Volunteer Spotlight

Morning Volunteer of the Year- Karen Gross

Karen started out coming to Simply Cats one morning a week to clean adoption rooms. It did not take long before she loved it so much she added a second day. We are very fortunate to have Karen here twice a week. She is one of the most reliable volunteers we have- arriving on time and without fail for every shift. Reliability cannot be underestimated when a non-profit depends on volunteers to help get things done. We always breathe easy on Tuesday and Friday mornings because we know that Karen will always be here to help. Of course, just showing up is just the beginning. She is productive too! She pays special attention to each room she cleans and makes sure the cats have everything they need. Karen also has the knack for sponsoring cats who then become adopted right away. She must have the magic touch! We are so fortunate to have Karen on board and hope she is with us for years to come.

Morning Volunteer of the Year- Garrett Perron


Garrett is being officially recognized as a morning volunteer of the year, but really, he is also an afternoon and evening volunteer too! It is not an exaggeration to say that Garrett helps out in every aspect of the organization. He began cleaning adoption rooms for us early on Saturday mornings (and still does!) but soon began offering to help us in other ways, too. Every time we need his help he says yes. He assists us with our mobile adoption events and, last spring, when a staff member forgot to bring the all important cat carriers to an event in Eagle- he drove all the way back to the shelter to pick them up. Even though he had a terrible cold that day, he gave us 100%. He also was the lead clean
up committee member for Catsino two years in a row- a late night shift that begins when everyone else is going home to bed. Garrett is also here before everyone wakes up too- rising at dawn to help us prepare for the Yard Sale. He is also in possession of technology skills. These are skills I do not have! With patience and good humor, he has personally coached me on how to use technology at the shelter. It is safe to say that this very presentation would not have been possible without Garrett’s help. This time last year, I was a nervous newbee. Look at me now! Anyone who makes me look good is a superstar! Thank you, Garrett for your “all-in” dedication to Simply Cats.

Afternoon Volunteer of the Year- Carol Ross

Carol Ross is incredible.  When she arrives for her shift each week, she means business! We have never seen someone work as hard and accomplish so much in two hours. Every Thursday, she arrives- sleeves rolled up-a whirlwind of activity. In one typical shift she will clean the bathrooms and the break room, sweep, vacuum and mop the floors, empty the trash cans shelter-wide, clean cat carriers, litter boxes and do laundry. We have actually seen Carol on her hands and knees while cleaning. The cats in our care need loving attention- and so does our beautiful facility. When customers visit to adopt, donate or sponsor a cat or a room, they are always impressed. Carol takes excellent care of our facility and it shows! It is volunteers like Carol who keep the shelter going and keep it looking great. What would we do without her?

Afternoon Volunteer of the Year- Byron Farnes

Not long after Byron began volunteering, we knew he was a keeper. Byron is a kind-hearted, loveable guy who makes us laugh every time he is here. We love the fact that he cares for the staff (almost) as much as he cares for our cats!  “What do you have for me today?” is a common question from Byron when he arrives for his shift.  On top of working on the usual shelter care tasks, he will also wet-vac dirty cat trees (this is not fun) and spread a mountain of mulch in the memorial garden. For the Yard Sale last year, Byron hauled tables and heavy boxes into the parking lot for set-up. The morning of the sale, when we needed to buy poster board and post signs around the neighborhood, it was Byron who did it. Oh, and that’s not all. Byron is a fantastic baker who donated his treats to sell at the Bake Sale as well as a whole cheesecake as a raffle item for Catsino. It is no surprise that his cheesecake was one of the most popular raffle items! When we are very lucky, Byron also brings cookies and brownies for the staff to enjoy. The shelter just would not be the same without Byron. He is a real treasure!

