Volunteers Barb & Larry Wolfe gave the farm
a priceless gift.
They converted the small building in the picture
from its former use as a sauna
to a glorious Cat Memorial Chapel.
Each step of the process was steeped
with the love and sanctity a chapel needs
to breathe life into the saddest moments
of loving cats --
those inevitable times when one's cat spirit
leaves the body
and the cat is released from our care.
Since we focus our direct cat efforts on the elderly,
we all too often deal with the loss of a beloved friend.
This memorial chapel helps us deal with the loss
and gives us a place to remember those cats
that have gone on.
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This is the inside of the chapel.
Beneath the stained glass window
is a memorial table,
bracketed by shelves containing
rememberances of our cats who have passed on.
Each cat has an engraved plaque and a tin
containing his/her ashes
together with a tiny mouse toy
to add sweetness to their passing.
Although they were not in typical family homes,
they were loved by our staff and volunteers
as if they were pet cats.
The cat statue below the table
is our memorial to the many orphaned cats
who die anonymously in shelters each year --
5 a day in our own community --
without having guadians to remember them.
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The focal point of the chapel --
both inside and out --
is a beautiful stained glass window
of a cat with a rainbow
signifying the rainbow bridge
in the famous poem --
the bridge where pets wait for their guardians
to pick them up on their way to heaven.
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Two benches and a floor pillow
give visitors a place to sit and remember
their companions.
The wall photos are of cats our
volunteers have lost over the years.
The wind chimes in the windows
add to the peaceful ambience.
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Each September,
we hold a memorial service
in front of the chapel.
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On the other side of the chapel,
we've added a recirculating pool
of rippling water to add to the
peace and tranquility of this setting.
Although difficult to see in this picture,
there's a bench to the right of the tree,
below the chapel door, where one can
sit and reflect.
The entire area surrounding the pool
has been planted with with daylilies.
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The main pool is the home of
seemingly everblooming water lilies --
as well as a community of frogs
who sun on the rocks and lily pads --
and add their own distinctive voice
to the tranquility of the setting.
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