Kari Young

Sad News from the AAGI Family (Arizona Adopt A Greyhound Inc.)

It is with great sadness we announce that our director and friend, Kari Young,

passed on from this life Christmas morning while surrounded by her husband, Bill

and her daughters, Shauna and Chris.

Kari served as the director of Arizona Adopt a Greyhound, Inc. for sixteen years.

She steered AAGI through the closing of the Phoenix Greyhound Park and

through the Tucson track closing. Through her long involvement in the greyhound

community at large and her reputation as an individual with “sterling integrity,” she

set up an arrangement with a California adoption group enabling us to continue

our work helping greyhounds in need of homes.

As many of you are aware, in March of 2013, Kari had a double lung transplant,

and came back stronger than ever. The second week of November of this year

Kari went back on oxygen. At the beginning of December, she was admitted to

the hospital to determine the cause of her increasing breathing difficulty. It was

diagnosed as full blown lung rejection, and she was admitted into Hospice care at

home. The past three weeks saw a rapid progression of the disease. She

originally wanted to be the one to tell volunteers and the AAGI community at large

what was happening but was unable to do so.

About a year ago, Kari set up a team responsible for a variety of functions

including events, fostering, adoptions, nails, administration, etc. None of that will

change, we can assure you. With the help and support of wonderful people like

you, AAGI will continue to do good work finding forever homes for retired

greyhounds for many years to come. AAGI will continue in service to the

hounds as Kari intended it should.

There will be a memorial service at Tempe’s Desert Palms United Church of

Christ in a couple of weeks. The date is not yet set, but another email of the time

and address will be sent, and we will post it on the website as well. Kari wanted

the greyhounds to be present but they are not allowed in the sanctuary, so we

may hold a secondary ‘ROO’ at another time or place. Keep checking the website

for details.

Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated and needed at this difficult time.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Rebecca Spellman

rebecca@arizonaadoptagreyhound.org

4807344461

Cards may be addressed to:

Bill Young

5060 W Chicago Circle S.

Chandler, AZ 85226

Or:

AAGI

P O Box 63033

Phoenix, AZ 85082