Special Projects Volunteer of the Year- Judy Baldwin
Judy has been volunteering with Simply Cats for two and a half years. In that time, she has made quite an impact on the shelter. Two afternoons a week, she helps out at reception- a very busy position that takes a lot of patience and flexibility. Judy has both- in spades! She fields phone calls, greets visitors, assists potential adopters and works on special projects. Judy’s “go with the flow” personality behind reception really helps when it’s busy. Judy is also one of our foster parents for pregnant or nursing mama cats and their kittens. As soon as kitten season gets under way each spring, Judy is ready! She has a special room in her home just for them and gives them love, attention and everything they need until they are ready to come back to the shelter for adoption. Then- she starts all over again with a new mama or orphaned litter. The care and attention she gives these cats makes all the difference in their lives. They all go on to be adopted into loving homes. And that’s not all! Judy is very crafty and enjoys scrapbooking. Several months ago, she volunteered to take over the “Success Story” board hanging in the shelter. I am sure you have noticed it because it is so beautiful. She creates a scrapbook page for each adoption success story we receive. Once it’s been hanging on the board for a while, it gets placed in our Success Story binder so it can always be seen by customers who visit the shelter. Judy donated the binder and all the supplies she uses to create the colorful and creative pages. You can see why Judy is so special and why we treasure her so much. She is kind, generous and unique. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met. I am sure you would agree!

Special Projects Volunteer of the Year- Debbie Jansen

We love Thursday mornings because Debbie and her mom Dee arrive to clean adoption rooms. Both women come through the door with big smiles and lots of energy. We love to watch their faces each week as they learn which cats got adopted - they get so excited! We always feel happier when Debbie and Dee are at the shelter. They do an amazing job cleaning the adoptions rooms and always do whatever is needed with good cheer. Debbie is also one of the best foster moms we have. She renovated an entire room in her home just for her foster babies. She ripped out the carpeting, put down kitten-friendly flooring and created a cozy environment in the “foster room” for the little ones. Now, if that is not commitment, I don’t know what is! Kitten season begins in late March and can last through November. As soon as the first kitties come in, Debbie is ready and waiting to take them home. She does this again and again all season long, taking litter after litter of kittens, socializing them and getting them ready for their forever homes. The kittens Debbie fosters turn out to be the sweetest, most loveable fur balls. Debbie is so supportive of our organization and is an irreplaceable member of our Foster Program. We cherish her and look forward to many more years- and litters- to come!

Special Projects Volunteer of the Year- Judy Nalepa

Fundraising is a crucial part of what we do here at Simply Cats. As a non-profit organization, we rely on donations to rescue, care for and adopt out cats. This past February, we held our second annual Catsino fundraising event and it was a huge success for our organization. That is because we had a secret weapon: Judy Nalepa. Judy volunteered to solicit and secure items for our raffle and silent auction, not to mention sponsors for the gaming tables. This meant going door to door and cold calling local businesses, asking for items to be donated. This is no easy feat! She also remained extremely organized throughout the process, regularly updating detailed spreadsheets and giving reports of what she acquired. We got so excited every time she secured an item! Due to Judy’s dogged determination and charm, she secured countless high quality items for the event-and helped us raise thousands for the shelter. Having Judy on board this year made all the difference. Volunteer work such as this will never go unnoticed or unappreciated. Without Judy- we “simply” could not have pulled it off. Thank you, Judy for being such a go-getter for us!

Of course, we are fortunate to have so many amazing volunteers. Each month, Volunteer Spotlight will profile one who makes a difference!

February Volunteer of the Month- Katherine Jenkins

Katherine found us by responding to a volunteer photographer announcement we placed in our newsletter. We were seeking someone with experience to assist us with capturing our kitties in adorable poses- for the website, adoption rooms and fundraising purposes. Boy, did we get lucky! For her first assignment, she was charged with photographing every cat in the shelter. With roughly 100 cats that was a tall order. Katherine arrived full of energy, patience and good humor. It takes a great deal of all three when working with live animals that don’t always do what you want them to do! The results have been fantastic. We receive more inquiries about our cats due to her photos- and this has translated into more adoptions.  As February Volunteer of the Month it is clear- we heart Katherine. She can definitely be our Valentine!