Special Bond - Heather and Abigale
/Our amazing volunteer, Heather, came to HEEFS looking for a meaningful and fulfilling way to fill some of her spare time as she inched towards retirement. She was looking for a volunteer opportunity that would be true to her values and help keep her happy and healthy for a long time. Lucky for us, Heather found HEEFS. She began her regular volunteering with HEEFS in December of 2017 and has never looked back.
Although every resident is special in his or her own way, our sweet Abigale managed to wiggle her way just a bit deeper into the heart and soul of Heather. “When Abigale arrived at the Sanctuary in June of 2018, I immediately fell in love with her,” remembers Heather. “She has the most amazing personality and the sweetest distinctive little teardrop spot near her left eye.” Every picture with Abigale is special to Heather, but she particularly loves this one which was taken by loving caregiver, Cheri, who brings positive energy to every shift.
Abigale is the daughter of Jolene and they both arrived at HEEFS, along with friend, Fiona, from Farm X. while they were in isolation (a regular protocol at HEEFS to ensure all new residents are healthy before being integrated into a herd), Heather noticed a few endearing qualities that made Abigale tug hard at her heartstrings. “I remember thinking how incredibly beautiful she was,” says Heather, “and how she was a little mamma’s girl, always hanging close by Jolene. But she was also so affectionate and so curious toward me when I cleaned her stall, coming over to talk with me and watch what I was doing.” But, as Heather is quick to point out, Abigale is no pushover. She can hold her own and often gets into heated discussions with her adopted sister, Tammy.
Abigale and Heather bonded very quickly, and in a very special way. “No matter what she was doing, when I came around, Abigale would immediately come over to say, “hi” to me,” says Heather. “And it wasn’t about food because I was often empty-handed. She just stole my heart.”
Heather loves her work at HEEFS but, at the beginning, was a bit concerned that maybe it would become monotonous. “I said once to Alison, the Caregiver on my shift for most of my time at HEEFS, that I didn’t really understand how the work didn’t become monotonous – the same thing every shift – feed/clean/clean/clean. But the personalities of the residents and the people keep things dynamic and interesting. I have never had a boring shift at the farm! It’s physically demanding work that is soul satisfying. And if things get quiet, I sneak off to say “hi” to Abigale and ask her how her day is going. She has so many interesting stories to tell.”
