Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue has lost its friend and cofounder, Elaine Wymer, who passed away February 18, 2008 at her home in Winchester, Virginia, following a long battle with cancer. From the time Elaine was growing up in Winchester she knew she wanted Shelties, and for the past 30 years she has not been without a few, along with a many rescued cats.

During the summer of 1999, Elaine and her friend Lynn Neumann learned from the national Sheltie Rescue e-mail list that a sheltie was being held in a kill shelter in Virginia. Before they could get to him, he had been euthanized. Recognizing the acute need for an organized sheltie rescue group in Virginia, they immediately started working on the documentation that was required to start a rescue group. Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue got their first sheltie on October 19, 1999.

The core group of volunteers grew slowly. Now, over 100 members continue the work Elaine began, carrying on the legacy of her dedication, energy, plans, projects, support, and steadfast humor. Elaine left us knowing that NVSR has rescued more than 580 shelties since it was founded.

Elaine will be very much missed by all of us in NVSR and beyond, among the people who worked with her in other rescue groups and outside the rescue community to bring the dogs into NVSR's care, and through the Shelties she helped find forever homes. Elaine would want us to “carry on” – and we will.