SKC gives back through volunteerism
Summer Goddard
Angus, an 18-month-old shelter dog, is affectionately groomed by SKC’s Director of Nursing, Katie Willock. Willock’s love of animals led her to choose volunteer work at the animal shelter.
Summer Goddard
Angus, an 18-month-old shelter dog, is affectionately groomed by SKC’s Director of Nursing, Katie Willock. Willock’s love of animals led her to choose volunteer work at the animal shelter.
Summer Goddard
Beth Pecora, a member of SKC’s nursing faculty, affixes a new sign on a kennel inside Mission Valley Animal Shelter, instructing visitors not to put their fingers through the fencing.
Summer Goddard
SKC faculty members Heather Licht and Linda Bone and Ace Hardware of Polson donated flowers to beautify Mission Valley Animal Shelter’s entrance area.
Summer Goddard
SKC faculty members Effie Clairmont and Virgil Brave Rock mow and weed-eat the backyard at Mission Valley Animal Shelter last Friday. The two have volunteered at the animal shelter for SKC’s Community Service Day for the past four years.
Summer Goddard
Summer Goddard
Angus, an 18-month-old shelter dog, is affectionately groomed by SKC’s Director of Nursing, Katie Willock. Willock’s love of animals led her to choose volunteer work at the animal shelter.
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PABLO – To give back to their community, nearly 200 faculty, staff and administration from Salish Kootenai College volunteered in various capacities throughout the reservation last Friday during the college’s annual community service day.
The college closes for one day every spring so that staff can spend the day volunteering for the organization or cause of their choice. This year, volunteers met at 11 different clean-up sites including Blue Bay, the Boys and Girls Club, the Elmo garden, Jocko and Polson cemeteries, Sloan’s and Buffalo bridges. Some also cleaned up along Hwy. 93 while others worked to clear elders’ driveways.
One group spent the day mowing, weed-eating, planting flowers, grooming dogs and performing general maintenance tasks at the Mission Valley Animal Shelter.
Brightly colored flowers in outdoor planters are now the first thing to greet shelter visitors.
MVAS’ new director, Jill Simpson, is glad for the help. The workday never seems long enough, she explained, to tackle the long the list of projects she’d like done.
“When you’re new, there’s always a lot of things you want to accomplish, get done,” she said. “So many (people) can accomplish so much in (just) a few hours.”
“Sure, it’s helping the staff,” she said, “But it’s (also) adding quality of life to the animals.”
According to SKC Interim President Dr. Elaine Frank, community service day has been a longstanding tradition at the college – dating back to before she began working there in 1994.
“It’s one of those days that you feel like it’s meaningful,” she said.
As the mid morning sun warmed workers busy sprucing up the animal shelter, a grateful director surveyed her surroundings.
“I’m always looking for volunteers,” she said with a smile. “It all helps.”
