Volunteer Spotlight: Deanna
Deanna started volunteering at HFS early in 2024, after retiring from a teaching career and moving to the area from LaCrosse. She had learned about HFS dating back to 2015 through her daughter, Krysta. “From our first visits to Heartland, we came to see the importance of the farm sanctuary mission. We loved meeting the animal residents and we admired the dedicated staff and volunteers,” Deanna said.
Why Heartland? I grew up an only child on a small farm (cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, geese, ducks, a pony…ironically, no goats), and it was important that my own family always have animal connections. We had many kinds of pets over the years. So, volunteering at HFS seemed like a great opportunity for me to reconnect with my farm ‘roots,’ but with a different perspective on animal life.
What do you do at Heartland? I do chores in the main barn and our shift takes turns helping with bird barn chores as well. So it’s mucking, cleaning, providing fresh water, and doing any misc. chores that need to be done that day.
What do you love most about volunteering at HFS? I love turning into the HFS driveway, putting the stressful world on mute. I know I’ll be spending three busy hours with incredibly kind and dedicated staff and volunteers, learning about and helping care for some of the most curious and intriguing animals I’ve ever met. What’s not to love?
Do you have a favorite sanctuary resident? I have goat favorites: Murphy, the ‘I’ll-take-my back rubs and scratches-now-please’ goat and the ‘We will charm you’ Breakfast Club trio. Also, I’ve met and been enchanted by Sabrina hen — I love her gentleness and that we share a love of corn.
What do you enjoy doing with your time outside of Heartland? Keeping my 46+ houseplants happy, reading, genealogy and other volunteering. During the summer I manage our extensive outdoor perennial gardens and always make time for family, which includes 5 adults, 2 cats ( Dwight and Marley), and 1 animal- loving granddaughter).
