Nothing Can Keep Kim Goble From Helping Animals

A city would cease to exist without the dedicated people who tirelessly contribute to its well-being. These hard working self-starters find a need within the community and then spend their efforts filing the void.

Kim Goble has always been an advocate for animals. In 2005 she saw an opportunity to really make a difference for the people and animals of Sun City and Menifee and so began her devotion to Sun City K9 Adoptions.

Joseph Rundle, Kim Rundle-Goble, Crystal Aleman, Kelli Whitman & Naomi Borel-Magee

Elizabeth Martin opened Sun City K9 Adoptions several years prior in 2003 and was nearly running the shelter herself. Shortly after Kim met Elizabeth, she injured herself and was to be out of commission for quite some time.

Not knowing what else to do, Kim immediately moved with her husband, Glen, into a trailer on the SCK9 property and picked up right where Elizabeth left off; cleaning, caring, and running the entire rescue.

Elizabeth’s recovery took over a year, and by that time Kim and Glen were fully immersed in Sun City K9. With a career in construction, Glen went to work building and upgrading kennels, constructing overhangs, and creating shelter for the animals.

Kim looks back with a laugh and says, “I stepped in to help and just never left.” Since then Kim and Elizabeth have developed a deep friendship. Already incredibly involved, in 2008 Kim officially became director of the rescue.

Kim says, “Elizabeth needed someone with the same interest in animals, and together we built Sun City K9 up to what it is now. We became best friends and have stuck with each other ever since. There have been a lot of laughs, a lot of tears, and of course, a lot of animals.”

After many years of service to the animals and her community, in 2009 Kim was diagnosed with cancer.

Kim & husband Glen Goble

In between radiation treatments she continued her duties at SCK9 without hardly skipping a beat, and for a year, she was foreseeably in a state of remission. One year later the cancer was back and she began fighting yet again; only this time the cancer had metastasized.

While she currently battles a stage-4 diagnosis under hospice care at Braswell's Convalescent Hospital in Yucaipa, she refuses to quit working. She may not be able to walk any longer, but as she puts it, “My arms and my brain still work just fine.”

When she’s not hosting visitors and well-wishers in her hospital room, Kim stays busy in bed making calls and drafting donation and fundraising letters for SCK9. It would seem not even cancer can suppress her passion to help homeless animals.

Her colleague and friend Pamala Hall praises her saying, “She’s the hardest working and most dedicated rescuer I have ever known. She does it solely for the animals. True selfless people liker her, are few and far between.”

While those closest to Kim are devastated by her diagnosis she continues to maintain a positive front. She admits, “I don’t know what’s going to happen from here,” but either way she refuses to let her health dictate her life.

Although Kim is away, Sun City K9 continues to offer their same complimentary service to the entire Menifee Valley in the very capable hands of many wonderful people.

By the same vision Elizabeth and Kim had over 7 years ago, to this day SCK9 functions as a no kill rescue; never turning away animals and operating entirely by the grace of donations and volunteers.

Kim comments, “ We survive solely on funding from the public, no government funding at all. When we falter, the community just picks us right back up and keeps us going. There are a lot of good people in Menifee.”

So while she may not be physically at the rescue these days, she is still very much involved and intends to stay that way until she is no longer able. Her commitment to animals will simply not waver.

To contribute, volunteer, or donate to Sun City K9 Adoptions please visit their website at www.sck9adoptions.org, or call (951) 679-6444.