Last week was Volunteer Appreciation Week, which is an opportunity to recognize and thank all of those volunteers who lend their time, talent, and support to causes they care about within their communities. At the TMX Finance Family of Companies, we are lucky to have so many of our team members volunteer for all different types of organizations, so we celebrate their efforts all the time! Our goal as a Company is to help people every day through the products we offer and the customer service we deliver, but this goal also extends to each and every team member as a personal mission.
We want to introduce you to several of our team members who don’t just “talk the talk, they walk the walk” every single day! They not only volunteer their time, but they have taken the next step and joined the organization as board members, committee chairs, and event planners- and keep in mind, this is in their spare time!
Meet our rock star community change-makers who inspire us every day with their volunteer efforts!
Be That Someone: Coastal Pet Rescue
Submitted by: Carly Hallman, Director of Digital Marketing and Animal Lover
If I don’t do something, who will? My deep passion for animal welfare and my dedication to make a change in the world, as well as in the lives of homeless and mistreated animals, has lit a fire in my soul that won’t allow me to sit on the sidelines.
To me, animals are one of the greatest and purest gifts to humans. They are more selfless and loving than we could ever be, and despite that purity being taken advantage of over and over again, they continue to stick by our sides and teach us the importance and value of life. They depend on us – all capable humans – to protect them and care for them, which I feel is a small price to pay for the eternal joy, humility, and fulfillment they bring us. It’s easy to want all animals to have homes and to hope “someone” does something about it – it takes much more courage to be that “someone.”
I decided to take action, so about 7 years ago I got involved with a local non-profit organization called Coastal Pet Rescue and 2 years ago, I was asked to join their leadership team. Coastal Pet Rescue is recognized as a major resource for the welfare of homeless, abandoned and abused companion animals in Savannah. Our goal is to lower euthanasia rates at our county animal controls by bringing adoptable pets into our program for medical and social rehabilitation and re-homing. We also provide resources to pet owners to encourage their responsibility and commitment to their pets and prevent them from contributing to the homeless pet population (i.e. spay/neuter awareness, microchipping, etc.)
As a member of the Coastal Pet Rescue Leadership Team, I contribute to the development of the overall strategy of our organization’s future, and I am responsible for ensuring the established processes and procedures for day-to-day operations are executed properly to protect the integrity and success of our rescue. Being a volunteer for Coastal Pet Rescue can come in many different forms: foster parent, dog walker, handyman, event coordinator, fundraiser, transporter, educator, cleaning person, etc…. as a leader, I dedicate myself in all of these ways each and every day.
Since I can remember, I’ve been around animal rescue. My family took in strays and rescues growing up. I’ve surprised my parents by bringing home numerous dogs and cats (and one chicken and one duck) over the years, which I lovingly call “gifts of the street.” Being raised by such animal-centric parents it was natural for me to help when needed and contribute when the opportunity presented itself; but after I adopted a precious, mangy little puppy, I began to realize the extreme gift this crazy and hilarious dog was to my life. I knew I had to do more than just help when an issue crossed my path. I knew I had to give back to the group of people that made her companionship possible.
My little Izzy was abandoned as a puppy and was badly malnourished with horrific demodectic mange – not contagious, but very expensive and difficult to eliminate, and debilitating if not treated. Coastal Pet Rescue took her in and began treatment immediately. Some rescues can’t or won’t treat these kinds of cases or take on this kind of risk – Coastal did and continues to do so until this day. That was over 6 years ago…. since then, the volunteers of Coastal Pet Rescue have saved thousands of lives and have built an organization that will continue to save countless more.
Though even the smallest of efforts can make a big difference, rescue work is not always sunshine and puppy kisses. There are extremely tough decisions and painfully disheartening outcomes. There are days when I think I can’t keep doing it and days I just sit and cry. But, on that day when I save an animal from death row and it can’t give me enough “thank you” kisses, I remember why I do this. When I see the elated faces of the adopters as they meet their new family member, it gives me fuel to keep going. When I finally start to see trust again in the eyes of a dog who’s been neglected and abused most of its life… I realize all over again that this animal needs me to be its voice and that my actions are the only way things are going to change. When that happens, I realize I have no choice but to be that “someone” for them.
If you are interested in being that “someone” and volunteering, donating, or adopting, please contact me with any questions! You can also go to http://coastalpetrescue.org/.
Check out more information on what Coastal Pet Rescue is all about!
Coastal Pet Rescue Vision:
Coastal Pet Rescue is recognized as a major resource for the welfare of homeless, abandoned and abused companion animals in Savannah. Our goal is to lower euthanasia rates at our county animal control by:
- Bringing adoptable pets into our program for medical and social rehabilitation and re-homing.
- Providing resources to pet owners to encourage their responsibility and commitment to their pets and prevent them from contributing to the homeless pet population (i.e. spay/neuter awareness, microchipping, etc.).
We want to be a valuable resource to our community. We believe that one person can make the difference in the life of an animal in need, so as an organization, we have more strength to help more animals.
Coastal Pet Rescue provides:
- Rescue, foster care, veterinary care, and sterilization for animals in county animal shelters that would otherwise be euthanized.
- Foster care for animals surrendered by their owners who either can no longer provide for the pets or no longer wish to have them in their homes.
- Adoption of rescued pets to qualified homes that have been properly screened and counseled by our adoption coordinators and foster parents to maintain the pet in the home for a lifetime.
- Training of leadership team members and volunteers in the areas of humane education, animal welfare, animal behavior and care, and disaster response.
- Education to the public in the form of adoption counseling, pet behavior consultation and training, hurricane evacuation planning, media interviews, and classroom presentations.
