Amy Henderson Firth died suddenly in 2012. Amy was an organ donor whose organs and tissues either saved lives, or made lives better, for least 70 people. Jim Fly, the Executive Director and Chaplain of Amy’s House explained that in honor of Amy, an affordable, sanitized, and safe home-away-from-home was established in Temple, Texas.  He explained that Amy’s House is for living organ donors, organ recipients, and their support teams. Amy’s House provides rooms for patients who are gaining strength to return home, patients who still need to be close to the hospital, and the families and caregivers of transplant patients. Once a patient has stayed at Amy’s House, they are welcomed back when traveling into Temple for medical appointments related to their transplants. 

There are several things about Amy’s House that make it so unique and make it a huge asset for the community. Amy’s House knows how important sanitizing is for those who stay in the house. Most every patient who comes in is on an immunosuppressant, which makes patients very susceptible to infections. To minimize infections, several steps are in place. The air and surfaces are sanitized, guests are required to wear masks, and no children under the age of 16 are allowed in. In addition, separate food storage drawers and separate refrigerator spaces are assigned for each patient.
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Patients who stay at Amy’s House may stay anywhere from 1 night to around 2 months depending on their medical needs. Patients and their caregivers are encouraged to make donations. However, the Board of Amy’s House understands that many patients have expended large sums on necessary medical care, leaving little to cover the expenses of temporary lodging. Therefore, Amy’s House allows patients and caregivers to stay regardless of their ability to make donations. Amy’s House also has other ways of providing patients and caregivers with ways to satisfy other needs. One example of this is that financial donors often provide grocery vouchers that Amy’s House distributes to patients who need them.
In the future, Amy’s House plans to add opportunities for volunteers to help maintain the services Amy’s House provides. As for now, Amy’s House is focused on keeping the infection rate at low to none, and continuing to provide a home feel to patients who need peace, comfort, and a place to call home for a while. 

Visit Amy's House online: ​https://www.amyshouse-temple.org/

​Wes Albanese started his own photography business around five years ago. Wes saw a lack of full-time photographers in the area and was interested in turning his photography hobby into a career. When he saw a rise in photographers, he knew it was time to jump in. Wes quit his job and took off with Wes Albanese Photography!

Wes offers real estate photography, corporate headshots, individual portraits, family portraits, and weddings. For his real estate clients, Wes offers aerial photography and Matterport 3D tours. Wes commission some of his work and has offered photography classes. He runs a photo booth business, as well.

Wes is motivated by the cell phone. Knowing that people walk around with a camera in their back pocket and yet they still choose to hire him excites Wes. It helps encourage him to keep putting in the hard work behind the camera. Using a professional camera helps him stand out from cell phone photos. Wes also understands that clients will choose one company over the other when looking online due to whether they have professional pictures or not.

​When starting Wes Albanese Photography, Wes did not want to limit himself to one area of photography as most photographers do. He set a goal to have seven different categories of photography offered in his business, and Wes has been able to surpass that goal. The next time you are in need of a photographer, reach out to Wes to see what all he can do!

​​As a retired paramedic, Nanette Pace understands careers that revolve around long and late hours. This is one of the reasons why she opened 4 Legs of Love. She recognized a need for high quality pet care with late night hours for medical, fire, and EMS personnel. In addition, she wanted to provide a comfortable place for pets that was affordable and still offered high quality pet care.

4 Legs of Love has a mission statement that reads “we love to love your pets!” 4 Legs of Love offers full-service grooming 6 days a week, extended daycare 7 days a week, and long-term boarding. The list does not end there! They also host a boutique/retail store with pet accessories, treats, clothes and more. When you take your pet to 4 Legs of Love, you can guarantee that they are getting personal attention during playtime with the staff.

4 Legs of Love is the only facility in Bell County that offers extended daycare hours 7 days of the week. Nanette’s own pets are the inspiration behind 4 Legs of Love. Her love for the animals is evident!

​In the next 5 years, 4 Legs of Love will be expanding into a larger facility, with indoor and outdoor play areas, larger boarding suites, and more groomers. They are also adding a self-wash area to their grooming station! Go see Nanette and 4 Legs of Love for your extended hour needs.

​Follow 4 Legs of Love on social media and visit them online:

​Photos provided by 4 Legs of Love