It Is Coming
Again, internal wake up call at 3:30 am.... There is so much happening these last few days and the overall dream is almost here!! I have to admit, going through a major construction is NOT a fun thing, but I decided not to get stressed out about it. I have WAY too many other things to consider; like DEA regulations, FDA approval on equipment, payroll, etc. For example, I found out yesterday that all the doors in the hospital were painted white instead of stained like the furniture.... At this point, oh well. White goes with everything.
Our ad came out in The Mercury (page 11), so I am really excited. There are so many festivals and activities in Knoxville that day!!! I can only hope this will help bring people downtown, to go from event to event, then down to us. So, last night I decided to put myself out there. I put on my scrub top, grabbed a bag of goodies and fliers, and headed downtown with the family. I was thinking the family would make me less creepy for people, plus I put Charlie on dog reconnaissance to keep him busy. He was a bit upset that I missed two dogs since I was busy talking.
Overall, I felt like a street walker :). I am not comfortable with selling anything (like flea/tick products, etc.), never have been. Now I had to sell myself. Some people were REALLY put off and some people were REALLY awesome!!! I can understand the hesitance, having a stranger come up to you with a flier and a flashing reflective dog tag. I am a New Yorker, my first questions would have been "What are you selling? And why is it free? What's the catch?". I have to put myself out there and hope they can see the passion in my eyes when I talk about their dog. If I make a connection, then I am super happy. If I don't make a connection, then maybe we aren't meant to be, and that's okay.
I think it was a success and I started to relax a bit. I will definitely be out there again, considering we have 8 days until the big party. The celebration has grown a lot more than I expected and this may bring more people down to Sevier Avenue. I will advertise it on FB a bit more, but here are some of the new additions:
- SoKno Taco has donated some food for the crowd
- Joseph Construction has donated a BBQ cook out - ribs, pulled pork, beans, and of course hot dogs for the little ones
- Bayer is setting up a table with free goods, like portable dog bowls, balls, bandanas, etc.
- Patterson is setting up a table with free goods like shampoos and Bath and Body Work scented sprays for dogs
- Hills would like to donate some free goods - we are still talking about this
- I have lots of brochures from UT - like ASPCA poison control, poisonous plant list with pictures, magnets, etc. Anne from Pendergrass Library has given us some material to help clients perform reliable internet research for their pets to deter the Dr. Google effect
- I ordered some cool crafts for kids and some prizes so that every child wins something
I am probably forgetting something, but I will be updating FB all week to keep reminding you to come on down. If you see the FB posts, please share them so we can reach out to as many people as possible. Thanks!!! I am going to put you guys to work too!
Dr. Leah Wulforst,
Riverside Veterinary Clinic, 1111 Sevier Ave, Knoxville, TN