I had a great week at Ohio Wildlife Center. There is never a dull moment and I am enjoying growing my relationships with my coworkers. I heard a story from a co-worker I thought I’d dedicate my blog post to this week.

On Wednesday this week, I went on an eaglet rescue mission with Ohio Wildlife Center’s Director of Education, Stormy Gibson. Stormy has been with the organization for 11 years, and she used to be a zoo keeper at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium. On our way to rescue the eaglet, we got a call that it has safely flown back to it’s nest and our assistance was no longer needed. But while we were in the car coming back, Stormy told me a story about when she worked as an animal care provider at the Wildlife Hospital that really stuck with me.

My passion has always been helping animals, and at the last Fellows meeting I felt out of place when talking about other organizations that are focused on helping at-risk populations in our community and other people in need.

But while talking to Stormy, I realized our mission can help both animals and people. The story she shared was a few years ago when a large family had come in to the hospital with a snapping turtle that had been hit by a car while they were trying to move it across the road. You could tell the family had been through a roller coaster of emotions that day due to the tear-stained shirts and tired eyes, and they needed some peace. Unfortunately the turtle had passed away before the family could get to the hospital, but the hospital staff made sure to talk to the children, thank them for taking this time out of their day to assist a helpless animal in the middle of the road, and that they would do anything they could to help it. They needed to know their actions were not for nothing, that they did the right thing and they were appreciated, even if the outcome was not as good as hoped.

The compassion the staff displays for both animals and people at this organization is faith-restoring. People in the nonprofit world have big hearts, and they’re willing to help whoever needs it. I am thankful to be working with an organization that has so much empathy for others (human and non-human alike).