We always had strays that found their way to our house and helping them was just a natural thing to do. I had volunteered at a local animal shelter in high school walking dogs with my best friend and it was a very nice experience. That same friend got me involved in volunteering again about 10 years later. We started volunteering at ACCT (then PACCA) in 2007 in the small animal room. We socialized and cared for the bunnies, gerbils, hamsters, and occasional bird or turtle that showed up. It wasn’t long before we started working with the cats and dogs. Soon I convinced my husband, Gary, to join us. From there, we ventured into the world of fostering. Our third foster dog, LaLa, stole our hearts and made our home hers along with our 3 cats. I am the volunteer lead for the Pen Pal Program and have been a pen pal to over 25 dogs. I also assist with the Promotions Team, Flyers Team, Get Your ACCT Together Team, and the Mentor Team. Volunteering has been a very rewarding experience. Seeing the hard work that the shelter staff and fellow volunteers put in to what they do is just an amazing thing and I am proud to be a part of this community.