"Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."  - Ralph Waldo Emerson

When it comes to enthusiasm, passion, energy, activity and faithfulness, Ginny Barnas has it all.  I met Ginny for the first time while working the face painting booth at a carnival with our church, Christian Life Foley.  In time, I would learn of Ginny's passion for rescuing Labrador Retrievers.  I would later discover that rescuing the dogs was only one of Ginny's passions...

Ginny, originally from Birmingham, moved with her parents to Connecticut, where she met her husband, Rob.  Rob and Ginny have been married 25 years and have lived in Alabama for 21.  While here, Ginny and her husband have shared their love of the environment and the outdoors with their two sons, Tyler and Timothy.  As a family, they have enjoyed trips on their boat to the lakes, beaches and bays.  She and Rob started taking their boys snorkeling when they were young.  She wanted them to appreciate the basic joys of life and taught them that no matter what outdoor activity they are doing, they must always "leave it cleaner than we found it."

Exposing their children to new cultures, such as a low key, two week trip to Costa Rica about ten years ago, helped to bring out confidence and desires for travel.  Tyler, almost 21 years old, is currently on a three month backpacking trip through Europe.  Keeping with the values of practicality and sensibility taught by his parents, Tyler's trip is very low budget - everything he took fit into his backpack. For example, while there, he will be "couch surfing", and at the moment, is staying in a monastery. 

As a couple, Ginny and Rob enjoy hiking, biking and running when they are not working at their business, Island Air Conditioning, which they have owned and operated for 10 years.  Ginny said, of her employees, "they are another part of my family."  She is passionate about her employees and want them to "take ownership in the business."  Her enthusiasm for the happiness and well-being of others is inspirational.

Ginny's love of the outdoors met her passion for animals when she began volunteering for Alabama's Sea Turtle Conservation program,  Share the Beach.  She and other volunteers  patrol 47 miles of the Alabama Gulf Coast daily looking for the sea turtle nests.  Two mornings a week, Ginny goes to the beach at 5:30 a.m. and begins her patrol.  Ginny said of being on the beach patrol, "I absolutely love it.  I got to move a turtle nest on my birthday.  That was the best birthday present I could have ever asked for."  While patrolling, she picks up trash left behind by beach-goers.  Ginny loves the beaches and wants to keep them clean, she said, "Don't leave anything on the beach but your footprints."

In addition to her love of travel and outdoors, Ginny volunteered with children at church, but as her own children grew older, Ginny decided it was time to get involved with what she is most passionate about -- animals.  And she would... with helping foster Labrador Retrievers.

Her path to becoming a Lab foster mom began when she became friends with Steve Williams, of Labs for Rescue.  Both Ginny and Steve coached baseball.  And one day while talking she said, "He asked if I'd help with something one day, and it snowballed from there!"  She has now been fostering Labs for two years.  She recalls crying as she sent her first foster puppy to its new home.  She loves being able to help and understands that the dogs are going to good homes, which helps her feel better when they leave.

Ginny spends a lot of time with the dogs she fosters.  When she gets them from the shelter, she brings them to her home, gets them healthy and cleaned up.  The dogs have a large back yard, pool and pond to play in, and Ginny takes them to work with her, where they are loved on by all the employees. She keeps the dogs for about three to four months and is completely dedicated to their care while she has them, so when they leave, they are healthy, happy and family ready.

Ginny is enthusiastic about serving her community as well.  Not only is she on beach patrol, works full time at Island Air, is a Lab foster mom and active in church, but she also serves as an Ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce in Gulf Shores and is this year's Retail Chairperson for the annual Shrimp Festival.

Busy...yes... Ginny is definitely busy, but she describes it as  "A good busy!  It's all the stuff I really care about, and it's personally rewarding." She believes in putting all she has into all she does, and wouldn't do it any other way. Ginny said, "I don't do anything half-way.  If I do something, I give it all I've got." Her passion and enthusiasm is contagious, and I feel blessed to have met Ginny Barnas.