Volunteer Work?

**Marie78** · 03-21-2007, 09:58 PM

Does anyone do any volunteer work? I just called a cat shelter

in my area to work as a volunteer one or two evenings a week. The place is only 5 minutes or less from my apt. so it's very convenient for me. I like that they only take a certain number of cats so that they don't have to put any to sleep. Just wondering where other people do their volunteer work.

**JustJoy** · 03-22-2007, 08:03 AM

I do volunteer work for and at a women's & children's shelter. I started last November and I really enjoy it.

**FrugalMomof3** · 03-22-2007, 08:06 AM

I havent done any yet, but I too did fill out an application at the pet shelter to volunteer a few days or nights per week, still waiting for their call.

**acidcookie** · 03-22-2007, 10:30 AM

That's great!

I was once a volunteer at the Humane Society, as a dog walker. It was unfortunately short-lived though because to get there from my house took two buses, a train, and a mile walk which could all total 2 hours each way. I just didn't have that kind of time once the school year started again.

**acidcookie** · 03-22-2007, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by JustJoy

I do volunteer work for and at a women's & children's shelter. I started last November and I really enjoy it.

This is really great. My sister is a social worker for a women's shelter. Very stressful job for her as she is on call around the clock, but it's such an important service.

**JustJoy** · 03-22-2007, 04:34 PM

Ok... you ladies got me to thinking..... before I started volunteering at the women's shelter I was considering volunteering at an animal shelter. So today I downloaded an application for a local no kill adoption shelter for cats & dogs. I just got done filling it out and plan to drive up there tomorrow to drop it off. Between the two positions I should be kept pretty busy

**Marie78** · 03-22-2007, 04:47 PM

I think it's great that all of you do volunteer work too, I waited so long before I decided to do it, no one that I know volunteers to help anywhere, and I have actually had a couple of peole in my life discourage me from volunteering. After I get settled in a new job and learn the ropes at the cat shelter, I am going to volunteer to teach adults how to read. I have seen this ad on tv for about a month now. I used to work in a tutoring center (for money) as a part time job. It felt rewarding, but it bothered me that the owners were making a good profit off of helping children learn to read, of course the tutors were doing all the work and the owners made out like bandits.

**JustJoy** · 03-22-2007, 04:55 PM

I've been volunteering for almost 6 months now and I find it very rewarding

**ama** · 03-22-2007, 07:14 PM

I am on my city's Emergency Response Team. Its a very interesting volunteer job. We show up to special city events and disasters -- fires, bad accidents etc and help direct traffic, block roads etc. We do alot of drills and training. We even have a "terrorist plan" in place.

The president came to our town last year and we got to take part in traffic control -- I blocked traffic on a cross road with my little Jeep so the procession could drive by. I really liked being involved in such a major event.

**Edna_E** · 03-22-2007, 08:09 PM

I was on the Hospital Auxiliary for about 6 years, help with blood drives, was on the board of directors of the Friends of the Library, Scouts leader, YABA sponsor, and I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting. I don't think I've ever NOT done volunteer work, though at this particular stage in my life it is less formal and more personalized (give rides to elderly friends, run errands, help with festivals and environmental days, etc.) because my work schedule and family needs have knocked out some of my activities for now. DS picked it up too - has built houses for families in Mexico, tutors, does Habitat for Humanity, organizes activities, does Walk For Life, etc. - It's nice to see my values reflected in the next generation!

**Missy** · 03-22-2007, 08:15 PM

i do our church pantry. me and another lady run it.

Keeps us busy

**Grayce** · 03-22-2007, 11:53 PM

Each year I participate on a medical mission to the Dominican republic. Throughout the year I help with collecting donations and packing. We spend 8 days in the country and go into remote areas and run clinics to provide medical care. This year my DH is going too, he is going to work on an irrigation project.

**Neeley** · 03-23-2007, 01:06 AM

DD is 13 and has started volunteering with a baseball league that is only for individuals who have physical and/or mental special needs.

She will be 14 in May and is scheduled to start volunteering for the State Archives and History Museum. She would have started last summer, but they require their volunteers to be atleast 14.

She wants to also volunteer at the humane shelter, but I am afraid that will be too hard on her emotionally. Our local shelter claims to only put animals down if they are really sick, however they also made some publicity anouncements that said in 2006 they put down 11,000 animals. That is an average of 30 animals a day and that would be too hard for her to be around. Instead she is concidering volunteering at the zoo.

Sad to say I am not setting a very good example for her and DS, I have never volunteered anywhere.

**acidcookie** · 03-23-2007, 01:50 AM

Originally Posted by Neeley

they also made some publicity anouncements that said in 2006 they put down 11,000 animals. That is an average of 30 animals a day and that would be too hard for her to be around.

What?? That's terrible. Why is it so high? At the Humane Society at which I volunteered, they have over a 95% adoption rate of dogs. Most dogs were only there for a few days, a few weeks at most!

**Neeley** · 03-23-2007, 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by acidcookie

What?? That's terrible. Why is it so high? At the Humane Society at which I volunteered, they have over a 95% adoption rate of dogs. Most dogs were only there for a few days, a few weeks at most!

Noone I have spoken to can figure it out and noone at the shelter will give a straight answer. I was told by them they only put down an animal that has "an untreatable, uncurable condition". That is all they would tell me about their policy. Then a few months later they are having a fund raiser where they put 11,000 leashes in a pile, each leash representing an animal they had to put down last year. For every $2 donated they removed a leash from the pile.
I am trying to figure out for one, where these animals came from, you cannot tell me there are that many animals whose illnesses are not treatable. Also, how they found the time to do anything else but put animals down (if they are telling the truth.) The shelter is only open for 6 hours a day, and an average of 30 animals a day means they are putting down 5 animals an hour on average. Something just dosn't seem to add up.