I still remember the first time I met Bill. It was back in 2000 for the Ferrets 2000 Symposium in Toronto. He came to my home before the festivities began, just to hang out for a while :) He was so soft spoken and gentle and spent a lot of time playing with and photographing my personal ferrets (I had 4 at the time) and of course Harley "Bug". I remember Linda Iroff presenting him with the FML Hero of the Year award. It was at the speaker dinner that weekend in 2000 and I remember just how bashful he was to accept it. I remember looking at him and thinking what an incredible man he was. But, I had fallen in love with BIG way before meeting him for the first time. Through years before, I always had a place I could go to post about the woes of my shelter, my personal stresses with back-yard breeders, my beloved Harley "Bug" and the illness of my mom. Every morning, rain or shine, winter, spring or fall, regular days or Christmas, I always knew my FML would be in my inbox. BIG has devoted so much of his life to the FML and to all of us to keep us in touch no matter what. For that my dear Bill Gruber, I love you, I appreciate you and I admire you. MANY thanks for being there for me, my shelter and the rest of us who look forward to the FML every day. My shelter wouldn't have survived through the tough times without the support of you and the rest of the FML community. I love you all!! HAPPY 20th anniversary to you BIG and to the rest of you too!! Much love, Randy & all of us at The Ferret Aid Society Miss Randy Melanie Belair President The Ferret Aid Society www.ferretaid.org <http://www.ferretaid.org/> Join the IFC Ferret Aid list! Get the info FIRST! [log in to unmask] Ferret Aid 2006 photos http://www.ferretaid.org/events/ferret_aid_2006.html [Posted in FML 5826]