A true animal lover, Lorien Kelly owns five cats and fosters others as needed, and she has a “little back patio sanctuary” where she feeds a family of raccoons and a pair of opossums.  Lorien became involved with Furry Friends in April 2018 while she was caring for an injured stray that showed up one day on her patio.

“I was so impressed with the organization and fell in love with the Halfway House,” she said. “I just knew I needed to start volunteering.”  And what a volunteer! She has been the Saturday morning shift lead for nearly four years; she fosters fragile medical kitties, and she helps with transportation. She averages about 17 hours a week at the Halfway House.

Volunteering with Furry Friends gives Lorien a “rewarding feeling that comes from seeing injured, scared and shut-down cats flourish with our help and then watching them go to their forever homes.”

“I also really enjoy watching my team lovingly care for and get to know each one of the kitties,” she said. “They are a solid crew and make me so proud.”

Lorien’s volunteer work gives her an opportunity to give to a cause close to her heart.

           “I am passionate about animal advocacy and helping those who cannot speak for or help themselves,” she said. “Homeless cats are a human created problem, and it’s something I feel strongly about.”

Trap, neuter and release (TNR) is a method where volunteers trap homeless cats, have them professionally neutered and release them. TNR works well for feral cats that do not thrive in homes.

“It’s important to me to educate people about TNR,” she said, “and helping to find resources to control the stray cat population.”

In addition to volunteering at Halfway House and caring for her animals at home, Lorien works between 55 and 60 hours each week for a manufacturing brokerage firm, where she places outdoor living products such as furniture, fire pits, fountains, patio heaters and other such items with retailers.

She’s also a musician, who plays piano for her own enjoyment at home. In college, she played drums in jazz and calypso bands.

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We would like to thank Alice Perry Linker for writing this spotlight. Alice is a retired newspaper reporter and editor who last worked for The Reflector in Battle Ground, WA.

Earlier, she worked for the La Grande (OR) Observer, and she and husband Ray owned the Creswell (OR) Chronicle for eight years. Alice, who now lives in Gresham, OR, has two sons and one grandson. She enjoys hiking, gardening and playing (badly) the piano. Alice has volunteered her writing and proof reading skills to Furry Friends for several years.