Discouraged

Last month, I decided I needed to get out of the house more and volunteer and of course, my first choice is at a cat rescue. One would think it would be easy, but alas.

1. Contacted the humane society where I got the Squeakster. First new volunteer session is in December. Um yeah, do you really need volunteers.

2. Found a no kill rescue near my apartment by chance. Happened upon their adoption event at the local petco and expressed interest in volunteering. The lady wouldn't take my info and instead insisted that I call and leave my info. So I did. Didn't hear anything. Called back 2 weeks later, and left my info again. Another week and still nothing.

So now I'm debating what to do, and am a bit discouraged. I would prefer to volunteer at the one near me, but I'm a put off at their lack of communication. I understand that they're all volunteers and busy people with busy lives, but couldn't they pick up the phone and let me know they're busy and will call me back once everything is under control?

There's another rescue that I'm thinking of now, but it's across town. I'd probably end up taking the bus, which is an hour each way. Should I wait to hear from the one near me or apply at this one? I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but 3 weeks to get back to a volunteer who excited to get started ASAP seems a bit much.

Can you go in to the rescue personally to talk to someone instead of doing it over the phone? It would be good to make sure they've actually written down your information. Sometimes phone messages get lost in the shuffle. The shelter where I volunteer has a two-page form for volunteers to fill out.

That or the no kill shelter has poor management.

Is it an absolute must that you have to work with animals - cats? If you're willing to broaden out a little there are other groups that desperately need people to volunteer. See if your area has any organizations that need help with children, battered women, poor/homeless, etc if you goal is to truly get out and do something to help somehow.

I probably will stop by the shelter this weekend to see, although the more I think about it, it may be a better bet to volunteer at the one across town, so I can always count on a bus ride and won't have to drive if there's a snowstorm (last winter my brakes were wonkey and although I've gotten them fixed, I can't say I'm looking forward to winter driving anyone).

And there are plenty of other volunteer opportunities. I had thought about teaching english to immigrants or helping them study for citizenship tests, but after being married to an immigrant for 4 years and helping him with his english and citizenship, I'm a bit burnt out on that issue

Plus, people tend to aggrivate me (I'm totally not a people person), and I really hope I can get some peace through volunteering, not further aggrivation

Stuff gets lost in our shelter all the time too, it goes like this

We have volunteer receptionists who take messages, they have to write it in their message book then transfer it to the file for the person who takes care of that stuff.

I am forever finding my messages and mail fallen down under my hanging file or other peoples mail in mine and they get mine

I would just go in