May 2, 2008

Humane Society salutes volunteers

Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) will honor hundreds of volunteers who tirelessly work to improve the lives of homeless animals during National Volunteer Week April 27 - May 3. The weeklong celebration pays special tribute to volunteers who give of themselves to better their communities and the lives of others.

“National Volunteer Week is the ideal time to pay special tribute to all of our volunteers that dedicate their time, talents and energy to making a difference at our shelter,” said Jeanne Wu, director of human resources and volunteer programs for HSSV. During 2007, Wu says more than 450 active volunteers donated 21,000 hours of time valued at $404,000.

HSSV will celebrate National Volunteer Week on Wednesday, April 30 at the shelter by hosting a party from 5 to 8 p.m. “We want our volunteers to know how much we appreciate them and value everything they do for the organization,” said Wu.

In conjunction with National Volunteer Week, HSSV nominated two volunteers for the Junior League of San Jose’s 39th Annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon on April 25. They are DeEtte Starr, a dog socializer and mentor; and Deb Walt, a dog socializer and mentor, writer and co-chair of The Fur Ball Committee.

“Both Deb and DeEtte are dedicated and caring volunteers that any organization would love to have,” said Wu.

“HSSV is an incredibly vibrant, life-affirming place,” said Deb Walt. “The extraordinary care and compassion that the organization provides to homeless animals is matched by some truly visonary thinking. In addition to sheltering lost and abandoned pets, HSSV is working on key issues like education, spay-neuter and trap-neuter-return for feral cats.”

“I love volunteering at HSSV because the organization is committed to finding loving homes for all adoptable animals – no matter how long it takes,” said DeEtte Starr.

HSSV volunteers perform countless acts of service at the shelter, taking on any number of jobs such as dog, cat and rabbit socializers, foster parents, shelter concierge, kennel assistants, adoption counselors, customer service assistants, special event helpers and community outreach educators.

Wu says volunteers are a tremendous benefit to HSSV because the nonprofit shelter has only 77 employees and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Whether they stuff envelopes, answer phones, play with a cat, hug a bunny or take a dog for a walk, we simply could not operate without our volunteers,” said Wu. “They are invaluable.”

Persons interested in becoming a volunteer at the shelter can find more information at http://www.hssv.org/JOIN_US/volunteer.htm.

Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) is an independent, nonprofit agency offering quality adoptions, medical care and education programs to enhance the human-animal bond. Established in 1929, HSSV has served Silicon Valley for 78 years and adopted more than 500,000 animals into permanent, loving homes. HSSV is an open-door shelter and accepts animals 24 hours a day, seven days a week, regardless of any temperament or health related problems. HSSV’s medical center offers affordable spaying/neutering, vaccinations and microchips to the public. More information about HSSV can be found at www.hssv.org.