Tails from a Bideawee Volunteer

Bideawee is a great place to open a new chapter in your life. That’s what I’ve done after experiencing several of my own life altering changes.

Within the last year, I retired and suffered through the death of my spouse and my beloved 20 year old miniature pinscher.  Just when I was looking to “redefine” my purpose and fill the gap in my life, I discovered Bideawee.  A newspaper article about volunteering at Bideawee published several months prior, stuck in my mind.  Turns out, my love of dogs and extra free time was just what Bideawee needed and just what I needed as well.

At Bideawee, I found my purpose, devoting my love and time to Bideawee’s homeless dogs while discovering a new group of friends.  Walking and interacting with adoptable dogs is just one of the rewarding and fun things I do at Bideawee.  I’ve grown close and made connections with many of Bideawee’s animals, including Molly, an elderly dog, who is always happy for a brief walk and some cuddles.

Often, I attend offsite events, showing off adoptable dogs and mingling with the public while sharing information about Bideawee’s many programs and services.  These events have introduced me to many of Bideawee’s loving pets and allowed me to play a part in finding their forever homes.  I take pride in assisting with the preparation and execution of these fundraisers and events.  I love seeing the joyful faces of dog lovers and their dogs enjoying Bideawee’s events.

The office skills I developed throughout my career, including my organizational skills, have also been put to use here at Bideawee.  I’ve been instrumental in archiving and streamlining Adoption case files.  I have also found new friendships with several of the volunteers and take pleasure in training new volunteers, introducing them to the benefits of Bideawee and educating them on how important volunteers are in helping Bideawee be able to help pets and the people that love them.

My story is just one example of the perfect matchmaking Bideawee offers not only for their animals, but for their volunteers as well.  What started out as an unfortunate set of events in my personal life has evolved into a rewarding, inspirational relationship with Bideawee.