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Remarkably,
we have NO paid staff! We are all
volunteers,
caring
for as many as fifty retired racers day-in & day-out
until
we find their “forever homes”.
It
isn’t glamorous, but
the rewards are GREYT!
And
YOU can join our team!
Our
DAILY kennel hours are:
8:00
am - 2:00 pm
and
6:00
pm - 10:30 pm
You
can work a whole
shift
or a half
shift,
(covering
just “first turnouts” or “second turnouts”
within
the day or night shift).
Most
of us work weekly
or bi-weekly,
but
a once-a-month
commitment would be very helpful, too.
We
also need people who are able to travel in extreme winter weather
conditions
to
either cover the kennel shift or transport the scheduled
volunteer(s).
Which
day and time fits YOUR schedule?
PLEASE...
Let
us know today how YOU can help!
Download
and fill out our Volunteer Information Form...
[Word .DOC file]
[.pdf format]
...and mail it to the
kennel or E-mail it to either of our Volunteer Coordinators; please
feel free to contact either of them with any questions!
Deb Heberling --
563-326-7030 -- t.heberling@mchsi.com
or
Michelle
Richmond -- 309-558-8122 -- mjbrandt27@hotmail.com
Please
NOTE: In
order to maintain optimal safety and productivity, children under the
age of 18 cannot enter our kennel without being accompanied by a
parent or guardian.
Some of
the Kennel Duties are as follows:
Turnout
Turnout
for the Fracture Crowd
Some
need some help back into their crates
Doing Laundry
Filling
Food Dishes
Treasure
Hunting!
Your
Payment is the Love of Greytful Hounds!
Special message from Kate
Aspengren, QCGA volunteer
Donate your time - volunteer!
Okay, sure. I’d read those notices
in every newsletter. You know the ones: the pleas for more help in the
kennel, the reminders that the current people can’t do
everything by themselves. And I thought, “Gee, I hope
somebody volunteers.” I couldn’t imagine what
people were waiting for. I mean, the situation seemed serious. Why
wasn’t somebody doing something? It took a few times before I
realized I couldn’t wait for someone else to do it. I needed
to volunteer.
I think most of us think of volunteering as
a drain on our already overextended lives. But a couple of years ago I
started volunteering at the kennel. Even though it takes me almost an
hour to drive there from Iowa City, I go whenever I can. I
don’t go because I’m a saint or because anyone
begged me to do it. I go because I love every minute of it.
You’ve probably got a greyhound of
your own (or two or three or maybe more) or you wouldn’t be
reading this. So there’s no point in telling you how
wonderful the dogs are. You know that. But if you think spending time
with your one or two dogs is great, imagine hanging out with thirty or
forty of them!
One of the best parts about volunteering at
the kennel is getting to know the individual dogs and their
personalities. You know whose barking can be silenced with a few soft
words and a treat. You know who will steal the stuffed animals out of
other dogs’ crates, who loves to play ball, and who likes to
give hugs. And, because you know each of the dogs, you experience
absolute delight in every single adoption.
It’s not particularly complicated
work. You go there, you help turn the dogs out, you straighten their
crates, you scoop poop. Sometimes you vacuum or wash dishes or do
laundry. But the best part is you get to spend a lot of time just
loving the dogs. And you get a whole lot of love in return.
Here’s the way I figure it.
Somebody took care of Flora and Clyde before they came home with me.
Someone talked to them and fed them and fluffed up their blankets.
Somebody gave them a lot of love. I’m grateful to all of you
who did that. But the best way for me to thank the people who got my
dogs ready for me is to do the same for someone else’s dog.
You don’t have to go every week.
You can set up a schedule to go once or twice a month. You can just go
for a couple of hours at a time. But go. Give one of our coordinators a call at the
kennel and get on the schedule. You won’t regret it.
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