UPDATE: SUGAR GLIDER RAILROAD

UPDATE: January 3, 10:28 a.m.
Honey and Zeus are staying with Meredith. She is placing ONLY those rescues that were ready to be rehomed.


UPDATE:
January 3, 2009: 9:50 a.m.
(cross-posted from my post at SESG, where the Florida team has stepped up!)

Thank you, Kate (The FotoCat) and Anita (Hushpuppy)! I sure appreciate each and every person's help that's been offered along the way in an effort to place these gliders, assist in transport, or offering up a fostering situation. In times like these, the glider community can, and does, really pull together.

I have sent an e-mail to Meredith asking about Honey and Zeus, and I have told her IF she is rehoming those gliders, that KB would like to have them back, so if anyone knows of their status, please, contact me or Cyndiekb.

Looks like this railroad project has worked itself out. My hat is off to you all! As I understand it, Moira is meeting Meredith, and then Colleen and Art, and all of these gliders will be staying in Florida.

Job well done! Anytime gliders can be placed locally, it's a good thing. No lengthy travels (which can be complicated with meet-ups and what not, road delays, or other issues that can unfold on the road (I've had my share of those, which is why I am SO HESITANT to travel with gliders these days).

Anyway, I'd like to say each of you have gone above and beyond in stepping up to assist with placing these babies. I stand in awe of you.

Bravo!!



UPDATE:

January 2, 2009 around 8:46 p.m.
No more updates this evening. It's time for to pick up my daughter and call this a day. More tomorrow as time allows!

January 2, 2009 around 8:00 p.m.
I just got an update from our Florida team. God bless our team lead, she's been away. As I understand things at this point, the railroad will begin this weekend. Moira, a gal that Kate knows, will be picking up all the gliders and will be moving them forward to their new locations (or at least the beginning of getting them to their new locations).

At this point, that's all that I know, but I will post up what I know as soon as I can!

Thank you, Kate, and SESG. Let's get this "train a'rollin'!"


Original entry follows:
(the Florida to multi-state locations project as cross-posted on the glider boards)

January 2, 2009, around 10:00 a.m.
I am sorry that I have not been able to provide any updates until today. With the holidays, it's just hard for people to be online and to maintain a solid stream of good information. Timing is everything in a successful railroad, and good communication is key to the success of any project.

At this point, I'm afraid I don't have much news to share. The general plan, as I understood it, would have been for the gliders to be transported to east Orlando, FL, to where that person would move them north to the FL-GA state line, where the gliders would have moved into the SC, NC, and ultimately, to their last stop in TN, near Chattanooga. The older gliders, or those with health concerns, were to have been placed locally, in Florida, and would not have been a part of this railroad (in order to cause the least amount of stress - or risk - to those gliders, etc).

However, at this point, I am uncertain of how many gliders are to be moved in this railroad, or to where their final destinations await. I knew that we had several good homes lined up: One home in Florida, two or three homes in NC, and one home in TN. I don't have any more information than that, and as of today (January 2nd), the train is still sitting in the station, for whatever reason. In order to have a successful railroad, there needs to be constant and clear communication. Too many gliders and peoples' schedules depend upon that, and I apologize for the delay in communication. Maybe trying to move the gliders over the holidays was not such a great idea on my part, but what we're dealing with, at least on my end, is a "communication breakdown" and I can not answer the questions that are being directed to me, and I feel compelled to address the situation. I wish I could provide some clarification, because I would surely answer those questions, if I could, but I can't at this stage of the game.

I would like to apologize for all of the confusion, but I am not getting all of the updates that I need in a timely manner so that I can relay that information to those who are involved, either in transport, or to those who can offer the homes to these gliders. That's nobody's fault. With the holidays, it's just so hard to maintain proper follow-up since we're all online (or in different places) at this time of year. That's just the way it is.

I'm all about collaboration and teamwork, and I'll jump right in and help anyone, with anything, as long as it is within my power to do so, but it appears as if someone else is trying to coordinate this railroad. Now, that is fine with me, truly, the more the merrier, and "many hands make light work"! Really, with a project of this magnitude, there MUST be many team players, but good timely communication is essential. I just wish I had known if there were other team players so that I could have worked harder towards improving communication with whoever they might be. If I knew of others' involvement/assistance in this project, then I would not be slowing things down, contributing to, or even having causing the level of confusion that exists. However, apparently, I have (caused, created, or added to the confusion, and that was certainly not my intent).

My only goal, was to ensure the best possible placements for the gliders in need and to get them to their new permanent homes (or foster homes) as quickly as possible, in the best, most expedient, and safest way. That's all. My intention was to do the best I could and to provide the best information that I had (at the time) available to me over my holiday break so that we could place these gliders in the first week or so of this new year (that was my goal and no one elses). I can only be responsible for completing my part of a project with the time I have available in my schedule (which could, in all honesty, not be convenient for others' schedules, and I realize that). However, my holiday break is over, and I will not be as available to lend assistance as I have been. Come Monday morning, that's it. School starts, and my responsibilities and all of my attention needs to be there. With a 100-mile daily commute, two hours on the road, and an eight hour work day, my evenings are dedicated to my family and my pets. I just won't have the free time that I have had over Christmas break.

Now, I feel badly for everyone that I have been working with. I don't have the answers to the questions they have asked me, and I feel like I am letting everyone down. Still, I can only do so much, as any of us can. We each have our own limitations, but I have given my best effort, and that is all that any of us can do.

Since school starts for me on Monday, I was trying my level-best to get everything squared away before then. That does NOT mean having placed all the gliders, but I would have liked to have started the ball rolling, and that looks like it is not going to happen (at least the way I had originally envisioned it), but that doesn't mean that it won't - in time. Things happen that can disrupt even the best most well-organized plans, and I (more than anyone) understand that.

I am not "giving up and throwing in the towel" (so to speak), but, at this point, I will have to remove myself as "communication central" because I simply won't be around or as available as I have been. That SOUNDS bad (or mean), but that is NOT my intention: it is just the simple honest truth. Of course, I will help in any way possible, but I will have very limited time one Monday rolls around.

So, for now, I would like to apologize to those who were waiting on updates, and I will ask that we all just sit tight and do what we can when - if we are called upon. For now, I can do little else than sit back and wait - and lend my assistance, if I can, with the time that I do have available.

All the best,
Garnesy