Candy Power
Co-Founder, Placencia Humane Society
December 3, 1944 — October 27, 2015
Legacy is something that remains after we leave this world — something that speaks of our lives when we are no longer here. For Candy Power, her legacy is very clear: it was her passion and devotion to all animals that manifests itself in the Placencia Humane Society.
A Life Devoted to Animals
Before Candy arrived in Placencia in the late 1980s, she had taught school and worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Colorado. She married her high school sweetheart, raised a beautiful daughter Kelli, and cherished her grandson Jonathon above all.
When she arrived in Placencia, she immediately connected with Deb Vernon, already a pioneer in the care and protection of local animals. These two joined forces, going door to door tirelessly to raise awareness and funds for pet and stray animal welfare. In that spirit, the Placencia Humane Society was born.
Paralyzed suddenly — by no one quite knows what — Candy recovered some leg movement through sheer force of will and physical therapy. Weighing barely 85 pounds, she ran a catering business, later started a car rental partnership, could bowl backwards, and pole dance. But when it came to animals, they were her serious commitment.
Candy’s Cattery
Candy was PHS’s go-to person for cat care, day or night. Candy’s Cattery was the only group in southern Belize — perhaps the entire country — that took in stray cats. Many were abandoned cats, quite literally tossed into her yard. Candy never turned a single one away, never terminated them. She loved them all, lost sleep feeding them with eye droppers, and gave them wonderful names.
Candy’s Ark
In the last months of her life, Candy required medical attention in the United States. But she would not leave her pets behind. A rented Ritchie bus — christened “Candy’s Ark” — transported six dogs, seven cats, Candy, and her two dear friends Wynand and Dana from Placencia all the way to Belize International Airport, for onward transport to Colorado.
Remembering Candy
“Candy was one of a kind — she had a soft heart with a tortoise shell cover. She pretended to be tough, but she wasn’t as tough as most people thought. I do miss her and the thought I will never see or talk to her again saddens me.”
“Nothing or nobody held Candy down for long — she always came back up fighting, spitting — and most of the time, grinning.”
We’ll never forget you, Candy
Carry On Candy’s Legacy
Support the organization she helped build from the ground up.