Dear Prescott College LEP evaluators,

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

 I met Sharon Bachman at one of the lowest points in my life. I had just gotten out of jail and was participating in the Elko County drug court program. Shortly after I was sentenced to drug court I was ordered by the judge to find a job.

Growing up in a small town where I had gotten jobs by “who I knew” rather than my qualifications made this a very daunting task. I was an addict for years and had burned all of my bridges. I applied all over town and was rejected time after time because of my criminal record. I remember the day that I went into BreBeau Kennels for an application because after getting back to my car I noticed there was no area that asked whether I had a criminal record. The day Sharon Bachman called to offer me a job working at BreBeau Kennels was a pivotal point in my recovery.

I had never worked with animals and because of my addiction I had developed social anxiety. I wouldn’t say I was a natural working with animals, but I wanted to learn. Sharon was a great teacher and was always so patient with me. Everything I know about animals I’ve learned from her.  I had spent years putting walls up and being around animals helped me break some of them down. During the time I worked at BreBeau I got to know the animals as well as their owners. I was learning how to communicate better and getting back to who I was before I got into drugs. Having this job gave me something to look forward to everyday and I hadn’t had that in years.

I had a discussion with Sharon about wanting to work with animals as part of my career, but I had no idea where to start. She gave me a few suggestions and one of them was to apply at the Elko County animal shelter. They had just built an adjoining spay and neuter clinic and working there I could really get a feel for the veterinary side of animal care. Soon after applying at the Animal Shelter I was hired on as a Kennel technician and they allowed me to assist the vet techs during spay and neuter surgery.

I can’t say that I have any regrets about my past because without making the mistakes I did I would have not been given the opportunity to find my true passion in life. Working with animals saved my life and gave me something to live for. I could never thank Sharon Bachman enough for giving me the opportunity to become the woman I am today.

Sincerely,


                          


Kimberly Cyrus

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me at (435) 830-7723 or kcyrus@gmail.com