This Chamber Neighbors Podcast features Dr. Crystal Knight, a veterinarian who provides in-home euthanasia services for pets through her business, Forget Me Not.

Dr. Knight discussed her compassionate approach to helping pets pass away in a comfortable environment, emphasizing the importance of planning and communication with pet owners. She also highlighted the options available for aftercare, including burial and cremation, and encouraged pet owners to consider these services in advance.

Learn more about Dr. Knight at her website...

www.forgetmenotvet.com

Overview

• Forget Me Not: Named after the flower, the business provides compassionate in-home euthanasia services for dogs and cats, aiming to create a relaxed environment for both pets and their owners during a difficult time.

• Dr. Knight has been in the veterinary field since high school, with a degree from Clemson and a veterinary degree from UGA.

• She has 25 years of experience as a clinical practitioner, having worked in various veterinary settings.

• The process begins with a phone call or text to Dr. Knight, often referred by veterinarians or found through online searches.

• Appointments are scheduled based on the family's needs, and Dr. Knight travels to the client’s home.

• The euthanasia process involves:

  1. Sedation: Administered subcutaneously to relax the pet.

  2. Euthanasia Drug: A heavy overdose of anesthetic is given to ensure a peaceful passing.

• The entire process typically takes about 10 to 15 minutes, with the pet passing within 5 to 10 minutes after sedation.

• Families can choose to be present during the procedure, and Dr. Knight encourages open communication with children about the process.

• She advises against using euphemisms like "putting to sleep" to avoid confusion and fear in children.

• Families are encouraged to decide in advance what to do with their pet's remains, including:

  • Burial: At home or in a pet cemetery, considering local ordinances.

  • Cremation: Traditional cremation or aquamation (a water-based process).

• Dr. Knight provides guidance on these options and can assist with transportation if needed.

• Many people believe pets should pass naturally at home, but Dr. Knight emphasizes that this is rare and often involves trauma.

• She reassures that the euthanasia process is designed to be peaceful and compassionate.

• Dr. Knight advises pet owners to plan ahead, especially for senior pets, to avoid last-minute decisions during stressful times.

• Awareness of in-home euthanasia services is crucial, as many people are unaware of this option until it’s too late.

• The podcast highlighted the importance of compassionate care for pets at the end of their lives.

• Dr. Knight expressed gratitude for the opportunity to discuss her services and the need for awareness in the community.

• Contact information for Dr. Knight will be shared in the podcast comments for those interested in her services.

• Listeners are encouraged to reach out with suggestions for future podcast guests.

Discover all that is happening in and around the Town of Chapin in the latest edition of our podcast!

Here we featured a discussion with Dylan Francis about upcoming community events in Chapin, including the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast scheduled for April 11th and the return of the Chapin Downtown Farmer's Market starting in May. Dylan highlighted the importance of community service projects leading up to the prayer breakfast and encouraged local organizations to participate. Additionally, he mentioned various other events planned for the year, emphasizing the town's commitment to fostering community engagement and support for local businesses.

Learn more at www.chapinsc.com!

Meet Doug Collier of Apex Tactical Solutions!

Apex Tactical Solutions, LLC, is a Christian based, veteran owned company committed to providing first class consulting and training across a broad spectrum of topics which center around both personal and home defense, as well as surviving an active assailant event. As we watch the threats in our society becoming more violent and unpredictable, this training and preparedness is more critical than ever. The services and training which we provide are geared towards both seasoned protectors as well as private citizens with little, or no, experience in these areas. Apex Tactical is committed to providing an enjoyable learning environment that is safe, family friendly, and professional. Doug & Traci Collier, owners and operators of Apex Tactical, are excited to begin this next phase of providing quality training and consulting to people who want to better protect themselves, their families, and their homes. Doug, the lead instructor at Apex, spent 28+ years serving his Country, both in and out of uniform. After being commissioned as a United States Army Officer, Doug spent 5 1/2 years as a Military Police Officer, deploying to Panama, Haiti, and Kuwait. Doug left the Army to accept an appointment as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he would spend the next 23 years. In addition to assignments in Atlanta, GA, Quantico, VA, and Columbia, SC, Doug traveled both domestically and internationally, teaching street survival courses to state, local, and federal police officers. Doug is a National Rifle Association Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor as well as an ALERRT Instructor, certified to teach both the Level 1/2 Active Shooter Courses, as well as the Civilian Response to an Active Shooter Event (CRASE) Course. https://www.apextactical.net/

Chapin's Old Timey Christmas is Back!

Come one, come all, because it’s that time of year once again! Throw on your Santa hat, and don’t forget your Christmas list because Old Timey Christmas, presented by SOZO Family Fitness, has returned to Chapin for the 4th year. This night of holiday cheer includes the tree lighting at 7:30 pm, Santa & Mrs. Claus visits, and endless holiday cheer. You can also visit with our fun volunteers at the children's activities, sing along with our carolers, have your photo taken by TapSnap, and Christmas classics while shopping with our hand-picked Christmas vendors. We hope to see you all there! https://www.facebook.com/events/455229196922401

Meet Lissette Gonzalez - Organized Living: Live with Ease

Hi! I'm Lissette. I wasn't always a home organizer. As a former high school math teacher, military spouse, and mother of two, I have good knowledge of psychology, problem-solving, and moving! My journey started when my sister called for her home organization needs- downsizing from a 5000 sqft home to a 2500 sqft home. I not only realized how satisfying it was helping others live with ease, but that I was good at it! You can trust Organized Living to take personal care of each situation, without judgment. I can help create systems that are both functional and beautiful while allowing for ease of long-term maintenance. Whether you are downsizing, moving, helping aging parents, an overwhelmed mother, or want to elevate your space, let a professional home organizer help you!

