Almost five years have passed since I became involved with Hobe Sound Animal Protection League. I remember the wonder and excitement I experienced that beautiful spring day when one of the volunteers, “L,” took me out to Caring Fields Animal Sanctuary for a tour. Caring Fields is a pastoral, 23-acre property in Palm City
In this amazing setting, more than 100 cats live and roam freely on acres of grassy land that is subtly and strategically fenced to create a natural, protected environment for the cats. The property is dotted with colorful, well-crafted “houses” that serve as shelter for the cats and feeding stations where volunteers prepare meals for the cats twice each day. L. led me into one of the houses, trailed by a welcoming committee of friendly cats. I looked up to see several furry faces peering down at me from the platforms and cozy nooks that have been cleverly placed at varying heights inside the feeding station. Cats were everywhere; big cats, little cats, shy cats and outgoing cats. A pair of black and white cats rubbed up against our legs and multiple pairs of green and yellow eyes watched expectantly as we prepared their afternoon meal. It was obvious to me that these cats were well cared for and living a comfortable life. There was plenty of room to romp in the sun or nap under a tree. As “L” and I made our way through this tranquil refuge, she chatted about how much she loves coming out to feed the cats, all 100+ of them, every week during her volunteer shift.
“How long does it take to feed all these cats?” I asked.
“Oh, a couple of hours, I guess. But it’s so peaceful out here, just me and the cats. It’s quiet and you can hear the wind. I look forward to coming out.”
By the end of our tour, I was hooked. I knew I had to be part of this organization which provided such a unique, safe haven for homeless cats. Right then and there I signed up as a volunteer for a weekly feeding shift. My decision to volunteer with HSAPL turned out to be life-changing, but of course I didn’t know it at the time. Silly me, I thought I’d be coming out once a week to feed some cats. Period. Funny thing about volunteer work . . . the passion kind of sneaks up on you.
Week after week, I went to Caring Fields to feed the cats. It felt good to help, really good. And there were others helping; wonderful women who shared my love of cats and my commitment to making a difference. To this day, some of these ladies remain among my closest friends. Before long, our team of determined volunteers started coming up with ideas to help the cats. Some of us organized a weekly adoption booth at Petsmart. The more homes we found, the more cats we could take in, and the more lives we could save! Other volunteers started a network of foster families whose job it was to take in shy cats to teach them to trust people to prepare them for adoption. Our organization flourished and grew. Generous donors stepped forward with financial support and the volunteers worked together to launch the very first "Paws for a Cause" fundraiser to help cover expenses at the sanctuary. Miraculously, there always seemed to be enough to keep us going. Over time, more volunteers joined us -- men, women and teens, who shared our vision and love for cats. Before long, we were publishing a quarterly newsletter, launching an expanded website and reaching out to the local community by providing low-cost and no-cost spay/neuter services. What started as a little bit of volunteer work had taken on a life of its own.
Fast forward to the present. HSAPL is now celebrating its Tenth Year Anniversary. Caring Fields has expanded and is now home to 150 cats. We have spayed and neutered more than 1800 cats since our spay/neuter program launched in 2009 and our financial needs are met through the generous gifts of sponsors and donors and proceeds from the three large scale fundraising events we organize each year. More than 50 active volunteers now give their time, talent, money and passion to help the cats. What started as a few caring individuals coming together to help cats is now a full blown charitable organization complete with a board of directors, committees and budgets. These days, I spend much of my time on the computer and on the phone for HSAPL. I seldom have time to go out to the sanctuary to feed the cats. Although I love what I’m doing, it’s easy to forget what brought me to the organization in the first place. But any time I need a reminder I just head out to Caring Fields and walk out into the campgrounds. The welcoming committee of cats is still there, the wind still rustles through the trees, and the peace and quiet washes over me like it did that first day. I smile as I experience the magic of the sanctuary which never fails to hook me all over again.
Appointments to tour the HSAPL sanctuary at Caring Fields in Palm City , FL
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