In Iredell County, it’s not just the two-legged community members who are benefiting from the altruistic efforts within the local animal shelter. Volunteers, some as young as toddlers, are participating in a program known as Books and Buddies—a unique initiative where children read to both cats and dogs, bringing a calm and educational twist to typically bustling kennels.
The program was spearheaded by Tracy Sanchez, a Volunteer Coordinator with a background in education and 4-H, Books and Buddies began in 2021, its official public launch following a year later—giving space for the young and young at heart to contribute in a way that's both meaningful and innovative, the shelter, in fact, opens its doors to readers from ages two upwards because younger kids want to be involved too, they help the animals learn to stay calm when someone is nearby according to a statement obtained by Iredell County. Sanchez told the publication, “They don’t care if you mispronounce a word or read the phone book.”
The impact of such programs seems to ripple outward, touching more than just the furry residents of the shelter. In the words of one mother, her child's reading skills and attention span saw remarkable improvement after partaking in this reading routine, an effect so noteworthy that the child returned as an official volunteer once of age. Furthermore, Kelly Chappell, a 7th-grade science teacher at Pine Lake Preparatory School, brought over 70 students to join in, many of whom found a sustained desire to give back to the community, she said, "This program is a win–win for both the shelter animals and the students—everyone gets some of their basic needs met," during an interview with Iredell County.
Indeed, the shelter boasts a diverse range of volunteers, their ages spanning from 14 to 81, and the positions just as varied—from aiding in adoption events to photographing pets to boost adoption chances on social media. Not to be overlooked, the shelter also orchestrates community-engaging events such as Reverse Trick-or-Treat and spring open houses, endeavors that double as volunteer drives showcasing the dedication behind the shelter's daily operations to the public eye.
Sanchez sees the broader objective of this multifaceted volunteering ecosystem as one of planting seeds—seeds that may one day flourish into a lifelong endeavor. And while the shelter stands as a testament to the change a single individual can usher forth, it is the collective effort, the families, the retirees, the students, and every person in between, that truly encapsulates the shelter's ethos of communal care, she shares her belief that these programs ignite a long-term commitment to service, “It’s about inspiring compassion early, educating people about what we do here, and making them proud of their shelter," she noted in the Iredell County publication.