Pack-out and Move-in Services

Save money and time by decluttering and organizing BEFORE you move. It makes moving-in much easier! Are you getting ready to sell your home? Decluttering, organizing, and styling makes for better listing pictures, better impressions for walk-through potential buyers, and can even help you secure a higher sales price! Maybe you already moved and threw all your stuff in boxes and dread opening them back up in your new home. Organized Living can sort and organize so the clutter doesn't have to follow you to your new home.

SENIOR LIVING

The process of moving out of your life-long home with decades of memories is not easy. We can provide support through the decision-making process of packing-out, while honoring those memories and help shoulder the burden on family members during this emotionally difficult time.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

This season of life is sweet, but it can also be stressful without proper systems in place to keep day-to-day living functional and organized. Clutter has been shown to negatively impact mental health, affecting both emotional well-being and cognitive function. An organized home increases productivity and reduces stress. Let us help you bring peace and order into your home!

Custom Solutions - Uniformity - Streamline Designs

Want a Pinterest worthy look? Need help with a vision and custom designs? Already pretty organized but want to take it to the next level? Here we focus on built-ins and products that focus on creating uniformity and a streamline effect.

https://organizedlivinglivewithease.com/

Meet Attila Kossanyi

"My customer service philosophy is to treat every customer with respect and to make their experience as stress free as possible. I believe that the purchase of a new home is a major decision and should be treated as such. I strive to make this decision as easy as possible for each client by being honest and trustworthy along with communicating frequently all while offering them sound and reliable advice," said Attila.

Ruoff Mortgage prides itself in an Intuitive, simple, and STRESS-FREE Mortgage Process.

Attila is licensed in multiple states and Ruoff is licensed in over 40 States. You can reach him at 513-315-8961 or ⁠HERE ⁠at https://www.ruoff.com/AttilaKossanyi.

Meet Ashley Summers of Paycheck

Ashley Summers grew up in Chapin after moving here in 1993 during her 8th-grade year at Chapin Middle School. She graduated from Chapin High in 1999 and attended Clemson University. After graduating in 2005 with degrees in Tourism and Communications, she spent most of her career in sales and marketing. Ashley is now a business consultant for Paychex, INC., specializing in payroll and HR solutions. Ashley and her husband, Vern, have three children in Chapin schools and are passionate about serving the Chapin community. Paychex, Inc. (Nasdaq:PAYX) is a leading provider of integrated human capital management solutions for payroll, benefits, human resources, and insurance services.

• Industry expertise since 1971
• ~740,000 business clients in the U.S. and Europe
• Pays 1 in 12 U.S. private sector employees
• A top HR outsourcer — serving 2.2M worksite employees through our HR outsourcing solutions

Meet Tom Gregory of Lux Verum Productions. His work is an artistic expression that captures beauty in a fascinating way. "If you're seeking more than ordinary photography, and want to create something unique and powerful, I can tell your story with pictures that not only touch the heart, but ignite the imagination," said Tom. And it's one thing to listen or talk about his portraits - it's another to view them. Click ⁠HERE ⁠or below to see how Tom's artistic eye uses the magic of the camera to transform everyday life into art. ⁠ https://luxverumproductions.mypixieset.com/new-page/⁠

"It’s not often I get to have the opportunity to have professional headshots made while doing what I love to do and my tools in hand. Thank you Lux photography mostly for capturing my smile though! It was an at ease experience working with you, Super fun! If you need a photographer, I’d highly recommend him! Thank you Tom," said a recent client of his.

His philosophy is often rooted in this qupte from Ansel Adams, "Don’t shoot what you see. Shoot what you FEEL."

Check out his Facebook at...

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557565142230

“Lux Verum Productions provides full-service photography and videography that reveals so much more than we can see with the naked eye,” says one-of-a-kind Chapinite and owner Tom Gregory. He grew up around photography, as his uncle was a professional photographer. While in the 5th grade, Tom was running around with the enormous VHS recorder and the tape deck that was carried on his shoulder. And while the rig weighed about 25 pounds, he fell in love with the craft of memories. “Throughout my years teaching high school and working in ministry, photography has always been a part of it, but only recently did I decide to dive into it full time, and I’m loving every second of it. This first year has been a great one,” he explained.

What does Lux Verum mean? Well, the business name is Latin for “true light.” In his work, he strives to connect in a deep and powerful way with the humanity of emotion of whatever is in front of the lens. “For me, the biggest inspiration this reality infuses into my work is the beauty of being able to freeze time, that cruel predator, and capture life on so many levels and preserve moments and events in a way more powerful than memory. There’s a line in a Star Trek film that says, ‘They say time is the fire in which we all burn,” said Tom.

Tom and his wife, Angie, just celebrated their twelfth wedding anniversary in March. Angie is a Physical Education Teacher at Chapin High School who coaches club volleyball and hosts clinics. “We are proudly owned by two cats. Anyone with cats knows they must have both their proper names and a slew of nicknames. Ignacio (Piglet) and Jean-Luc Piccat (Tinky) graciously allow us to sleep in their bed, provided we feed them and show them sufficient affection. We are also in the process of fostering to adopt and grow our family. Soon, we will have a daughter.”

Let’s face it: for a lot of people, getting photos taken or making a video isn’t a joy. Very often, being in front of a camera can make one self-conscious or apprehensive. Maybe you’re a business owner who wants to create some stellar video content, but you don’t feel natural or comfortable. Or maybe you’re tired of taking cellphone pictures of important events. “One of the biggest, most consistent comments I receive from my clients is that I make them comfortable and at ease. After spending over a decade in full-time ministry, I take joy in connecting with people on a personal level so that I can tell their story, whether that’s a headshot session, a wedding, a Christmas mini-session, or a commercial for a company,” said Tom.