Bonnie Lock: Volunteer Spotlight
“I have volunteered with Furry Friends since August 2024,” Bonnie says. “After losing our sweet orange tabby in April, our house felt so empty. In June, I decided to investigate options to help at the Humane Society since we weren’t quite ready to adopt. In the process, I came across a posting for Furry Friends and their need for volunteers and fosters. I decided to apply, received a response the same day, and before I knew it, I was saying ‘yes’ to fostering five eight-week-old kittens!
“Most of my time is spent fostering, but when needed I’ve transported the kittens, picked up donations and created various items for our auctions and bazaars. The best part of being a foster is knowing that every little bit helps my kittens/cats find homes with people who will truly love and care for them forever. Some of these kittens have never known a regular source of food or a warm, safe place to stay, but, with the help of Furry Friends, that quickly changes.
“All new foster kitties have their own, unique challenges, but getting kittens who are terrified of humans is heartbreaking. It sometimes takes days, weeks or even months to get them to trust me. One of my proudest and most exciting moments was when, after four months of working with a pair of frightened siblings, the little girl finally sat on my lap and sometimes even snuggled. They’re both adopted now and have a loving forever home. That’s the ultimate joy of being a foster parent!
“As to why I give back: I’ve been fortunate to have had a rewarding career that now allows me the freedom to do what I can for others. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that my home serves as a temporary sanctuary for so many sweet and innocent babies who are powerless to help themselves.
“The local issues I’m most passionate about are homelessness and poverty and their impact on students. Retired after 43 years in education, I now spend the majority of my time painting, exploring new recipes and crafts, traveling with my grandson Derick, an ardent cat lover, who lives with me and helps with the fosters, reading, and refinishing old furniture to donate to NW Furniture Bank and ReTails.”
___________________________________________________________
Furry Friends Volunteer Spotlights are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.
