Christine Frey came to the Humane Society in the early 80s as our Development Director, joining an organization of people with good hearts and strong emotions – but who suffered from a terrible public image, knew nothing about fundraising and mustering public support, knowing only that our cause was just, that our animal shelter in Bondville was crumbling, and that we needed a new building and we needed it now.

Christine brought with her a shrewd intellect, enormous energy, grace and enthusiasm. As Membership Director I worked closely with her, first helping put together an office for her from donated furniture in rented space in downtown Champaign, supplying her with what information I could about our policies, our beliefs and our slim donor base. Over time, I became as her student, then a friend – always in awe of her talents and in admiration of her skills and the way she lived her life – and grateful for her dedication and compassion.

My memories of Christine and those times are a tapestry – a whirl of work, speculation, brainstorming, wild hope and fear and worry – and ultimately – jubilation when a caravan of trucks and vans made the journey from Bondville to Urbana, loaded with cages and mops, buckets and bags of food - and 200 irritated cats and barking dogs and worried puppies – to their new home - and a dream realized – our new shelter.

She spent her first weeks with us buried in reports and articles, absorbing background material, and soon this elegant woman, schooled in poetry and the arts. became fluent and articulate in the grittier aspects of animal work – cruelty investigation, pound seizure, septic fields and waste disposal – the nutritional requirements of kittens and the behavioral needs of dogs.

I remember how comfortable she was, and so at ease, with such a broad range of people. City governments and endless meetings over ordinances and land use, mayors and media personalities, fire fighters and cops – veterinarians and kennel workers – and just everyday people who loved animals. She could converse with anyone with intelligence and always wit – and made us come to believe in the impossible.

Her creativity and daring lead us down some decidedly odd fundraising paths. With Christine it was always 'Let's do it!" The soda pop campaign and standing in Jerry's IGA in little red aprons, passing out paper cups of cola from bottles with the Campaign for a Humane Center Logo on them – the City of Urbana's Spaghetti lunch – the outdoor dance held in the cold – the doggie banks – the hair salons cut-a-thons – the car washes – the DOG washes – kids collecting aluminum cans – the dinner dances and the sock hops – the craft shows -Las Vegas night - garage sales – Fantasies in Chocolate – bridge tournaments and golf tournaments, the Paws of Fame Portico. Most of all I remember how the shelter staff, most of whom worked for minimum wage, delivered phone books in their spare time and gave the money to Christine – for the new shelter.

One of those times especially is still with me – standing barefoot and barelegged for hours in a wading pool behind the Urbana Firehouse in a plastic wading pool lifting dogs inside and swabbing them down with flea dip. This elegant woman – a Doctor of Philosophy – a poetess. And later – commiserating together over the burning rash we both developed – learning too late that even the mildest flea dip, gentle enough for puppies – was never meant for constant human exposure on bare legs.

Christine's vision, her leadership and her energies – along with a community that cares – enabled us to turn around our flawed legacy and create a refuge for animals that lead to where we are now – a shelter with one of the highest adoption rates in the nation.

And so looking back on Christine and her life – it is appropriate that the legacy of this woman of bright light and joy and life – lies here in the memories of her friends and those given the gift of knowing her.

And it is not surprising to me that she gave so freely of her talents and compassion – not only to this grand institution of higher learning – this community of scholars – but she also gave of herself to the most vulnerable and the most helpless and the most innocent – the little ones - the children and the animals.

We love you Christine. You will be with us always, as you have touched our hearts in a way we shall never forget

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