Monday, February 5, 2007
Rescue Rocks
This weekend was Buuuuuusy but great. Saturday started off with The Nut and I going to Rescue's annual volunteer picnic. The whole idea is for all the volunteers to mingle and meet one another...I love this because I work with the same group of people all the time and never get to meet the people that do different things within the organization. Everyone at Rescue has the same passion...saving lives. We all have a really strong love for all the animals we have in our "system" and they become like our own. It's bittersweet when we have an adoption because as much as we want that dog or cat to find their forever home, we miss them so much. This week alone we had 5 cats adopted from the Feline Care Center, where I work and train people. We also had 4 cats put down from the equivalent of Parvo. It was a happy, but sad week. But, the more space we have, the more animals we can rescue from senseless deaths at our local pounds.I started working for Rescue about 4 years ago. I'm not really even sure where I heard about it, but I signed up immediately and started orientation the following week. I worked every Tuesday night and every other Saturday until I was 5 months pregnant, when my OB told me it would be better if I waited until after The Nut was born to volunteer again. It's a dirty job, what I do, and he didn't want to risk anything happening to me or the baby. I took over a year and a half off, but last February I started back up at Rescue every other weekend. I didn't realize how much I missed it. It's the most rewarding thing I do, besides raising Buggernut and I'm so proud to be a part of it. This past September, I was asked by the person who runs the Center if I could take over all the new volunteer training...I was thrilled. Not only could I spend more time there, but I could really teach people coming in how to do the job the way it needs to be done...something that hasn't been taught in the past because we didn't really have a formal training program. It's been going so well and I've met some great volunteers in the process. My work at Rescue is for ME. It's my haven, my good feeling, my contribution. So, this weekend I was blown away that I was recognized with an Outstanding Acheivement Award for the work I have done this past year. I cried. I did. I felt so touched that I was actually recognized for something I really never considered getting recognition for. It's not like a job to me...it's more of a passion. To be honored for something you love, that is the best feeling ever. I feel like I should be giving Rescue an award...for saving so many lives and for touching mine each and every day.
Labels: Rescue
