Volunteer'ism?

Kroliczku · June 2010

I know most of you are busy planning weddings/incubating babies/working your little fingers to the bone.....but does anyone find time to volunteer? If so...what do you do?

I volunteer with a local dog rescue. We pull dogs from more southern states and place them with fosters. The fosters attend "Meet and Greets" with the dogs to meet potential adopters, and eventually place the dogs in awesome, loving homes.

I know there's a lot of people in need, and sometimes its overwhelming- but I find helping homeless dogs extremely rewarding. I cry every time I adopt a dog (because Im ridiculous and get attached.), but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Narwhal · June 2010

I volunteer for Hospice.

katanne9 · June 2010

: )

Rescue dogs!!!!

I teach a children's program at church. I'd like to to some hospice volunteering in the future.

PaigeMcC · June 2010

A couple of the ladies on this board volunteer, I believe. I'm one of them!!

I volunteer for the Public Affairs and Communications Committee of the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon <--LINK

I also volunteer for a Pug group and with the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign. <---LINK

oceana919 · June 2010

I cook ridiculous amounts of food for hungry grad students, does that count?

In all seriousness, I unfortunately work two full time jobs, have a full time lab schedule, and have been sick as a dog for the last few months. I wish I had more time so I could volunteer, as I enjoy doing it. I've been wanting to do Habitat for Humanity for a while now.

Kroliczku · June 2010

oh wow...Hospice. You're a strong, strong lady. When I was younger I volunteered at a Nursing Home- just being good company for the older people. My favorite lady never wanted to talk to me, but she'd ALWAYS come sit and watch tv with me. She passed away right before I went to college. We barely had any kind of real relationship but i was still really upset. People who work/volunteer in Hospice services really are amazing to me.

WOOOOO Rescue dogs!!!!!!!!!!

I'd really enjoy volunteering more at church but my bf and I just joined a Church that's new to us. We live together and aren't married- so we're trying to keep a low profile for right now...woops!

Kroliczku · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_volunteerism?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:e604f743-9bf9-477e-b095-467724cf6b78Post:aab8886c-9c22-4feb-a891-1a1e1bbc1e41">Re: Volunteer'ism?</a>:
[QUOTE]I cook ridiculous amounts of food for hungry grad students, does that count? In all seriousness, I unfortunately work two full time jobs, have a full time lab schedule, and have been sick as a dog for the last few months. I wish I had more time so I could volunteer, as I enjoy doing it. I've been wanting to do Habitat for Humanity for a while now.
Posted by oceana919[/QUOTE]

<div>Cooking for hungry students DEFINITELY counts haha...take my word on that one :) </div><div>It sounds like you have plenty to take care of, without that added responsibility. Like I said...some of the posters here sound like all they do is workworkwork! There's always time in the future to get involved, when you can really enjoy it.</div>

dwest2201 · June 2010

I volunteer.

Regularly at my church in Kids Club, and randomly for administrative assistance on special projects and recently as a team leader for a project working with an inner city school as part of a city wide day of loving the city.

I also helped with a walk called the Butterfly walk for the first time this year that raised money for CancerFree Kids (100% of money goes to pediactirc cancer research and since my sister died of cancer at age 7 this is near and dear to my heart).

I am hoping to start volunteering at the Hospice faciilty once I am more settled from the move. BF's house (where I'm moving) is only a couple minutes from the Hopsice facility that my mother passed away at. Hospice is amazing and I'm really really looking forward to getting involved with them.

leia1979 · June 2010

I wish my local humane society had a drop-in volunteer program. I'm hesitant to volunteer because they require a one-year commitment. For now, I just give them money and pet food.

Kroliczku · June 2010

You all sound like you do amazing things

Leia - a one year commitment sounds like it actually keeps people away, that's sad. What about making finding a local rescue? Usually they need help with things like fundraisers (last week, we had a Cut-A-Thon. $10 hair cuts (for humans), but tons of games, food, bake sale..) I always head up the bake sales for the group I foster for. They're amazing, but don't require my time every single weekend!

