I never got as passionate as many did about Hope Elephants, good or bad. It seemed interesting as I followed the establishment of the facility and quite frankly my thoughts were, “I don’t see it becoming a big thing, but if they want to do it, it’s OK by me.” I did find troubling, the anger and meanness that came out from people when Jim was getting the whole thing going. Casually, I followed the news coverage and found it refreshing and interesting that such a thing could be created in little Hope, Maine.

Last summer, Hope Elephants hosted a Business After Hours for the Union Chamber of Commerce. We met the Hatchet Mountain Publick House and then went over to the barn.

From the moment I walked inside, I knew this was something special. When we got into the elephant area and got to meet Jim, it was eclectic. His knowledge and enthusiasm was awesome. Reading news accounts and comments by so called experts had me on the fence, but after being in the building with Jim and the girls, it was clear that this was something very special. There was a relationship there between Jim and the elephants that was obvious and after the question and answer session, I was convinced that this was a great deal for Opal and Rosie and a good deal for the area. Just the fact that school kids could see actual elephants, get close to them and learn about them from Jim was beyond cool.

Things moved on. It was all good. Then, on Sept. 9, 2014, everything turned upside. Or did it?

A special person was taken from this earth and there is no intent here to make light of that. But when special people create special things, those things live on after the person is gone. I believe that is what will happen with Hope Elephants.

Many people don’t understand the things that Jim learned and put into action that will positively affect the lives of elephants all over the world. And it happened in Hope, Maine. Can you believe that?

At the beginning of the process of creating Hope Elephants, people claimed that they knew what was best for elephants, and they didn’t think Hope, Maine, was it.

In reality, they only knew what made them feel good. They never worked with elephants. They never shoveled elephant dung. They didn’t have any idea what they were talking about, but it made them feel good to say it.

Despite all those holier-than-thou know-it-alls, Jim pushed on. Jim was a doer, not just a talker.

I guess I accept those comments as just what society has become. People only want to sit on the sidelines and criticize rather than becoming committed and getting things done. What has happened since Jim’s death is deplorable.

To satisfy their own ego, people have said the most evil, awful things about a man and a mission they knew nothing about. There was no respect for his grieving family. There was no respect for a grieving community. Instead people posted self-centered, feel good for myself posts with no consideration for facts or feelings.

I think everyone who posted critical things about where the elephants should go and how that should be handled within hours of Jim’s death should be ashamed of themselves. If you live in the area, you certainly are not in touch with where you live and if you don’t live in the area, you have no business interjecting your person opinions into our life. While it’s wonderful to be able to interact in an Internet world in real time, sometimes it gets abused. This is one of those times. Hope Elephants needs no defense.

Hope Elephants is much more than Jim Laurita. There are bigger things in store. Jim’s work and legacy will live on to make life better for elephants everywhere. Of that I’m certain.

We’ve come to live in an instantaneous society where we don’t allow enough time for anything and we demand answers and explanations for everything. Sometimes things happen. If we all spent more time trying to make a difference, rather than criticize anything and everything, I think the world would be a better place. I think that would make Jim happy, too.