Charlie Olson is the form of volunteer an organization likes to signal on for duties. The Humane Society of St. Joseph County is fortunate to have him. He walks with objective. He is aware of the work. He has Down syndrome. A truth of life.
He is there at 11 a.m. Wednesdays. You can set your watch on his arrival. He is compassionate, mild and enjoys the job. He socializes and brushes and performs with quite a lot of cats staying on the Humane Society. Those cats need a eternally home. Charlie helps that alongside.
Charlie can also be a media star. He options one cat on “Charlie’s Cat Corner” in weekly social media posts on Facebook. He picks out a cat that deserves consideration and must be adopted.
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Charlie was not too long ago acknowledged by the Humane Society because the Volunteer of the Year on the fall gala and fundraiser on the Four Winds Hotel. Charlie liked the occasion, the dancers and the Elvis impersonator. Most of all, he liked the highlight, in response to everybody.
Also acknowledged had been two group companions. Wellness Pet Company was named Community Partner of the Year. Wellness has been an excellent egg for offering cat and pet food at no cost for greater than 12,000 animals within the final decade.
Wellness additionally has supplied dozens of volunteers to finish shelter tasks in and out.
The third award was given to Resale to the Rescue in Mishawaka. The retailer is a not-for-profit resale retailer that financially helps native animal welfare organizations. Money from the shop has allowed the humane society to buy an anesthesia machine, present heartworm remedy to a number of dogs and helped help in offering spay/neuter surgical procedures for shelter pets and feral cats.
All properly and good. But it’s time to get again to Charlie.
Sarah Stanton, outreach coordinator, mentioned the social media posts started within the spring. The society needed to extend the media content material and Charlie’s visits appeared good. “We merged Charlie and cat photos into ‘Charlie’s Cat Corner.’”
Sarah defined that the cat rooms could home kitties who’ve been there for some time and different rooms have newcomers. Each room wants totally different consideration.
“I’m not sure how long Charlie has been coming to the Humane Society,” Sarah mentioned. “He is a great volunteer. He gives the cats confidence to be with people. He is consistently here. He deserves the honor of volunteer of the year.”
Coming with Charlie is Kerry Foley, group habitation teacher from LOGAN Community Resources Inc. “I like cats. So, I get to sit down and play with cats for a couple of hours with Charlie.”
Kerry added the final person who got here with Charlie was allergic to cats. He moved in swiftly to take the roll. Together they make a nice group.
Kerry mentioned new cats usually must get acquainted. He factors out one of many newcomers and mentions that one appears shy. “This cat needs attention and this cat wants to be brushed.” He instructs Charlie to drop the stinged toy proper in entrance of this cat to begin the play. Charlie agrees and will get the cat shifting and grooving.
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Charlie’s mom, Rosemary, mentioned her son has been visiting the society for eight years. “A friend suggested the Humane Society for him. It has just been wonderful. He loves cats and dogs. Charlie is a social butterfly, so this is perfect. We were at Sea World in Ohio and Charlie saw people he knew there. The involvement is great. He looks forward to it every Wednesday. It is his job.”
A objective with purrs and fur.
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Stroll down reminiscence lane. At one level, The Tribune took photographs of particular birthdays, equivalent to a teen turning 13 on Friday the thirteenth. The pose often included the birthday boy or woman holding a black cat or below a ladder. Throwing warning to the wind.
That was a very long time in the past.
Twins Jane and John Gilmer had their picture taken for his or her thirteenth birthday in 1961. The two regarded over a birthday cake. No cats or ladders wherever. As the picture’s caption put it then, “They have not received the time for superstitions.” They celebrated their seventy fifth birthday on Friday, Oct. 13 this 12 months.
Jane is now a Moore and lives in South Bend. John lives in Warsaw.
Jane remembers the day when the picture was taken. “I argued with my mother. She wanted me to get cleaned up and wash my hair — a typical 13-year-old. The photo is one of those treasured memories and we talk about it all the time.”
John, then again, has no reminiscence of the picture session. “I was 13. I had other things on my mind.”
John was within the Navy and later diesel trucking. Jane was a instructor. They had households. Jane had two kids and John had 4.
They didn’t spend their birthday collectively, however they did speak. “Hard to believe it has been 75 years,” Jane mentioned.
The household hopes to breed the picture the subsequent time everyone seems to be collectively.
Contact Kathy at [email protected].
