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Meet Your Neighbor: Sandy Marsh
By Callie Thomas
“Never tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.” – Author Unknown
For 89113 resident Sandy Marsh, shooting for the moon is an everyday occurrence. In fact, just covering the bases isn’t enough for this impassioned Vegas resident. At least, not until every four-legged creature that roams our community has a loving and forever home–even if it is just one paw at a time.
Before Marsh began helping abused and abandoned pets in the Valley through the not-for-profit organization Foreclosed Upon Pets, Inc. (FUPI), she led a successful career in the newspaper business. It began while she was in college working in the advertising department for the San Mateo Times in California. She remained there for sixteen years until moving to Southern California, then to Las Vegas where she continued her career at the Las Vegas Review Journal until her retirement. In addition to her work at the papers, Marsh and her husband Paul have always stayed busy, hosting over 30 exchange students through the Lion’s Club in California; racing their sailboat out of Newport Beach; giving tours through the Magical Forest at Opportunity Village to over 5,000 children on school field trips; and being a Weight Watchers leader for 15 years in our community.
Dedication and hard work have not only been a part of Marsh’s daily life, they are important aspects of her being. “When I retired from the Review Journal I wondered what I was going to do to keep busy. Not anymore,” Marsh said. “Unfortunately Las Vegas still ranks as number one in the foreclosure market and people are still losing not only their homes but their jobs and their pets.” With that cause close to her heart, it seemed only natural that Sandy found the perfect fit with the FUPI organization, dedicated to the rescue of domesticated animals that have been abused and/or abandoned by their owners due to economic hardship, home foreclosures, loss of employment or death and illness.
Although Sandy won’t tell you she’s a founder of FUPI, it’s pretty safe to say she has played an important role in the success of the organization, along with one of the original Co-Founders, Everett Croxson. On the ground floor of the organization nearly three years ago, she helped FUPI build its foundation by securing donated materials such as flooring, paint and other items integral to the creation of the organization”s main headquarters. Once a five bedroom foreclosed home at Eastern and Bonanza, the house is now a comfortable, temporary home for the city’s abandoned animals.
In her position as a board member, Marsh tackles the marketing efforts for the group, spearheading adoption events as well as training and overseeing her volunteers (which she praises as among the best) each weekend at various Petsmart and Petco locations. In addition, Marsh heads up several other adoption outlets such as segments on KLAS Channel 8 each Thursday and on KTNV Channel 13’s Morning Blend show every other Wednesday. She has also forged a relationship with the real estate community, meeting regularly with the teams who notify the group when they find abandoned pets at foreclosed homes. “It is also important to remember to make arrangements for your pets in your will,” recommends Marsh. “People forget to do this and these members of your family are left without homes.”
While FUPI has a main headquarters, the group primarily relies on foster homes and is in need of more foster volunteers. Sandy and her husband Paul are already parents to three “fur kids”, Lhasa Apsos Max, Molly and Bobby, a FUPI puppy from a foreclosed home. “I’m passionate about finding homes for these abandoned ones–foster and forever. It means everything to me.” For further information, visit www.forecloseduponpets.org; email forecloseduponpets@hotmail.com or call (702) 272-0010.
