FORT SILL, Okla., Aug. 4, 2016 -- When Gabriel Shiepko turned 3 years old, he had a party, but the gifts went to the dogs. And the cats.
His mother, Jessica, said she has a "soft spot for POA's, privately owned animals" and instead of getting more possessions to take with them during the next permanent change of station (PCS), she wanted to do something for the community.
So the seven families who attended Gabriel's birthday party at Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area with their nine children brought something for their four-footed friends on post. "The invitation said 'In lieu of gifts please bring food or kitty litter for the Fort Sill Stray Facility,'" said Shiepko, wife of Maj. Anthony Shiepko, chief of logistics at Reynolds Army Community Hospital.
She was at the Geronimo Road playground with Gabriel and 9-month-old Joshua. Gabriel took a few seconds away from climbing through tunnels and down the slide to say his guests brought "treats for the doggies, treats for the kitty cats, kitty litter, dog food." He said he wanted to "help the a-min-als."
Gabriel had already gotten gifts from his family, and he went with his mother and 9-month-old brother Joshua on July 25 to drop off the goodies. Andy Anderson, who runs the Stray Facility, said they brought 50 pounds of cat litter, 50 pounds of dog food, 40 pounds of cat food, and several boxes of treats.
"This was the fourth time in the last two years that a child on post had a birthday party and instead of presents donated to the facility," said Anderson.
Shiepko heard about the idea from the parent of a former student (she taught elementary school for 10 years). And because they PCS'd for Gabriel's first two birthdays, they decided they wanted to try something different.
"We felt that from a very early age we need to set realistic expectations for birthdays," she said. "We said instead of more stuff we'll have to move next year, why don't we give something for the community, so we gave to the Stray Facility. They don't get a ton of funding. I think they provide a valuable service for the community."
Shiepko asked Gabriel to tell about his "sisters," the basset hounds. He stopped playing, held up five fingers and said, "two." Brianna, 12, has cancer, and Tiffany, 10, has an eye problem. Both are regular patients at the Fort Sill Veterinary Clinic.
The family had seven pets at their "high point," said Shiepko. "We traveled all over the world with them." She said she became enamored with basset hounds when they were stationed in Korea in 2003 and she saw "a hot dog dog beagle" whose Soldier had to give her up. That was Brianna.
"Like potato chips, you can't have just one," she said. "So we got Tiffany and Lilly a couple years later. The cats just trickled in over the years."
Their first cat came in 2003 while they were at Fort Lewis, Wash. "This raggedy old stray cat came around and we found out she was about 16 years old. She had cancer, she had no teeth, and that cat was with us until 2012. She was old, crotchety. She would corner dogs. She had no teeth, no claws but she ruled the roost."
They had considered doing what other families had done to foster a sense of giving in their children. Some "make their kids go through all of their toys for their birthday or Christmas and pull out all the things they don't play with anymore, and go with their kids to donate those things."
Gabriel has all he needs, said his mother, and "he has more than enough stuff. He really has only two types of toys: wooden trains and Duplos. To ask him to get rid of something at this stage, especially with this one (Joshua) coming up behind him I wasn't comfortable doing that."
"We're trying to foster a sense of gratitude with him," said his mother. And he is learning compassion and the art of sharing with the "aminals."
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