Nicole Bodem‘s volunteer experience is impressive. She has taught conversational English to people new to the U.S., volunteered at orphanages in India, and started a lung cancer walk in honor of her mother-in-law.” For me, personal growth comes from contributing to the greater good,” says Nicole. “I’ve truly become a better person through volunteering”. A lifelong passion for animals led Nicole to seek out a volunteer opportunity at SDR. Her first experience was being a foster guardian for a miniature poodle named “Ty.” “The same name as my son,” she laughs. “It was a fun few months in my house!”
Her next foster, Cody, stole her heart. Her family ended up adopting the dappled Doxie after meeting him at a foster event. Cody’s entry into the family was not problem-free. Cody had experienced a harsh life in a Missouri puppy mill, but once he had a clean bill of health his unique being” began to shine through. “Cody is so loving and loyal. During the day he is best buds with me (I work from home) and at night you can find him sleeping nose to nose with my husband. He has the typical Doxie traits he is very strong-willed and stubborn at times, refuses to go outside if it is raining, windy or too cold as deemed by him etc. but these are also the things we love so much about him. It’s hard to look into his eyes and think about how awful the first 5 years of his life were. I hope Cody knows he is safe now and will be spoiled and loved to pieces for the rest of his life.”
Though Nicole’s volunteer duties have shifted to other areas, she and her family still make time for SDR. She stresses that volunteering doesn’t need to involve a lot of time. "Even if you have 1 hour a month, that 1 hour can change the life of a dog forever. There are so many volunteer activities that require zero commitment: Donate proceeds from your garage sale, knit/crochet something we can sell at a fundraiser, donate a bag of dog food, or just help spread awareness about the importance of adoption.”
We agree, Nicole! Thank you and Cody for helping SDR in so many ways.
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