Day 7 of Volunteer Week - meet saints weekend warriors Michelle and Jennifer (a popular name among volunteers)

Its the final day of Volunteer Week. We have introduced you to a few of our volunteers over the week and yet there are many more that I would also like to thank and recognize for their service to saints. It takes a small army to keep saints running, clean the animal areas, care for the animals, bath & groom them, keep up with the laundry, respond to public inquiries, do our accounting, manage our pet finders, website and social media accounts and of course we are always raising funds. The work is 365 days a year 24 hours a day. Our dedicated volunteers come in on their days off of their regular jobs and sacrifice time with their own families on holidays to help out. We are very grateful to have such an incredible group of volunteers. As you have heard from them, it is a lot of work but it is so very rewarding.

Here are our final two features:

Michelle is Carol’s neighbor, finding SAINTS two years ago when she bought the lot across the street. This busy lady is not only building a house, running a small business, raising 5 children with her husband, a new grandson, and a dog and cat, but also comes to help with the barn and MP room at bedtime. Michelle describes herself as hard working, caring and eager to please. She truly LOVES everything about SAINTS and wishes she could find more time to be there. It is the feeling that it might be a small part in the grand scheme of the world, but it is the privilege to be part of something as great as SAINTS as it is our animals’ world. Being part of Gracie’s birth to the pot belly pigs is a great memory for Michelle. She has the utmost respect for Carol, the volunteers, and most of all- the animals! Michelle says that SAINTS has taught her so much. She has a deeper understanding of the animals’ differences, their personalities, their gratitude for the place they call home. “I had never really looked into a pig’s eyes before I met Ellie Mae, or felt how one can mourn for another after a passing of a friend.” One SAINT who touched Michelle’s heart was little Liam, the black lamb. “He never stood a chance, but he wanted so much to love. He would lie and eat greens from my hand, but he just could never hold his head up. He sadly passed after only a few days.” Michelle describes SAINTS as loving, comforting, and heaven on earth for them all!

Jennifer is one of our newer house volunteers and has been with us about three months now. She found SAINTS via her time volunteering at the SPCA. It was there that she fell in love with a very large spirit residing there; that spirit is named Capone. Upon finding out that Capone and Riley had been moved to SAINTS, an email was sent, a tour occurred, and Jennifer and family fell in love with ALL the animals and SAINTS! Her Sundays are rewarding. She loves to be greeted by Benny and Odie with Squirt chasing her feet, stopping to pick up Salty, cuddle Capone, and you know it is going to be a very good day because having the opportunity to help those that are pure in heart, and they cannot help themselves. Capone will always be here “favorite” and he has her heart as he is such a “sweet, big, cuddle monster.” Three words to describe this weekend warrior would be compassionate, honest and strong. But that strength waivers when she watches an animal deteriorate due to illness and age; it is heart breaking. However, she like the rest of the volunteers, come back every weekend because she does it for the animals, this is their home. She sums up SAINTS in these words: Compassionate, Caring, Amazing.