Mary Wells

My Journey:

After adopting through GRRMF in 2010 and 2011, I decided that I wanted to be able to give back when I retired in 2018. During the COVID pandemic, I worked online for the media team and gradually explored other ways to contribute. One of my favorite memories occurred during a therapy visit to Meadowlane Elementary school with our GRRMF alum, Cooper – a big lab with black fur. The other dogs on the team were fluffy golden retrievers, so Cooper stood out and got a lot of attention from the young students. One of the boys gave Cooper a big hug and told me, “He’s a polar bear!” to which I smiled and said, “Polar bears are white, but Cooper’s black?” and he responded, “He’s a BLACK polar bear!” as if the fact was obvious. Cooper and I both loved visiting schools and listening as the children would read books to us – especially since I am a former elementary educator, I cherish the opportunity to encourage kids to read and make learning fun.

Sometimes I travel outside of Florida for weeks or months at a time, meaning I can’t contribute in-person. But if I have an internet connection, I can help out online. This flexibility is part of why working with GRRMF has been such a joy to work with.

Advice for Potential Volunteers:

Try a role and see if it fits. Ask questions, give opinions and be patient.