But Here’s the Real Scoop
The last week has been filled with family milestones and court is coming up this week, which explains why I woke up so grumpy and out of sorts on Saturday. Arya turned 16 last Monday, passed her driver’s license test with flying colors on Tuesday (the proctor told me afterwards “I could fall asleep- she’s so good!”), and on Wednesday I drove down to SoCal with Maceo for his orientation at UCSB. I know Jeannessa would be so proud of both of her siblings and it hurts my heart to know she can’t tell them so herself.
Fortunately, I’ve got great friends and live music to lift my spirits and things are moving along with Jeannessa’s Friends, which I am certain would also make Jeannessa so proud. Meeting our goals to fund pet rescue and veterinary services to positively impact countless animals will ensure that her life and her tragic death will forever carry a profound and meaningful purpose.
Our inaugural event, a candlelight vigil and afterparty in San Jose is set for Wednesday, September 16, the one year anniversary of losing her. This will not be a somber event! It’s an opportunity to celebrate and be inspired by Jeannessa’s unique, vibrant energy. Councilmember Pamela Campos, District 2, City of San Jose and others will share inspiring messages at the vigil at Paul Moore Park at 6:00pm. Afterwards, we’ll meet up at the Brit in Almaden to get down to the sounds of The Strays, featuring members of One Man Gone, Aardvark, and The China Cats with So Uncivilized opening and a special acoustic set by Kyra Moore. Together, let’s reclaim September 16 as a day of joy and resilience, rather than one of pain and tragedy.
A huge thank you to our sponsors Blue Pearl Pet Hospital, Lincoln Avenue Veterinary Clinic, ShiftGen, Nordeast Creative, Giammona’s Dog Park Crew Dog Treats, and the McBain Family. Their generosity has gotten us off to a great start of meeting our fundraising goal of $10,000 for this first event. We still have quite a ways to go- if you would like to help us meet our goal in advance of the event, please see our sponsor page.
The next step in making the inaugural event a big success is to get the word out. We are in great need of a team of volunteers to hang posters in businesses and public meeting spots all over Santa Clara County (and some in Monterey as well, since she has a strong connection to that area). This is a great job for teenagers who need volunteer hours for school or service organizations- as a 501c3 charity we meet the requirements for most institutions. Volunteer slots are divided by neighborhood and can be done on your own time the first half of August. Thank you to those who have already claimed spots!
Next Tuesday, August 4 is National Night Out from 5:00 — 8:00pm and Jeannessa’s Friends will be at Bramhall Park (aka Willow Street Park) to connect with our Willow Glen neighbors. There will be live music and food trucks and other fun activities. I’m super excited for this chance to show up in the community to get the word out! Come on out and say hi!
Of course, last month we received our non-profit status from the IRS, but we are still waiting on acceptance of a filing with the State of California that we submitted back in March. We have been told it could take until the end of the year before it goes through, even though it is just a formality since federal recognition preempts that of the state. The only reason it matters is it has delayed registering with some fundraising platforms that may be required for corporate matching or charitable account programs. If you have been considering donating through your workplace for corporate matching, we deeply appreciate this option to stretch the dollar! Know that we have filed every platform request that has come our way, and the final steps will be taken as soon as the state approval comes through!
And finally, the least fun update: it’s time for court again! It’s truly the most stressful part of this whole thing and I do feel comforted and supported when there are so many friends and family in the courtroom with us. Beyond the emotional support, filling the courtroom shows the court and the public that Jeannessa truly mattered! Hopefully, he will put in his plea this time, but we are expecting the defense to ask for yet another extension, as that seems to be the way the justice department rolls. We shall see.
If you can join us this Friday morning at 9:00am, we will be in Department 34 of the Hall of Justice Courthouse, at 190 W Hedding Street in San Jose. Please park in the large garage across the street with the skybridge- our court advocate will supply everyone with parking passes.
If you prefer to attend remotely, this is the direct link to the MS Teams Hearing. If this link does not work or you need additional information, you can find the Remote Hearing page of the Superior Court of California of the County of Santa Clara here. Scroll down to Department 34, in the “morning session” column. And of course, be sure your camera and mic is off.
Please be sure to check that morning in case they change the department! I will update here if necessary and time allows.
Thanks for reading this far and sharing your support! It means a lot!