**Mutley** · June 2010

I was volunteering at a local non-profit farm. They focus on teaching kids about sustainable agriculture. Their high school programs are amazing. I worked on field trips for elementary school students. However, I had to stop after having a small pregnancy scare.

Dare I say that most of the women on the board are educated, caring women. We just don't take any sh!t.

ljewel422 · June 2010

I plan on volunteering at legal aid next year.

PhilliesPhan23 · June 2010

I sadly do not volunteer. I work two full times jobs and am finishing my master's thesis. When BF gets that big time attorney job, I'll cut back and look into some things. Philly has a great no kill animal shelter (PAWS) that I'd love to volunteer for, maybe even foster some pets.

Kroliczku · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_volunteerism?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:e604f743-9bf9-477e-b095-467724cf6b78Post:df718f6e-e583-43a1-8975-02e1abd91aad">Re: Volunteer'ism?</a>:
[QUOTE] We just don't take any sh!t.
Posted by **Mutley**[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>Im a fan of this <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-cool.gif" border="0" alt="Cool" title="Cool" /></div><div>
</div><div>Pregnancy scares are no good...but on the upside, you're going to have an awesome little guy you can introduce to volunteering some day! </div><div>
</div><div>ljewel- thats really cool that you can actually volunteer to share things you're really good at/knowledgeable in, like legal aid! We have a program at school that invites Accounting majors to do taxes for low income families- really looking forward to getting involved later this year.</div><div>
</div>

Kroliczku · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_volunteerism?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:e604f743-9bf9-477e-b095-467724cf6b78Post:55db57ae-f622-4e62-a4cb-d0109e73544a">Re: Volunteer'ism?</a>:
[QUOTE]IPhilly has a great no kill animal shelter (PAWS) that I'd love to volunteer for, maybe even foster some pets.
Posted by PhilliesPhan23[/QUOTE]<div>WOW there's a lot of philly girls here. I looked into PAWS when I was going to foster, as well as ACCT in Philly- but BF and I live in an apartment and can't have a dog mixed with or resembling a pit bull. Im sure you know...there's a loooooot of dogs that match that description around here, so I decided to choose a different rescue. They're smaller/newer than PAWS but it just makes us work that much harder :)

</div>

chipypony · June 2010

I am a volunteer fire fighter/emt/rescue diver

I am also a volunteer 4-H leader (In CT and in WA)

jeanacorina · June 2010

I am the fundraising chairperson for a local animal rescue. I love it and can't even remember life before volunteering. I started because DH and I adopted our cat from this group, and I was just amazed and so grateful that our little orange baby was over a year old when we adopted him, and the group had him since he was about 8 weeks old.

He was found in a shoebox outside of Petsmart one day, and they took him in no questions asked. Poor guy had nobody in the world! He was also a handful, which is why we loved him from the second we saw him. He likes to play in water, tear up paper towels, runs around yowling at the ceiling sometimes. He's quite a character. But he's the most loving, sweet little guy I have ever known and I just can't imagine life without him. So, I offered to volunteer and it led to being voted onto the board and now being in charge of fundraising.

We adopted a second cat last summer to keep Pouncival company. Her name is Etcetera and I brought her home because I was volunteering at adoption day when Etc. was about 4 months old and a lady adopted her littermate, but left Etcetera behind. Why? Because the littermate looked Siamese and Etcetera looks like a Siamese/Tabby mix. Her markings weren't good enough, even though the woman said she might get a second cat if it's Siamese.

Obviously, I brought the baby girl home to meet Pouncival (who desperately needed a kitty playmate) and they've been inseperable ever since.

I have been very busy in the last year... between college, volunteering, a part-time job, and planning a wedding. I'm not working at the moment, and I'm taking a painting class for fun... and the wedding is FINALLY over. So, volunteering is much easier to do now, but even at the worst of times I didn't for a second consider quitting.

I love it. It is one of the best things I have ever done, and I don't do it for me (except that it makes me happy). I do it because those animals don't have anyone else to look out for them, and all these volunteers open their hearts and homes to them. The least I can do is give up a few hours a week to help.

After all, every cat or dog will eventually be someone else's baby. Like Etcetera and Pouncival are to me. I want to make sure they're loved and taken care of until they find that home.

