by Lorraine Monfils
We at the Ark are so blessed to have so many wonderful volunteers. Running a sanctuary is not an easy job and any organization is only as good as the people who work there. They are the ones who work tirelessly to take care of and provide for the animals. It is not a job to them but instead a commitment to make a difference to all of the animals in need.
We have volunteers who make vet runs at the drop of a hat when an injured or sick animal comes in. We make the phone call and the response is always “I am on my way.” We have the volunteers who do the fundraising no matter what the weather – even if it is 10 below they are out there in the cold working at a bake sale. The amazing part is that they do it with a smile on their face. Why? Because they enjoy the work they do. We have some awesome cooks who work really hard baking the most wonderful desserts. And yes, we have our regulars who come to our bake sales and purchase our baked goods. They are our biggest cheerleaders.
We have a recycling program for used ink cartridges and cosmetics bottles. We have a new young lady handling this program and she does an awesome job. The people who drop off the ink cartridges deliver them to us and we have a steady stream of them coming in on a weekly basis. This program can generate approximately $1,000 a year for us.
We have a wonderful website coordinator, who works tirelessly to maintain our website and Facebook page. She goes above and beyond.
Our foster homes who open up their hearts and their homes to the animals in our care – there are no words to say how much we appreciate what you do.
The ones who stay up all night with a sick or injured pet and the ones who bottle-feed babies every two to three hours when there is no mother.
The ones who run the errands, take the trash, order the building supplies, fix something when it breaks – your work does not go unnoticed.
The people who clean the litter boxes and groom the cats and just spend time with them to let them know they are loved.
These people are all the heartbeat of the Ark and they are the reason it is such a success. There is no one hero who makes it all happen. It is a group of individuals with huge hearts who want to help. They do not require recognition or want to be in the limelight because it is not about them but about the animals. At the end of the day there are no paychecks. The only reward is knowing you are making a difference for those who have no voice and for everyone here at the Ark that is more than enough!
Please join us for a bake sale outside the Hollywood Pet Salon on Saturday, May 16, from 9a.m.-2 p.m. Thank you for your continued support and as always thank you for reading our column.
