Volunteer Spotlight: Julie Hundman

For more than a decade, Julie Hundman has been volunteering in HSMO’s education department as a humane educator. She has taught thousands of children and adults of all ages in her time volunteering and absolutely loves it.

“I am a retired teacher, so I get my teaching fix from the HSMO education department,” she says. “I truly enjoy teaching kids to be animal advocates, and I have great respect for the education department volunteers. JoEllyn Klepacki has created an atmosphere where kindness, patience, acceptance and creativity are valued.  She is a huge reason many of us have volunteered for years.”

Julie and her fellow humane educators choose the classes and activities they teach, and she can often be found teaching kids how to be Shelter Buddies on the weekends. As a book lover and animal advocate, she has written seven books for children with themes about kindness and respect for animals and people.

Participants of the Shelter Buddies Reading Program enjoy reading her books to the shelter animals. Julie also helps out with Kids for Critters Summer Camp and other events throughout the year, and her dog Aggie often accompanies her.

“Aggie is so good with people and is truly a powerful ambassador for the animals from HSMO,” she says. “Every time Aggie meets children or adults in the classroom, at fairs, or conferences, everyone’s experience is enriched and brightened.

No matter what your interest area, there’s a volunteer opportunity at HSMO that will line up with it, Julie says. “The opportunities are really unlimited. My advice is to take your time and train for different jobs, then pick where you want to spend your time. Whatever you decide to do will be a win-win.”

Learn more about volunteering by clicking here.