Here’s the deal: I’m a cat person. Don’t get me wrong, I like dogs, too. I could watch the Dog Whisperer for hours on end. But I just love how cats can be there for snugfests (as I call them with my cat, Luther) and still be so low maintenance. Best deal ever, in my opinion. So when Make A Difference day came around, I was super pumped to volunteer with Partners For Pets, based out of Collinsville, IL to help with an adoption day at PetSmart. I thought I’d have a fabulous day of petting cats, showing them to people who may be their future humans, and hearing lots of lots of purring.

 

Wrong.

 

It was dog day. And oh my gosh. The barking, the excitedness, the pulling on the leashes—it was almost too much for me to handle. But I used some of my favorite tricks from Cesar and started to see the excitement people got when I would walk a dog past them. People who stop and pet, ask their names, and I could just see them picturing how that dog would fit in their lives.

 

I didn’t see any adoptions that day, but I did see the hope those animals had for finding a forever home, and I understood why AmeriCorps members are encouraged to participate in community service outside of their organization. And that service can be anything! I haven’t heard much about Katie’s Make a Difference Day, but I know she did clean-up in the Riverview area, helping our St. Louis keep its natural beauty.

 

Of course, there’s not just one day that AmeriCorps members are encouraged to serve—there’s also special occasions, like when Springfield visited and we helped paint part of a homeless shelter. Or days like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which is a huge day of service across the nation. Katie and I did prep work for the MLK Day event, and helped create bags filled with energy efficient light bulbs and information on being green that would be distributed to low-income neighborhoods. I felt very productive that day, and if you check out the pictures, you can see why.

 

Though Katie and I both enjoy our specific roles in Preparedness and Response, I know we are both so glad that AmeriCorps gives us opportunities to help with a variety of issues throughout St. Louis that can benefit everyone—whether they have four legs or two.

 

 

Until tomorrow…

 

Jillian