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It’s never too young to start volunteering

Disclosure: This post is a sponsored post for which I received monetary compensation. In some cases, compensation may have been used to purchase the item so that I may give a personal account of my experience.

Start volunteering with your young children

Years ago, it was important for me to start volunteering my time to causes in my community. Through the years, I’ve done a lot of volunteer work. It’s something I feel helps feed my soul, as well as keeps me centered on the things that matter in my life. While volunteering, my time’s not about my paychecks, nor is it about things I can buy with said paychecks. The experience helps me understand I’m a part of something bigger…..

Animals are “my thing”

Growing up my family always had pets. A dog was always in our home. Heck, my Mom had a dog before she had kids. Duke was her first baby, and we were never allowed to forget it! We adored Duke. My kids have the same scenario in our house, because my pug has been with me for almost 14 years. Long before I ever met Mr. Sunflower, let alone thought about kids!

Why am I telling you about pets, and volunteering? Keep reading, it’ll all begin to become more clear, I promise!

Start volunteering at a young age

In my business, I do pretty amazing stuff. After years of putting in hard work on NovemberSunflower.com, opportunities are handed to me, allowing me to open my children’s eyes to the world around us. My desire to teach them about “giving back” is possible thanks to emBARK on Pet Health. Even at the ages of 4, and 6, it’s never too young to start volunteering, at least in my eyes, anyway!

Recently, we visited a local animal shelter on Long Island. I introduced the kids to what an animal shelter is: a place where pets “visit” before a family brings them home to love. Now, if you missed my post from earlier this month, please take the time to check it out to learn more about the emBARK program, and what it’s doing for local animal shelters. If you can’t, please take the pledge for pet health. When you make the pledge, Sergeant’s Pet Health kit to a shelter in need.

Save-A-Pet in Port Jefferson Station

Our visit to Save-A-Pet in Port Jefferson Station, Long Island, which is associated with Guardians of Rescue in Smithtown, was a HUGE STEP in getting the kids into volunteering. The “chick in charge,” also know as Dori, made the kids feel welcome. She introduced them to other staff members, she allowed them to pet some of the cats, and showed them pictures of her own dogs. The entire staff is friendly, warm, and dedicated to all of the pets entering the shelter. What I loved about the shelter the most? It allows kids to volunteer. There’s a whole “junior” program for kids. Obviously my kids will need me there with them, but that’s part of the whole experience. Doing it together!

Options for younger kids to help

Younger children are allowed to:

  • brush the cats, as well as play with them, so they receive a little love until a family can adopt them.
  • hold fund raisers
  • conduct “supply” drives at their schools

Shelter need many supplies in order to operate. It’s not just about food for the animals, but also cleaning supplies. It’s such an amazing way for kids to learn about “giving back” at any age. Plus, it gets them talking to other kids about the shelter, and how they can help, too.

Guardians of Rescue is based in Smithtown, but doesn’t have a physical location. Their main focus is having members protect the well-being of all animals, as well as their owners. If there’s distress, they are there to offer aid. The main shelter Dori, who is responsible for Guardians of Rescue, is a director of is the shelter we’ll be volunteering at, Save-A-Pet in Port Jefferson Station. It’s the shelter benefiting from the emBARK on Pet Health program!

Beyond volunteering

Beyond the volunteer programs, people can help in other ways:

  • money donations
  • donate a car
  • purchase and drop off supplies
  • and of course, you can ADOPT a pet.

The amount of cats in that shelter….it’s so sad. There’s plenty of dogs to adopt, as well. My kids found it hard to believe so many animals didn’t have families to love them, and were all just waiting. Slowly, the two of them are learning to be grateful for what they have, and for what we can provide for our own dog. Yes, they did ask to bring one home. Answer: Mama doesn’t do the cat thing, so they can just tell friends, and family about the cats at the shelter.

Outstanding services offered to ALL pets owners

Another aspect standing out to me: the clinic offers pet owners so much for their pets. You don’t have to have a pet adopted from Save-A-Pet to be allowed to use Cliffs Clinic. They offer Spay, Neuter, and Vaccination services. They also Microchip! All of it is fairly priced, too. Pricing for all of Cliffs Clinic services can be found on their website.

The shelter is, quite simply, awesome. It’s kept impeccably clean. You’d never know animals were even in there, it’s so well taken care of. I can’t say enough about the staff, just amazing. The kids are looking forward to heading there to brush the cats, and I’m hoping to help at some of their fund raising events throughout the year.

I’m so thankful that The Motherhood, Sergeant’s and emBARK are providing me with the chance to share this amazing emBARK on Pet Health Program with everyone, plus bringing the existence of the pledge to your attention, and having a shelter benefiting from the program close enough for me to volunteer at with the kids.

If you’ve got a pet, you’ll want to make sure you’re keeping up with my blog posts! If you have to sign up to get the daily emails, do it now, so you won’t miss the Pet Health Giveaway I’ll be hosting VERY SOON!

emBark and Sargeant's Logo

By | 2017-09-22T11:52:38-04:00 March 11, 2013|Long Island|Comments Off on It’s never too young to start volunteering

About the Author:

Staci loves to write, and loves to share her "take" on everything thrown her way. Movies, entertainment, food, fashion, shopping, money, travel and family. There's nothing off limits at NovemberSunflower.com, and Staci's always telling it like it is: good, bad, and all that lies in between!