Letter: Donation made to Animal Shelter in honor of Kuhaida

To the Editor:

Everyone can remember walking into high school first the first time and having that nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach. I remember walking into Oak Ridge High School after moving from New York a week earlier—knowing no one, having no idea where my first class was, with people that spoke differently than I did, with a huge teenage chip on my shoulder.

That first day, I was blessed to meet Valerie Becham, now Kuhaida. She had a glow about her and turned what started out as a horrible experience into a wonderful transition. From that first day of school, she welcomed me, and we started a fantastic and unforgettable friendship.

Valerie was one of the most compassionate, loving, energetic, and humble people I have ever met. She would do anything for anyone at anytime. Her four children were blessed to call her Mom and her greatest passion was her family.

Years passed and when I moved back to Oak Ridge I was able to reconnect with Valerie. I received a message on Facebook one day from her asking to help with the Adoptable Animals at the Oak Ridge Shelter Facebook page. Having four kids at home and a husband left her with little time to volunteer, but she found a way to become involved. Valerie always found a way to ensure that the pictures and stories of the animals in the shelter were highlighted. She was in charge of selecting the “pet of the day” and found homes for many forgotten and discarded pets. Her descriptions of the animals and editing of the images gave so many shelter animals a chance at happiness and a forever home. She took a chance on all those scared and lost animals like she did for me on that first day of school in 1996.

Tragically, Valerie’s life was cut short much too early on January 15, 2014. As a result of her passing, a Go Fund Me account was established in her honor to assist her family with funeral expenses and to care for her children. Valerie has continued to touch lives since her passing. When the account was created, a portion of the donations were earmarked to go to the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, a cause near and dear to Valerie’s heart.

On Friday, May 30, Valerie’s mother dropped off a substantial donation to the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter in her daughter’s honor. The donation could not have come at a better time and will no doubt save many more animals’ lives. On behalf of Friends of the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, administrators of the Adoptable Animals at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter Facebook page, the animals at the shelter, and the community, I thank the family for the donation. I also thank everyone who contributed to the fund and allowed Valerie to continue to spread joy to so many living beings. Now more than ever we need to come together as a community. Oak Ridgers continue to make me proud to call our town home.

Lauren Biloski

Oak Ridge