National Volunteer Week

This week is National Volunteer Week. It was established here in the U.S. in 1974, and was created as a way to direct national attention on the power and vital necessity of volunteerism in our country.

Truer words were never written. Yet I think it's even more true when considering animal shelters.

These organizations could not function without the help of the many unsung heroes who:
     arrive before the sun to walk a dog...
     swab out dirty kennels...
     dump box after box of used litter...
and who give their hearts to countless needy animals, praying they will finally find a home.

Please take a moment this week to thank a volunteer. Better yet, why not go to your local shelter and offer to help out?

***

For those of you in the Kansas City area, we'd like to spotlight one unusual effort being done by a group of cat volunteers city wide. I call it unusual because it's the first time ever that volunteers from six different shelters have banded together to raise funds - and awareness - for the needs of homeless cats in K.C.

This fundraiser is a VIP "Cat Mojo" Reception with guest speaker Jackson Galaxy, star of Animal Planet's "My Cat From Hell."

We call it "Cat Mojo" because that's what Jackson calls these educational talks about cat behavior. This is a wonderful learning opportunity for anyone who is a cat lover. It's also incredibly valuable for anyone who is a cat volunteer. 

Everyone knows shelters are stressful for animals. It's especially true for cats, who tend to be more resistant to change than dogs. As volunteers know, stress can cause cats to behave in a way that is truly counter to their personalities. This, or course, makes it that much more difficult for them to find a home. 

Jackson's Cat Mojo lessons will help you understand cats on a deeper level. After hearing what Jackson has to say, don't be surprised if you find yourself approaching, understanding and connecting with cats at a completely new level.

As a result, you'll be helping to make each cat's time in the shelter a much less stressful experience -- and probably shortening their length of stay in the process.

At first glance, you might think the tickets are a bit pricey.
But let me walk you through what you spend - and what you get:

Tickets cost $50 per person, but they include a $15.95 copy of Jackson's book, Cat Daddy, a private Cat Mojo presentation, admission to the private reception (really good hors d'ouvres and wine - I just sampled them last night!), a chance to meet Jackson personally, and reserved seating at the author event that follows.

By buying a ticket to this event, you're doing good on several different levels:

• you'll be hearing information that will help you understand your own cats better
• if you're a volunteer, you'll be equipping yourself with tools that will make you more effective at your shelter, and...
• you'll be helping to raise funds for six outstanding animal organizations in Kansas City!

All proceeds from this event will benefit these six Kansas City organizations:

Compassion Fatigue

Two weeks ago Momma attended a seminar on Compassion Fatigue offered at the shelter where she volunteers, Wayside Waifs. So we told her she could our blog to tell you about it. 

(grumbles: I still think we shoulda charged her a usage fee. Like TREaTS for a WEeK! But noooooo, Maxie had to go and be all Gracious and stuff. *sigh*)




For those of you who aren't familiar with Compassion Fatigue, it's what can happen when a caregiver (of humans or animals) focuses on others without taking care of themselves.


Last Monday, Wayside Waifs flew in an expert on Compassion Fatigue. I know it's not the same as being there, but Jana Svoboda has also written about it on her blog, and there's some really helpful information there.

Here's how she describes CF:

"Animal shelter workers and other workers in fields where needs outweigh resources, and where empathy is a crucial part of the call to service are at high risk for compassion fatigue.  Like burnout, CF can suck the joy out of doing important work.  But while one can burn out at any job, compassion fatigue is associated with jobs in which the worker is exposed to suffering and trauma.  Also known as secondary traumatic stress or vicarious trauma, one doesn't have to be the victim of life's precariousness to feel the effects of witnessing it. "

I hope passing this info along can help someone else as much as Jana's lecture helped me.

Enjoy.

-----------