Volunteer helps puts animals in loving homes

United Way Volunteer Spotlight

PALMER — Many people have a soft heart for animals, and for good reason. Betty Vehrs is one of those people, and her heart goes farther than just loving the animals.

Vehrs is the volunteer coordinator at the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Animal Control Shelter, and through her volunteer work, she has made a big difference in not only the lives of the animals, but also the lives of the workers.

"She pitches in in every way," wrote Donnie Darilek in her nomination of Vehrs. "The numbers tell the story."

Last October, Vehrs was asked by the borough to serve on an Animal Control board. Since then, it has been changed to an Animal Care and Regulations advisory board.

After touring Anchorage facilities, Vehrs decided she wanted to get a volunteer coordinator position started in the Valley, but there was no money for it, so she took the job herself — without pay, of course.

"It's a pro bono position, basically," Vehrs said. "I keep regular hours, but without getting paid."

Through the support of the assembly and borough officials, she said, the shelter now has 10-15 volunteers who help with every aspect of the shelter.

"We don't want this to be the big bad dog pound, but a place where the community can find and love the pets," Vehrs said. "Our volunteer program is wonderful."

Vehrs has done a number of positive things for the shelter, including increasing adoption rates of pets, reducing the number of euthanasia numbers by "leaps and bounds," and establishing a volunteer program at the shelter.

"I could send a virtual liturgy about what she has accomplished," Darilek said. "She is at animal control every day as a volunteer. We all complained when she took a couple of days off with no signed leave slip.

"Betty is directly responsible for all of the good things that are happening at animal control," Darilek added.

Vehrs has some long-range goals for the shelter.

She is continuously looking to improve the image, and she said an ordinance has been filed to change the name to Animal Care and Regulation, rather than Animal Control. The shelter soon will also be open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends.

"It'll be the first time we've ever been open seven days a week," Vehrs said.

She is also looking for donations from businesses to help reward her volunteers, and to help recruit new ones.

"The work here is what makes me get up every day with a smile," Vehrs said. "When I first got to the Valley 33 years ago, there was no such thing as animal control. It has really made a difference in the community, and that's what we want to keep on doing."

Communities in the Mat-Su Valley benefit every day from the work of volunteers.

Mostly, the work performed and the volunteers themselves remain out of the spotlight. They are faceless people who give their time and their talent each day, without expecting or receiving much recognition.

We want to change that. Is there a volunteer your nonprofit agency simply could not live without? Does one person make a big difference in your life every day, all without asking for anything in return? If so, please let us know.

We want to shed light on the efforts many of these unassuming people give every day to charities, nonprofit agencies, local organizations or even their neighbors.

In future issues of the Frontiersman, we will highlight some of these people and the work they perform that makes the Mat-Su Valley a great place to live.

To nominate a person to be highlighted, please e-mail the person's name, a contact number for them and for yourself, and a brief description of what makes the work they do important. E-mail submissions to editor@alaska.net, or mail them to the Frontiersman, 5751 E. Mayflower Ct., Wasilla, AK, 99654.