The Humans of RV project is a column based on Brandon Stanton’s seminal “Humans of New York” project, which seeks to “catalog the city’s inhabitants” through photography and brief interviews. RV seeks to expand on this project with our own “cataloging” of RV students and an examination of all the unique perspectives here at school.
Note: the interview transcript has been edited and condensed for publication purposes.
Volunteering in the community is an activity highly valued at RV, and as such, we have many members of our community engaged with giving back through service. Ms. Sandman, Rancocas Valley’s Technology Coordinator, takes this activity to another level, assisting local animal shelters in the caretaking of animals and ultimately changing their lives for the better.
It all started when she took an orientation class in the fall at the Burlington County Animal Shelter, her first step on her service journey. “It’s called Friends of Burlington County Animal Shelter (FOBCAST), and they offer different onboarding classes. So I took one that allowed me to do housekeeping and laundry at the shelter, and I really liked that opportunity,” Sandman said.
But she went even further: “[Doing] Laundry was a way to get in the building, see what they do, and provide a service, because they need the fresh linens and towels for the different cages. And after that, I took a cat handling class. So at the shelter, I’m now qualified to go in and help socialize the cats that are ready for adoption or to help them get ready for adoption.”
“By going in and petting them, talking to them, engaging with them, it helps them to understand that people are not as scary,” Sandman said in regard to how socializing helps an animal get adopted.
Sandman also volunteers at the Hissy Hut, a secondary location of FOBCAST right here in Mount Holly. It is a cat adoption center where cats can receive medical care and a spay/neuter surgery.
“So at the Hissy Hut, they are divided by rooms, but I like to go in and take a room, and you feed the animals, you play with them, and you clean their cages. It’s really rewarding.”
There’s no greater feeling than when they get adopted, as she elaborates: “It’s a great way to spend more time with animals, and really, we get so excited when they get adopted out or if we see an empty cage, we’re like, oh my gosh, that means they went home to a loving family.”
Her work doesn’t stop there at the shelters; it impacts her home, as her family has opened their doors to a number of animals, including adopting a bunny through the shelter and fostering two through Tribbles Rabbit Rescue after researching how to care for her adopted bunny, Peter.
“I saw a SOS message from this one local rescue called Tribbles Animal Rescue, and she primarily does bunnies. It’s a one-lady operation. She has over 80 bunnies in foster care right now. Spread out through South New Jersey. So she put down an SOS that she had 2 senior bunnies that needed a temporary home,” she said.
Cinnamon and Nutmeg, or the Spice Girls, as Sandman calls them, are currently fostered by her until a room opens up at a sanctuary in South Jersey.
Sandman plans to adopt Sprout, a kitten that she was fostering, telling us that her foster “fail” at the Hissy Hut is part of what she loves about the experience: “People come in, they foster most of the time they’re able to foster out and the cats get a great new life with somebody. But foster fails are just as important because the cats get a great life as well.”
One of her takeaways from the experience is that to be a volunteer is not just giving back to the community, but setting an example and harnessing a wonderful community for others to aspire to.
“I want to lead by example to my two kids that family is important, but community is also equally important,” Sandman said. “During COVID, the idea of the third space disappeared. The third space is a church, community group, or library. Somewhere where you can go and meet people and engage with people. So I really wanted to show them by example that we are giving back to the community when we can.”
Through this community, she’s been able to follow new opportunities and discover new ways to make change: “I found some really great people,” she said. “One of them was a community member in Hainesport who told me about a different volunteer project. So in January, I was named the newest community member on the Hainesport Green team. And it’s all about sustainability and bringing sustainability and great practices to Hainesport.”
“By meeting all these people in the community, I’ve been learning how interconnected everything really is. And I just find that it is so incredible.”
To get involved with a shelter like Mrs. Sandman, students can volunteer with parental permission and supervision from the age of 14.
