Service opportunities abound in Abilene, both on and off campus, and most of them involve people serving people. A small number of students, however, have found their niche serving a different group – of the four-legged variety.
Several ACU students volunteered at a Rescue the Animals adoption event Nov. 21. Rescue the Animals is an adoption center for dogs, and the event, which took place at United Supermarket on South 14th Street, showcased several of the available animals. It also served to raise awareness about RTA, as well as donations of money and supplies. Volunteer Director Kathy Walker said one particular donation included six pallets of pet supplies and was estimated to be a $20,000 value.
Walker said the student volunteers make such adoption events possible.
“Students are great at events like that because they’re not afraid to get out and talk to the public,” Walker said. “They’re very helpful, extremely helpful.”
Lydia Melby, senior English major from San Antonio, showed dogs and explained Rescue the Animals to people entering and exiting the grocery store. Melby has been volunteering with RTA since last spring and said even the smallest contributions aid the organization.
“Rescue the Animals is one of those chronically understaffed organizations that always needs more people to come help out,” Melby said. “The volunteers do as much as they can, but there’s only so many hours a week you can volunteer.”
Melby said the organization is great for student volunteers because of its laid-back atmosphere and the adoption center’s status as a “no-kill” shelter – volunteers do not become attached to animals that may be euthanized later. Volunteers may help the organization in numerous ways, from advertising and staffing upcoming events to handling office work to exercising and bathing the animals.
“You can know nothing about animals and go and help out,” Melby said. “Even if you don’t like animals, they have stuff for you to do.”
Melby recruited Kaleigh Wyrick, sophomore English major from The Woodlands, to help at the adoption event at United. While Wyrick said she is usually “not a big animal person,” she enjoyed being able to raise awareness for the organization and thinks volunteering should be an important priority for students.
“There aren’t enough people who do it professionally for it to make as much of a difference as volunteering can,” Wyrick said. “I think it’s important for people to find a type of volunteering that they actually want to do, so that they’ll do it on their own.”
For Melby, Rescue the Animals offers the perfect volunteering opportunity.
“It’s really rewarding work with a very obvious result,” Melby said. “You can see the effect that you have, and it’s very instantaneous gratification.”
Rescue the Animals is open from 1-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Those interested in volunteering may visit the adoption center at 5933 S. 1st St. or e-mail rescuetheanimalsvolunteers@yahoo.com.
