Volunteer experience is always a positive addition to any resume. My volunteer experience started at the Winona Area Humane Society with cat care. Being raised with cats, I really adore them as pets and I’m destined to become a crazy cat lady. My first pet I ever took care of is my beautiful calico kitty named Jasmine. So when I found out my sophomore year of college that Winona has a Humane Society, I was dead set on becoming a volunteer. I have been volunteering for two years and it’s honestly one of the best decisions I made while attending school.
Me and my first cat, Jasmine, back in the day!
The steps to becoming a volunteer are pretty simple and the application process is quick. Once the application has been filled, you go through an orientation with other volunteers to get the full tour of the humane society and the responsibilities of volunteering. There are mostly cats at the humane society, which is fine by me, but you can also sign up to be a dog walker if you really despise cats. Another way to volunteer is to work at the office, which includes filling out paperwork and working with the faculty staff members.
Volunteering has been rewarding and stress free. I volunteer with cats on Fridays usually because, after a long week, I just need to snuggle some kitties. My favorite part about volunteering is after cleaning, being able to sit down on a chair with a cat on my lap and just relax. Petting cats is really therapeutic and I can focus on the cats and not my homework or stress from school.
When meeting cats, it’s impossible not to pick favorites. Flirt is an adorable calico cat that loves to bite your phone when you’re not paying attention to her. Thanks to my Otterbox, my phone is not harmed when volunteering. Flirt is definitely a chubbier cat, which I find super adorable, and she’s currently waiting adoption right now.
Flirt, the calico cat at the Humane Society.
Volunteering is something that gets lost among college students, especially when classes and homework get in the way. Volunteering with something you’re passionate about brings happiness and relaxation to everyday life. Being involved in the humane society is really rewarding and I only wish I found out about it sooner.
