They didn’t know each other before, but volunteers Nancy Perley and Nelson Jacob have spent a few hours together in the laundry room every Monday afternoon for almost two years. As they keep the washers and dryers running and shelves around the shelter stocked with clean laundry, they have become friends and have bonded over a shared satisfaction that their efforts help assure that the dogs and cats will have cozy clean bedding while they wait to be adopted.
Nancy began volunteering in 2016. Her beloved Maltese Keisy, adopted from St. Hubert’s in 2009, had passed away, and she wasn’t ready to adopt again. But Nancy was recently retired, had some time and wanted to “pay it forward” by volunteering at the shelter. In the three years since, Nancy has cleaned kennels, walked dogs, volunteered in the pet therapy program, and fostered seven lucky dogs. One of her fosters, a senior Maltese named Trixie, became a permanent member of the family back in February, and Nancy is currently fostering a fragile 18 year old toy poodle named Aunt Clara. But she always makes time for her Monday afternoons in the laundry room.
Nelson, who shares his home with his wife, twins- a son and daughter- 3 poodles and a cat, came to St. Hubert’s almost 2 years ago after he retired. Undecided about whether to volunteer at an animal shelter or with the homeless, Nelson decided on St. Hubert’s when he wasn’t able to connect with the right person at the homeless shelter, St. Hubert’s gain for sure. Nelson has cleaned kennels, done transports, helped at vaccine clinics and with Santa Paws, the annual holiday photo event at the Short Hills Mall. But like Nancy, the laundry room has become his regular Monday destination.
Nelson and Nancy are both happy to spend most of their volunteer time doing the unending, unglamorous work of laundry. “When I leave, I feel like I’ve accomplished something tangible for the dogs and cats,” says Nancy. Nelson agrees. He enjoys being part of a caring community, and finds the staff knowledgeable and a valuable resource. Most importantly, he says, “people are here because they love animals.”
