Dawnell Linstead Volunteer Spotlight

“Although I’ve only been volunteering with Furry Friends since August of 2024,” Dawnell says, “I’ve been aware of what the organization does for over 20 years.

“I only work part time now due to a rare, invisible disability. Volunteering with Furry Friends allows me to help the kitties in our area and ‘gifts’ me with some much-needed quality time outside the house, which is difficult for me. Right now, I substitute at the shelter whenever I’m needed -- whether it’s once a month or three shifts in a single week – and because I live only a few blocks away, it’s more than do-able.

“As much as I love being able to spend time with the kitties, it’s always difficult to let them go. You’re thrilled whenever they find loving forever homes, but you miss those little pats, slow eye blinks and soft cuddles once they’ve left.

“Throughout the years, I’ve volunteered for various organizations, but now, besides Furry Friends, I volunteer my time -- and my sewing skills -- to Meow Village, based in Aurora, OR. I originally became acquainted with them through my aunt who had been a supporter of theirs for a long time. I currently make crate pads for their feral and barn cat programs, and I recently sewed a cat-themed lap quilt for their annual online quilt fundraising auction: it raised $175!

“At home, we have a happy clowder of nine kitties! We adopted Ryder, the youngest, through Furry Friends. He’s not only very special and very sweet, he LOVES to ‘smoosh’ his little face against yours.”

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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.