The Artemis Fund
through Legacy of the Rose Center for Healing and Enlightenment
More Than a Rescue
The Story Behind The Artemis Fund
During her time at the shelter, Artemis was given every opportunity to succeed. She attended obedience training, learned to swim, gained confidence, and even began preparing for a future as a therapy dog. Day after day, the staff, volunteers, and community continued investing in her, believing that somewhere out there was the person she was meant to find.
As it turns out, they were both searching for each other.
Ashley Hallman, founder of Transcendia Healing Services and the nonprofit Legacy of the Rose Center for Healing and Enlightenment in Staunton, had been considering adding a therapy dog to her counseling practice. She knew firsthand the comfort and connection animals could provide to people navigating anxiety, grief, trauma, and life's most difficult seasons.
She reached out to Complete Canine with a simple question:
"Do you know anyone who helps train therapy dogs?"
The answer came back almost immediately.
"We have the perfect girl for you."
A little over a year ago, a dog was found wandering alone through a Walmart parking lot with no one to claim her. She was brought to the Staunton Augusta Waynesboro Animal Shelter, where she would spend the next year waiting for someone to see what the shelter staff and volunteers already knew: beneath her uncertainty was an incredible dog with so much love left to give.
Waiting didn't mean giving up.
Some stories begin with a grand plan.
This one began in a Walmart parking lot.
The very next day, Artemis walked through the doors of Legacy of the Rose.
Within minutes, she had climbed onto the couch, curled up beside Ashley, and quietly fallen asleep.
There was no forcing it.
No convincing.
No grand introduction.
Just a dog who somehow seemed to know she was finally home.
It was love at first sight.
But love wasn't the finish line. It was the beginning.
Ashley understood that healing doesn't happen overnight, whether you're human or canine. The weeks that followed were spent moving slowly, building trust, learning routines, and creating an environment where Artemis could truly feel safe. Every new experience was another reminder that this little dog wasn't simply adjusting to a new home. She was discovering what it meant to belong.
As Artemis settled into her new life, something unexpected began to happen.
She wasn't only changing the lives of the people she met.
She was changing Ashley's.
As a therapist and nonprofit founder, Ashley spends her days pouring into others. Between clients, community events, workshops, planning, and running two organizations, it's easy to forget that caregivers need care too.
Artemis had other plans.
She quickly became more than a therapy dog.
She became a daily reminder to slow down.
To step outside.
To take a walk instead of answering one more email.
To laugh a little more.
To breathe.
"She has helped me take care of myself," Ashley says. "I have a tendency to hyper-focus on work and can lose track of time. Before Artemis, it wasn't unusual for me to work for hours without stopping. Now she reminds me that balance matters. She gets me outside, she introduces me to people in the community, and she reminds me that healing often happens in the simplest moments."
Clients notice it too.
Whether she's greeting someone at the door, resting quietly during a session, or simply offering her calm presence, Artemis has a way of making people feel safe before a single word is spoken.
The dog who once waited over a year for someone to choose her is now helping others find comfort, connection, and hope.
Her story is proof that second chances create ripple effects far beyond what we can see.
That is why Artemis' Fund was created.
Not simply to raise money.
But to give more dogs the same opportunity she received.
Every donation made through Friends of the Staunton Augusta Waynesboro Animal Shelter helps support the organization that raises critical funds for the shelter and the animals waiting there. Those donations help provide care, enrichment, medical needs, training opportunities, and resources that increase each dog's chance of finding the family they deserve.
Because every dog sitting in a kennel has a story that hasn't been finished yet.
Every wagging tail belongs to a life that could change someone's world.
And sometimes the dog you're saving ends up saving you.
Artemis' journey reminds us that compassion has a ripple effect. One act of kindness in a Walmart parking lot led to a shelter that refused to give up on her. A community invested in her future. Trainers who saw her potential. A family that opened its heart. Clients who now find comfort in her presence.
One second chance became hundreds of moments of healing.
Imagine how many more are waiting.
Thank you for helping create more stories like Artemis'. Your generosity gives homeless animals hope, supports the incredible work happening every day at the Staunton Augusta Waynesboro Animal Shelter, and reminds us all that sometimes the greatest gifts come wrapped in four paws.
Because every dog deserves someone to believe in them.
Just like someone believed in Artemis.
To donate to the Artemis Fund, please use the box below.
Interested in having Artemis visit your local business, organization, or community event? We'd love to connect!
Email Ashley at Transcendiahealingservices@gmail.com to learn more about scheduling a visit and bringing a little extra comfort, connection, and joy to your community.
Every dollar donated goes directly to Friends of the Staunton Augusta Waynesboro Animal Shelter to support the animals in their care. Together, we can help provide more dogs like Artemis with the opportunity to heal, grow, and find the loving homes they deserve. Thank you for being part of their journey.
A Special Thank You to our Local Community Partners