What Its Like to Be a Volunteer
"Hi. My name is Toni Walthall. I am a Graphic Artist in an Electronic Prepress position here in Roanoke. I have been a volunteer at Roanoke Wildlife Rescue for going on 3 years. This is my favorite spot to be, most of the time, although we have a lot of badly hurt animals that come in from time to time. It gives you a since of accomplishment, especially when you see a young raccoon attacked by dogs healed to the point of being able to go back to the wild, or a red tailed hawk who got tangled in a barbed wire fence be able to fly and hunt on his own again. There was one recent incident that really touched me. A grade school boy brought in a turtle with a broken shell. He said that he had come across a group of boys that were hitting the turtle with a hammer. He tried to get them to stop. He ended up giving them his lunch money to leave the turtle alone. We gave the turtle time to recover and patched his shell. Then he was able to be released. Each and every animal here has their own interesting story. It makes you feel as if you are making a difference somehow. I would recommend this to anyone that is the least bit interested. Once you start, and get to know the other volunteers and the animals its hard to go back to your everyday routine."
Toni Walthall, Graphic Artist
"I have always enjoyed having pets and learning about wildlife. As a kid I spent time helping fledgling birds, baby bunnies, opossums, and occasionally a squirrel, but was always guessing about what would work best to keep them going. Now I join Dorothy and others at Roanoke Wildlife Rescue in the rehabilitation process and the results are much more successful. This is an exceptional opportunity to not only care for injured and orphaned animals but also to observe the healing and growing process resulting in release back to their natural habitats. Come join us. We could be your long awaited chance to be involved in a much needed and rewarding cause."
Diane Campbell, Assistant Program Manager of Sanctuary Crisis Intervention Center (Retired)
"I am a second grade teacher at Wasena Elementary School. I first heard of the Wildlife Center when I moved close by. I would drive by and think what a wonderful thing they were doing and wish more people would help animals. When it came time to teach my class about living things and their environments, I called the Wildlife Center and asked if they would come out and do a program. While setting up a date for the program I asked if they needed volunteers. This was in April (the middle of baby season) and the woman said they were always looking for volunteers. After hanging up the phone I began to think about all of the things I had going on in my life and adding one more was insane. Then I realized that it wasn't enough to drive by and think what a wonderful thing they were doing and wish more people would help animals. If I truly felt that way I should make some time in my life to help them. It turned out to be one of the most exciting and rewarding things I have ever done. I love animals and find all of them beautiful in their own way. While it took me a while to come to grips with the ones we lost, it helped give me a sense of how nature works and be grateful for the ones we saved. I also learned that caring for the animals and making a difference in their lives was a lot more than feeding cute baby animals. It takes knowledge to know what you are doing, patience to work through tough situations, and commitment to being there even when it is easier to stay home. While life can sometimes be very hectic, I volunteer at the Roanoke Wildlife Rescue because it is my way of helping animals and supporting the people who care so much about our wildlife." Dee Dee Hartson
"My name is Cole Fike Hartson. I'm 26 years old and work as a graphic designer for Dominion Solutions. I work with computers all day every day. While I really enjoy my work, it can be very sterile. Volunteering at the Wildlife Rescue Center gives me an intimate connection with nature that would otherwise be missing in my life. Besides helping to balance my life, it's very inspiring to be able to make such a tangible and immediate difference in a living creature's life. I get a real sense of accomplishment from helping to construct a safe habitat for animals that would otherwise be suffering."
Cole Hartson
Home