they need to stay healthy as best they can. Before Linda had got sick she just got told that her dog of 12 years was diagnosed with diabetes. Linda researched everything she could to be as prepared as she's become to manage her dog's diabetes even though it was yet another setback financially.

Linda deserves to retire now. She's earned it. Her health needs time to heal, and she shouldn't have to choose between her recovery and her paycheck. If you can help, your support would mean so much to her, and to me as a way to say thank you for being so selfless, when many others would have never stepped up. Especially with that kind of money. Thank you for standing with Linda, this will mean everything to her.