Volunteer Profile – Melissa Poppenger

Melissa Poppenger has been a volunteer for PAWS/LA for over three years. At a difficult time in her own life, she was looking for some way to get out of her problems and become involved in helping animals and the elderly. She began researching volunteer opportunities on the internet, and when she read about PAWS, she knew that she had found her niche. Melissa is one of the angels who deliver food bank food to PAWS clients. Melissa’s route takes her to the out of the way places in the San Fernando Valley – places that others often can’t find no matter how hard they try. For Melissa, no address is too difficult to find.

Like many of PAWS/LA clients, Melissa has two companions who are as important to her as any member of her family: Her dog, Shadow, and her African Grey Parrot, Rico. Melissa has always been an animal lover. As a young person, she had cats and a family dog. Her Whippet got out of the yard and was lost. Melissa was delighted when her family received a call that someone had found their Whippet, but was dismayed when the so-called rescuer was more interested in collecting a reward then in retuning the dog. After several days of silence, the family received another phone call about the dog – this time from the “rescuer’s” girlfriend who said that she couldn’t stand hearing the dog crying, and gave Melissa the address of where the dog was being kept. Her family got the dog back five days later. The importance of having her dog returned to her is something that Melissa has never forgotten.

When Melissa is not delivering food for PAWS, she can be found working in the IT Department for the Fashion Design Institute. Prior to that, Melissa worked in a bakery where she did the early morning baking. The grocery strike of several years ago, compelled her to seek a change of career direction.

When asked what PAWS/LA means to her, Melissa replied, “It means hope and freedom. Freedom to have the animals who mean so much to our clients remain with them, and the hope that their lives will continue to improve because of the dedication and care of the people who are the heart and soul of PAWS/LA.”

 

For more information about Volunteering, contact Raymundo Baltazar. 213.741.1950 x 116

 

You can listen to this post too!