Annette MacMaster signed up for the Virtual Walkathon Your Way back in June with a goal of raising $500 for the Georgian Triangle Humane Society (GTHS). Boy, did her friends and family deliver. She since has had to increase her goal not once, but three times due to the generosity of her like-minded peers. ! She is currently sitting at a comfortable $1,855.
That’s not bad for Annette’s first crack at fundraising. She is no stranger to supporting the GTHS, however; Annette has been volunteering with the organization since May 2019 in cat care. Her duties include cleaning & disinfecting the cat rooms and cat enrichment which translates to cuddling kitties and playing with them – it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!
When asked why she has decided to take on the role of fundraiser in addition to volunteering, Annette said “Because of COVID-19, I know the GTHS needs the funds and I am so thankful that my friends came through to support the cause by donating to my Walkathon Your Way fundraising page”. From July 1 through August 12th (the final day of Walkathon Your Way), Annette will be keeping track of her steps; from frequent golf games to daily walks (sometimes twice a day!), she’s bound to hit an impressive number.
If you visit Annette’s fundraising page, you will notice that it mentions Alice, her 18 year old cat. Although Alice is Annette’s only pet at the moment, she has had up to 5 cats at a time and has cared for pets over the past 40 years including guinea pigs and birds! “Over the past 40 years, pets have provided me with companionship, unconditional love, lots of snuggles when I needed them the most, comfort in times of stress and are an overall calming influence in my life”, Annette said of how her pets have benefited her. She also joked that “they don’t talk back – they just listen”. We can’t argue with that!
Annette is thrilled to be back volunteering at the GTHS after a brief hiatus due to COVID-19 protocols; it brings her joy and a sense of accomplishment to “work for such a caring and well run organization where both volunteers and staff show genuine compassion for the pets and people they serve”.
Thank you, Annette, for all you do! If you would like to join Annette in fundraising for the GTHS, you can register for Walkathon Your Way at https://www.gths.ca/friends-for-life-walkathon-2020/ . The GTHS is over halfway to reaching their goal of $70,000. The virtual event runs from August 5 – August 12.
