Working to better serve the community

This week, we meet Tanya Stice, loving and committed friend of the community. Born and raised in Kansas, she always dreamt of being a farm girl, living a self-sustaining life on her own farm. As an adult, she lived in Colorado until she met the man of her dreams, Vernon Stice, and moved to Bristow to build a life with him seven years ago.

Tanya envisioned her farm dream becoming a reality and began taking classes to learn as much as possible about building a self-sustaining life on a farm with her husband. While learning, she became concerned by the needs of animals and families in the community. She noticed the many abandoned or neglected dogs near her country home and around the community and, in deference to her loving heart, decided to do something about it. So, Tanya quit her farming classes to focus on rescuing and fostering abandoned pets, especially dogs. She fosters dogs herself, aids rescue efforts, transports animals for rescues and fosters, and volunteers her time with rescues to help set up and clean kennels and animal use areas

If her commitment to our community through animal rescue volunteer work and fostering is not exemplary of her heart to serve, consider her participation in other community service projects. Tanya consistently serves with Bristow Community Connection from picking up trash to donating goods and wrapping gifts for Rainbow at Christmas. She shares community events with as many as possible and encourages community participation in those events. When the VFW holds dances, sales, or other events, she regularly attends and supports veterans as additional opportunities arise. Because she loves deeply, she visits Rainbow residents, gifting candy and cards for Mother’s and Father’s Days as if each resident is her own family.

When asked what she enjoys about Bristow, Tanya smiles and notes that Bristow is a friendly, welcoming town. Her eyes twinkle in the afternoon sun, her smile wide as she nods at the beautiful park around us, and she quietly says, “I always dreamt of settling near a town with a beautiful park and lots of events.” For her, Bristow is that town, and our events will grow and multiply with time.

Although Tanya loves Bristow, serves selflessly, and gives of herself freely, fostering and transporting animals and gifting among the community require funding above and beyond the usual financial needs of living. Sometimes, those activities cause a financial strain. To cover the financial demands, Tanya started her own business, Rescued Heirlooms and Zyia-Saving Dogs and Your Confidence, Too, which you can find on Facebook. The Zyia merchandise she sells is all new active wear for men, women, and children of all ages. The Rescued Heirlooms portion of her business involves selling new and used items (some donated), including artwork. The proceeds of both ventures currently fund the costs of transporting and fostering; although, Tanya also hopes to donate funds to area rescues in the future as her business grows.

Feel free to check out her business page or message her through Facebook for more information about her business or to donate any goods. If you do not have access to Facebook but want to contribute to her selfless service, Tanya also has a booth at the Ugly Duckling on 5th Street. You can email Tanya at tstice204@gmail.com if you are interested in learning about fostering, adopting, or being connected to a rescue. Most importantly, get to know Tanya. She loves and serves our community, and she is a friend worth knowing.