Volunteer Spotlight

Daryl Carbone:
Reaching the Upper Echelon of Doggie Goodness

Susan put Daryl in touch with OC co-founder Marie Joyner, another "dog person". Nearly a year later, Daryl is a help line volunteer, helping with dog-related questions, re-homing, and behavioral difficulties. She is also involved in Canine U, learning more about canine behavior, helping with classes, and learning how to train the dogs. She also assists Marie with the canine evaluations that are done prior to listing a dog for adoption.

A retired nurse, Daryl is also the mother of four children. "While I took care of my children and worked part-time, I also volunteered in my church and in the Bolton schools as a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. When the last of my kids went off to college, I found myself contemplating the next direction I should take. Many things came together, and I found OC!"

Daryl considers herself very much the winner in her association with Our Companions, saying that she has gotten back so much more than she could have imagined. "How can you beat being able to help people and animals at the same time? I really love talking to people and helping them solve their dog issues. The best part is when you can help them find ways to keep their dogs with them. It is always challenging and very fulfilling. I can't say enough about Marie and her way with dogs. She is truly awesome, so very intuitive."

Executive Director Susan Linker sees the relationship from a different perspective. "Daryl is one of Marie's real right hands. With all that she does for Our Companions and our clients, she has escalated to the upper echelons of doggie goodness!"

Being involved with Our Companions is more than just a volunteer job for Daryl. "Everyone in the organization pulls together and supports each other. Now that I have found OC, I can't imagine not being involved in some capacity. Animals are so important in our lives and give back to us more than we give them. They are all about unconditional love!"

If you would like to find out more about our volunteer opportunities, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer @ourcompanions.org, or telephone (860) 242-9999, ext. 1.

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