4473 Barton Orleans Road Orleans, VT 05860 802-754-2228

On October 24, Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter celebrated the value of volunteerism by hosting an appreciation dinner for current volunteers and friends at the Eastside Restaurant in Newport. In this photo, taken by volunteer Lisa Robinson, Doe Ruggles (right forefront) expresses congratulations to Ruth Gjessing. Both women have volunteered at the shelter for many years. While Doe spends most of her volunteer time working with and walking the dogs, Ruth’s passion is the spay/neuter clinic for cats and kittens. The number of hours expended by both of these volunteers is innumerable and invaluable, yet it represents only a fraction of the hours spent by all the volunteers combined throughout the year. In the background of the photo, Audrey Rockwell (left) is both surprised and pleased as she converses with Amy Mariotti. Audrey works at the shelter through the VT Associates Program and knows each of the cats by name and by their particular likes and dislikes.