Mike Stasio Volunteer Spotlight
“I started volunteering with Furry Friends in the summer of 2024. I was looking for a volunteer opportunity in the area that allowed me to give back, and since I love cats, the decision was easy. A Google search introduced me to Furry Friends, and once I saw it was a no-kill shelter, I sent them an email asking how to volunteer, and a few weeks later, I was at the Halfway House!
“At a minimum, I volunteer two hours a week on Wednesday nights. When I arrive, I see which cats have been adopted, which cats have moved rooms, which cats are sick, which cats need extra love, and which cats have just arrived. Then I clean their rooms, from sweeping and mopping to changing their litter boxes and providing them with fresh food and water. I also try to wave and say “hi” to the cats as I walk by their rooms.
“There’s something magical about seeing a beautiful cat, possibly injured or whose past is unknown, go from terrified to ‘making biscuits’ and purring because volunteers took the time to love on this precious animal. Gaining a cat’s trust and helping in ways I didn’t think possible are especially rewarding to me. Having said that, it goes both ways. If I’m having a bad day or don’t feel well, the cats I help feel happy and safe do the same for me: extra head butts, more lap time and purr parties help change my mood. Besides the cats, I love our awesome Wednesday night crew, and my volunteer night is my favorite night of the week!
“One of my biggest challenges is not bringing every cat home. The other is taking scared, or seemingly unfriendly, cats and with patience and time, trying to break down any barriers they may have, and showing them how good love feels. As for my proudest moment: My shelter favorite, Davey Jones, was having all of his teeth pulled and I volunteered to be his week-long foster, looking after him and providing him with the medications he required. Following a smooth first day, I entered ‘his’ room on the second day and he was GONE! After four hours of looking everywhere, I let Furry Friends know that I had LOST Davey, and I lay there alone, pondering my life as a volunteer. Moments later, Davey crawled out from under a dresser that I didn’t think an ant could get under and started stretching as if nothing was wrong. I hadn’t lost him after all! Six days later, I returned him to the shelter to continue his successful healing and to wait for his forever home.
“I work at Nike as a Director of Engineering for Consumer Services, and as much as I love my job, at the end of my life, I’ll remember the time I spent doing what I love most: volunteering with cats! My goal, in an ideal world, is to retire and then volunteer full time with them. I also volunteer for Great Life Mentoring, an organization that matches under represented children with mentors. I’ve been a mentor to my ‘kiddo’ for four years now, and it’s been amazing.
As for the issues Mike’s most passionate about: “Kindness. I think of the Golden Rule about treating others how you’d like to be treated, and now more than ever, I think it’s important to live by this. Regardless of how others act, I try to lead with kindness, hoping that the way a cat’s love is contagious, my kindness is equally contagious to those around me.
“At home, we have two cats, who are the loves of our lives. Cassiopeia (aka Cassie) is a black and white DSH with a ‘special’ leg, which never quite grew as long the other three, but she still runs the house, and Orion (aka Bubs) who is a traditionally beautiful grey/white DSH.
“I love to bowl, play board games and camp. We have a cabin in Imnaha -- in the middle of nowhere Eastern Oregon -- where I go to unwind since there’s no Wi-Fi, Internet or cell service! It’s heaven on earth.”
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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.
