April 24th – 30th is National Volunteer Week. This is a week to celebrate the incredible contributions volunteers make with their actions, drive, and passion. It’s a chance to thank all the volunteers who make a positive impact. At the Georgian Triangle Humane Society, it’s every day that volunteers show how incredible they are. Through their continuous hard work and compassion for pets and people, they are valued members of the organization. Simply put, volunteers are the heart of the GTHS. With a variety of different volunteering positions at the GTHS, here is what some of the amazing people who donate their time say about why they are volunteers.
Lee – Volunteers in Cat Care, Main Adoptions Room
“I wanted to share some thoughts about my experience volunteering at GTHS. I’m happy to lend a helping hand in the cat care area. I have a constant smile or laugh watching the antics of the cats zooming around and following us as we clean. It’s great seeing the reactions from the cats as we pet, play or talk to them, hoping we help them during this transition.
I’m enjoying the camaraderie of other volunteers and staff, observing as we all do our part to make life easier for the animals in our care. There is a sense of everyone being on the same mission. What better reward than to know we are giving of ourselves.”
Megan – Volunteers in Adoptions, Fostering & Treasure Tails
“I am honoured to be part of the GTHS.
It’s important to me to volunteer in roles that are “boots on the ground”… I like to be part of the action! One of the joys is that I can see the end result of everyone’s hard work… because I am an Adoption Counselor.
A pet that has been rescued, surrendered, or found, a pet that has been fostered and fussed over, a pet that has had medical care and safe harbour, a pet that has interacted with expert caregivers, a pet that has been photographed, posted and promoted… and all along that journey have been staff and volunteers who made it happen. But I am the luckiest… because I get to be part of families falling in love with a pet. Completing an adoption is the final step for us but is just the beginning for the pet with their new people.
I also love being a Foster…. It’s a gift to have an animal in need, come and hang out at my place. Seriously fantastic! When I decided to volunteer, I wanted to tie in some of my favourite things. And as the daughter of an antique collector, and being a thrift store shopper all my life… when I learned about Treasure Tails, I knew I wanted to be part of it! The store raises funds for the GTHS through donated items sold at fantastic prices. We needed to build awareness and create a social media presence during the COVID lockdown, so I worked with the TT team and now make daily posts to our Facebook page. I love checking out all the items, creating visual stories, and promoting our products! Not all GTHS volunteers work directly with animals… some roles are like mine at TT, working with the teams that provide the funds for good works of the GTHS.
I volunteer to help, to be a part of something much bigger than myself, and to be surrounded by kindness, dedication, and action. It is also important to me to be involved with good people who work hard, laugh a lot, and want to help. And the GTHS staff and volunteers fit that perfectly.
Volunteering is a commitment to help others, but it is also a selfish act…. Because it fills me up and brings purpose to my days.”
Brenda – Volunteers in Cat, Dog & Fostering
“I volunteer at the GTHS in various roles related to dog enrichment, cat care, and humane education. Additionally, we recently became a foster family to a senior dog who needed care after surgeries. It is rewarding to give a dog comfort and provide what it needs in preparation for a new positive chapter.
In general, being a volunteer gives a sense of purpose. In the case of GTHS, it is a pleasure to know that I am making an animal’s day better with physical, mental, and emotional stimulation. I also enjoy supporting the hard-working staff and other volunteers who strive to care for the animals and prepare them for adoption. In the case of the Humane Education Program, it is exciting to be a part of the dynamic team that helps shape the lives of young citizens. Molly motivates me to be a part of her team because she keeps us informed and makes me feel valued and welcome!”
Darlene – Volunteers with Treasure Tails
“I volunteer at Treasure Tails because it covers 3 important things to me: Raising funds for the care of animals through recycling items that need a second chance and working retail with a purpose. By giving the community’s donations a second chance provides us the opportunity to provide a second chance for a happy, healthy life to the fur babies that need it and that makes me happy.”
David – Board Member / Capital Campaign
“My involvement with the GTHS began 7 years ago as a Director and the last 4 years as Chair of the Board. My volunteer role on the Board of Directors was to provide support and guidance for the Board’s transition from an operational mode to a governance model.
Very early I recognized there was much more going on than just the Board transition and realized how important and gratifying the work at the GTHS was.
The Board has successfully transitioned to the governance model and we are now involved in supporting the organization in a number of ways, including assistance with strategic planning and providing oversight to our operations and management team.
I continue to serve as Board Chair and find my involvement to be most rewarding.
As a pet owner for most of my life I appreciate the tremendous value of the relationship between people and pets. I have the privilege of witnessing, every day, how the GTHS facilitates these relationships for an ever-increasing number of animals and builds our value to the communities we serve.
I feel most fortunate to have had this opportunity to serve alongside a very committed and talented group of people and I look forward to seeing the future impact the GTHS will have in the years ahead.”
While these are only a few of the great volunteers, the GTHS team thanks all the GTHS volunteers for all that they do. Learn more about volunteering at the GTHS here.
