What volunteering means to me – Part 2

I posted earlier this week about touching base with a few of our volunteers in honour of National Volunteer Week. We wanted to know what motivates our volunteers, and here is our second installment, this time from a foster home's perspective.

Natasha Koch and Bryan Fink, ARF Foster Home

Bryan and I foster and volunteer for ARF because every new foster means another dog's life we can change. We foster adult dogs who usually have social issues and there is nothing more rewarding than seeing them learn how to be a dog, and understand that we are here to love them. Seeing the change is extraordinary and it's important to show those around us what these dogs are capable of. To us, it may not always be easy (losing blinds, shoes, etc.), but the reward of helping these dogs is worth it.

We volunteer for ARF for many reasons. ARF is extremely organized which works well with a busy lifestyle that we have. We also like that we make the final decision on where our fosters get adopted to. However, the most important reason why we foster and volunteer for ARF is the great network of volunteers they have. There is support all over and we love being part of the ARF community. We are recognized for our duties, which means a lot, and we also share the same values with ARF which is extremely important. We love going to ARF events and helping out when we can.

For more information on Volunteering with ARF or other ways you can help our organization, visit our website at www.arf.ab.ca

What volunteering means to me – Part 1.

In honour of National Volunteer Week, we decided to touch base with a few of our dedicated volunteers to see exactly what volunteering means to them. ARF is almost entirely run by Volunteers – hard working, dedicated Volunteers and we wouldn't be here without them. Here is our first installation.

Melissa Donnahee, ARF General Volunteer and "Pad for Paws" committee member

Volunteering means a commitment of your time and energy to a cause you believe in. I am very much an "it could always be worse, much worse" type of person. We all too often take for granted the blessings in our lives. I have so much to be thankful for – even on my worst day. Not everyone is so lucky. I'm a firm believer I should be giving back while I'm in a position to. I may not always be so lucky. Volunteering is a very satisfying and enlightening experience. To be able to contribute in a positive way to such a great cause is self-rewarding in a way you can only understand first hand. The fact it feels so great to help animals in need just makes it a no-brainer.

For more information on Volunteering with ARF or other ways you can help our organization, visit our website at www.arf.ab.ca