Volunteer of the Month - February 2020

This month we’re thrilled to be celebrating Laura Bartlett as our Volunteer of the Month! Laura’s best known around VOKRA for her wonderful photographs of the cats and kittens in our care. Her photos have helped countless kitties to get noticed and in turn get adopted. Many of her photos can also be found all over our marketing initiatives, including our website, social media channels and brochures.

Here Laura tells us in her own words how she became involved with VOKRA and why:

My first experience with VOKRA was tied in with a feral cat left at a feeding site. I finally trapped him (my first try at trapping) and the lady who lent me the trap recommended I speak to Charis Kalesnikoff about having him tamed. Charis is a VOKRA volunteer so she recommended I take the cat there and she helped me intake him with the help of Maria Soroski, who agreed to take him in. Then he was taken in by foster Derek Roulston and his wife Anita who let me follow his progress and even invited me to visit with him. I was so taken with the whole team, their compassion and willingness to help, that I looked into volunteering. I started in 2016 doing photography in foster homes where I met more wonderful people and kitties galore, including many adorable kittens. 

In 2017 I started spending time with Janet Cox, a very experienced trapper on the trapping team and learned the ropes of trapping. I then official joined the trapping team, where I mostly trap in New Westminster and Burnaby.

My most memorable trapping experience this year was walking the alleys at 1 a.m. with the “ladies of the night” on Kingsway, looking for a cat they had reported hanging around. There was a shooting at the same time a block away, so it was pretty scary. I left posters around the area and searched for a few nights. A nice homeless man ended up nabbing the cat and putting him in a bag and then called the number on the poster.  My partner and I went there at midnight to retrieve the little guy, bypassing a major fire of a squat a block away. A little too much excitement! Not to discourage future trappers, this was an aberration and a bit of an adventure. It’s extremely satisfying to rescue these poor lost or abandoned souls who are struggling to survive in alleys and vacant homes and lots and to see them bloom in VOKRA foster homes.

VOKRA’s a great organization and I’m very happy for education about rescue that has been imparted to me and all the dedicated compassionate volunteers I have met. They are very special people. Thank you VOKRA!

Now Laura’s being a bit modest about all the things she does for VOKRA so we asked a few of her fellow volunteers to fill us in:

Laura helps with many things behind the scenes, including helping to sell calendars and selling, mailing and transporting VOKRA merchandise around the Lower Mainland. Many of her photos have appeared in the annual VOKRA calendar as well. Laura also sits on the events committee and has helped with planning events, as well as volunteering at various public gathering, functions and fundraising events.

Laura’s the type of volunteer who’s always willing to lend a hand when people are looking for dependable volunteers. She’s a good resource for VOKRA at our functions and her pleasant personality and sincere love for the cats makes her an invaluable ambassador for VOKRA.

 Charis Kalesnikoff

I’ve had the wonderful pleasure of having Laura come to my home several time when I was fostering and take the best pictures. She’s patient, comes with toys, baskets, all her tricks of the trade and captures the best shots. All of my fosters have been adopted shortly after their professional “head shots” were taken and I always enjoyed being Laura’s assistant and herding kittens for her. Thank you Laura for all your help and generosity in everything you do for VOKRA.  You’re another unsung hero among many.

Valerie McBride

THANK YOU Laura for all the time and effort you put into rescuing kitties from the streets and helping them to get adopted! We’re truly grateful to have you as one of our volunteers.

As a volunteer-driven non-profit, we clearly couldn’t do what we do without our extremely dedicated and hardworking team of volunteers. Thank you to each and every one of you!

VOKRA’s always in need of volunteers. If you’re interested in volunteering click here.