Michael Campbell Volunteer Spotlight
“I’ve been volunteering with Furry Friends for the past 14 years,” Michael says. “I got involved when my wife, Tanika, came home from work one day and told me that we were going to volunteer at an animal shelter. My response was ‘umm.’ Then she said, ‘It’s just petting cats, helping them socialize in order to make them more adoptable.’ My ‘umm’ quickly changed to ‘ok.’
“While I work fulltime at the Frito Lay Vancouver site, I always find time to do whatever Furry Friends asks of me. When the organization moved from the old shelter to the current Halfway House, I helped in the move and cleanup of both sites, from tearing down catios, lifting carpets and cleaning to general upkeep and the removal of some hazardous trees. I’ve also helped with the set up and take down of events at Ester Short Park such as the Peace and Justice Fair and Recycled Arts Fair.
“For the last five years, Tanika and I have been fostering pregnant moms and kittens, medical needs cats and seniors -- in other words, any kitty or kitties that she brings home! And although I don’t have a normal weekly shift at the shelter, I enjoy doing other things ‘behind the scenes’ such as donation or litter pick ups when needed.
“My favorite part about volunteering is the personal satisfaction I get for doing good for those needing it, in seeing this organization grow from where it was to where it is now and where it will be in the future. As for my biggest challenges: the easy answer would be to keep my wife from bringing home more cats. Foster failing is probably the hardest thing NOT to do. And we’ve now done this eight times!
“One of my proudest moments as a volunteer was driving at midnight to pick up 20 kittens from a woman who had contacted Furry Friends about taking them. They were some of the sickest kittens I’d ever seen. Watching them go from death’s door to being healthy and getting adopted was so rewarding. Then, of course, there are those moments of taking in terrified kitties wanting nothing to do with humans and turning them into little mush balls before adopting them out.
“At home, we have eight of our own cats and two dogs. My wife and I enjoy going to the beach, bringing the dogs with us so they can run and play. I also enjoy spending time with family and being outdoors: nothing like a good outdoor fire with the family! I spend time cutting firewood in the spring with my dad and go elk camping with my dad and uncles in November.”
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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.