Kroliczku · June 2010

Could not have said that better myself!! Five years ago, I BOUGHT my dog from a really large puppy website. His name is Boba, and he was born in Atlanta. When he was 8 weeks old, they stuck him in a tiny crate, and flew him from Atlanta to Chicago in the cargo area of a place. I paid an arm and a leg for him, still had to completely vet him, get him neutered, and train him. I was young, and didn't have a clue that there were milllllions of other dogs out there that actually needed a place to live. Eventually, it dawned on me...and ever since I always have at least one foster dog.

I've had dogs that were total nightmares, total sweethearts, and everything in between. Ive had families adopt them in less than 24 hours, and there's one I had for three months. No regrets.

I wish I could take more in at a time, but I do the best I can.

I plan on doing it for the rest of my life..

jeanacorina · June 2010

We can't foster since we have an apartment, but that's probably a blessing. I would fall in love with every single one.

I clean cat cages at Petsmart (the Adoption Center, where they each spend about a week) and I get to know each cat pretty well by seeing them there as they're rotated in, and at Adoption Days where their foster people bring them for the afternoon to try and get adopted. I have a few serious favorites that I am so happy/sad to see go to a new home.

It is a wonderful, very deep feeling to see that happen. To know that the RIGHT animal is going to the RIGHT home and to know I'll probably never see them again except in the occasional pictures. It's sad because I really love them, but it's really super-happy because... well... they have a family who will love them for the rest of their life!

There's nothing like that bittersweet feeling. I think it's made me a better person.

[Deleted User] · June 2010

It melts my heart to see so many hospice volunteers

I've worked in hospice for 7 years and now, thank goodness, my new job is in the same field. I actually started as a hospice volunteer years ago. It's an amazing experience.

As far as volunteering now...the answer is no. But I'm hoping once we get moved and get settled in and I'm used to the new area, that I can find somewhere to volunteer.

nefariousmango · June 2010

Wow, everyone does such cool things, I love it!

I volunteer at a horse rescue, feeding once a week and responding to medical emergancies: I live accross the street and have enough of a background to know what to do and when to call a vet. When I have time I also work as an evaluator and handler/rider, but I don't think it's fair to an abused animal to rotate handlers and I won't start one if I can't commit at least three half-days a week. Usually I get pulled in when the horses are large and have emotional issues, moody mystery horses who buck, bolt, or just plain ignore their riders are kind of my specialty

nefariousmango · June 2010

Oh- and seeing an animal go to the perfect home is the best feeling in the world! My favorite little mare was adopted last summer and her owner is just the sweetest lady, they get along famously! The first evaluator decided she was dangerous- she apparently pulled every move in the book to ditch her rider! I was pretty sure it was a mix of pain and trust issues, and after a couple months of slowly figuring everything out she became a real joy to be around. Her now-owner had fallen in love with her from day one, but wanted a horse she could do anything with and clearly this mare was not trustworthy. She cried when she got on her for the first time, it was such a perfect fit and I feel so blessed to have been able to help bridge the original gap!

jeanacorina · June 2010

Aww, Mango! That story just makes me want to hug everybody!

*hugs everybody*

Narwhal · June 2010

I want a horse.

catemeg · June 2010

I love seeing how much everyone gives back.

I do Big Brothers Big Sisters. I also have become very active in sending care packages to soldiers - started with my BF's friends from Officer Candidate School who are deployed, and then I started sending stuff to their friends. I just know if it was my man over there, I'd want people to send him things to make him smile!

dwest2201 · June 2010

Oh Cate that reminds me about the pacakges for soldiers. I gathered things and sent boxes of goodies, homemade cookies and dozens of Christmas cards all signed and with heartfelt messages from my friends and co-workers thanking them for their service to 3 guys that are friends of ours who were overseas with the Army and Marines last year and will do the same fro anyone that I know who is overseas this year!

nefariousmango · June 2010

Is there a non-profit or the like that takes packages and sends them to soldiers? I would love to do something like that, I just have no military connections and keep forgetting to look up who/how!

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