power of love
When U. S. A rmy vetera n Paul Stek lensk i
fulfi lled his dream of getting a pilot’s
license, he longed to use his wings for
something special. After adopting a
rescue dog from a kill shelter hundreds
of miles from his home, his mission
became clear: He’d f ly at-risk shelter
animals to safe havens!
S
he’s such a sweet girl,” Paul
Steklenski said with a smile,
stroking the soft fur of the black
Lab mix he and his wife, Michelle, had
just adopted. “I’m so glad you found
your way to us.”
When the Schwenksville,
Pennsylvania, couple had gone to their
local shelter to adopt Tessa in the fall of
2013, they were surprised to learn she
had come all the way from Tennessee.
“How did she end up here?” Paul
had asked curiously, and the shelter
worker explained that Tessa had been
rescued with other dogs from a kill
shelter and transported in a van, driven
by a volunteer. Paul was shocked to
learn that some animals in kill shelters
only have hours to live, so a loving
group of people donate their time,
money and energy to pick them up
and get them to safe havens.
As a U.S. Army veteran, Pau l identi-
fied with their desire to serve. And
as he looked into Tessa’s loving eyes,
suddenly, Paul got an idea.
He was in the process of fulfilling
a lifelong dream of getting his pilot’s
license. What if I use my plane to
f ly dogs to safety? Paul pondered,90 First for women 8/26/19
“I only^ spend^ a^ couple^ of^
hours^ with^ them^ during^ the^
flights,^ but^ each^ dog^ and^
cat^ finds^ a^ special^ place^ in^
my^ heart,”^ says^ Paul,^ with^
one^ of^ the^ rescues“
“Being a part of so
endings is the best
“It’s^ as^ if^ the^ animals^
know^ they’ve^ been^
saved^ and^ can’t^ wait^
to^ start^ their^ new^
lives,”^ says^ Paul^ of^ the^
pups^ he^ flies^ to^ safety^