Giving
Giving is about the opportunity to serve my community and share the wealth that has come to me. I recently had the opportunity to volunteer my photography skills to the Roice-Hurst Humane Society located here in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Humane Society is a non-profit organization that provides shelter, food, and medical care to homeless animals, along with a temporary housing project for people experiencing homelessness with their pets. They also work to educate the public about animal welfare and responsible pet ownership. Their Mission Statement is to Promote bonds between pets and their people.
As part of Sweet Light Pet Photography’s business model, it is really important to me to give back to my community as much as I can. I donate a percentage of my annual profit to Roice-Hurst Humane Society and volunteer for pet photography once a month! So this year when I offered my donation I noticed they had a Matching Gift option. RHHS set up and promoted a Matching Donations campaign that doubled my donation plus some. It’s a great feeling to be able to help them raise much-needed funds.
The day I came to photograph just happened to be during a Kitten Shower Donation Drive. A Foster Kitten family stopped by with two litters of kittens that would soon be ready for adoption and we were able to get cute promotional photos of the kittens. One of the ways that the Humane Society helps homeless animals is through fostering. Fostering is when a volunteer takes in an animal from the shelter and provides them with a temporary home. This allows the animal to get the care, attention, and socialization they need while they wait for their forever home. Fostering is a great way to help animals in need.
Roice-Hurst has a great facility with a large well-maintained field for walking and exercising the dogs who have come for a stay. I was able to get some photos of the dogs at play hoping to show their unique personalities and abilities. The staff is great at working with each dog individually to assess their needs and areas of adjustment. They work hard to provide excellent animal care and enrichment for all of the animals at the shelter.
It’s been rewarding to see some of the dogs I photographed that day find their forever homes.
In my next NEWS post, we will take a look at the Art Of Puppy Photography and what it takes to get the perfect shot!
