One fall day, 8 years ago, Linda Woloshyn received a postcard in her mailbox about the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada inviting her to visit on a Christmas Open Day. Not knowing much about donkeys then, she decided it would be interesting to visit.
A love for donkeys was born that day and she has never looked back!
In the 8 years since she took her training along with 25 other volunteers, some faces have changed and there are some new buildings, but the peace and tranquility that comes from being with the donkeys never changes. She also loves being part of the volunteer community at the DSC, where other volunteers have become her friends.
Linda started sponsoring two donkeys, Jacob and Rimkin, when she first became a donor and over the years has created a whole photo album with pictures of the many donkeys she has sponsored. Every one of them is different, with their own personality and she loves them all. Spending so much time with donkeys over the years, Linda has come to understand they are intuitive creatures, sensing when she may need to feel their calm presence and coming to her side on a difficult day to offer their own special brand of comfort.
Linda likes to treat her volunteer time as a job. She knows there is important work to do when she comes to the DSC several times each week. There’s lots of time for donkey snuggles, but she also knows the DSC staff depends on volunteers not just for cleaning stalls and grooming donkeys, but also to be an extra set of eyes as they work with the donkeys.
Noticing a donkey is spending more time than usual lying down, or seems to be bothered in some way, Linda knows it’s important to let Barn staff know so they can check in on the donkey and follow up with any concerns. Volunteering on Open Days, she is aware an important part of her job is answering questions and providing education, helping people to understand the unique nature of donkeys, what it takes to care for them and sharing some stories of how our donkeys and mules came to be at the DSC. She finds people are often surprised to learn how long donkeys live and how caring for them is so different from horses and other animals. Linda wants donors to feel confident knowing when they sponsor a donkey or donate, their donation is being responsibly used for the benefit of the equines in our care.
When you visit for an Open Day, you may find Linda in the Donkey House, meeting folks like Dominic and Monika, who came to visit Pearl, the donkey they sponsor. Here’s what Dominic had to say: “[Linda] patiently and enthusiastically answered every question we had and went above and beyond in sharing her vast knowledge and experience. Linda’s passion and enthusiasm for her work is infectious, and her dedication to the donkeys’ welfare and the mission of the DSC shone through her every word. Words cannot express the reassurance that conversation gave us that our monthly contributions are going to the right place and making the impact we intend for them. And as human beings, our hearts swelled with the comfort of knowing that the animals at the DSC couldn’t be in more loving hands.”
