Volunteerism
Pays Off
Are they bicycles…or are they sculptures? The answer is yes!
Written by Jonathan Rooney, PCDS Senior
H
ave you ever
wanted to spend
an afternoon
nuzzling an umbrella cockatoo? Perhaps
desired to watch a
hedgehog burrow its way
under your leg? Or even
just spend a generous
amount of time playing
with kittens? Since 2008,
I have lived this dream.
I work at the Arizona
Animal Welfare League & SPCA, and I can honestly say there is nothing I
would rather do.
My career with the AAWL began when little eight-year-old me attended
Camp Ruffin’ It, a day camp where I learned about a wide range of animals and the roles they play. After a summer spent in Camp Vet, learning
about veterinary medicine with other preteens, I joined the Teen Tracks
program, an opportunity for eager, animal-loving teens to volunteer in
the AAWL’s education department. I joined as a shy, withdrawn child,
and over the course of five years, the program has helped me grow into a
confident, outspoken leader—though admittedly, one who is not above
making smooching noises at a chinchilla.
And this summer I will go one step further: I now officially work for the
AAWL, teaching the same camps that I attended a decade ago. Having
come full-circle, I am eager to pass on the knowledge I have gained to the
next generation of teens, confident
that in doing so, I am shaping my
own life as well. Z
Jonathon has
volunteered over 1,000
hours during the past
4 years at Arizona
Animal Welfare League.
Young@Art Gallery Opening Reception: Friday, Jan 30, 5:00 – 7:00p
Exhibition on view Jan 24 – Apr 20, 2014
Sponsored by Wells Fargo and Macy's.
Image: Students from South Mountain High School with one of the art bikes they created. Photo: Jeremiah Toller
smoca.org I 7380 E Second St, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 I 480.874.4666
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February 2014 / 17