By Ryan Pfeil, Sanctuary One board vice president
No doubt you’ve heard the phrase “something for everyone.”
It’s a slogan that rings true for Sanctuary One, though maybe the 55-acre nonprofit care farm facility’s version should be slightly tweaked. Distill its numerous offerings down to a three-word phrase in 2023, and you get “opportunities for everyone” instead.
Those opportunities come in many forms at the 13195 Upper Applegate Road facility, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in March. They all tie into its longtime mission of providing an animal refuge and healing space for people that promotes environmental stewardship.
Numerous opportunities can be found in Sanctuary One’s volunteer offerings.
And volunteers do more than just muck out stalls (though that’s a task that needs doing, too.) They help walk dogs, socialize cats, take both animals to veterinarian and grooming appointments, and clean their cottages. Help is also sought for the garden, with watering, weeding, planting and other maintenance needs. Volunteers can also aid with farm tours and assist at booths during home shows and other events, including setup and tear down.
Volunteer shifts run 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week, and interested parties must be able to commit to at least two four-hour shifts per month. See https://sanctuaryone.org/visit-volunteer/volunteer/ for more information.
For those wanting to get more familiar with the lay of the land, public tours start April 29, held weekly at 10:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Spanish-speaking tours are slated for Saturday, May 20, and Saturday, July 8, while an ASL tour is scheduled for Saturday, June 10. Signup information for all tours is available online at https://sanctuaryone.org/visit-volunteer/sanctuary-tours.
Area school districts can also sign up for field trips, which are appropriate for all K-12 students in groups of 12 to 38 at a time. The field trips include hands-on activities, games, farm tours, and interaction with animals. Visit https://sanctuaryone.org/field-trips/ for more information.
Non-clinical therapy is available for service-learning groups, too. There are service-learning partnerships, which sees Sanctuary One partnering local organizations that serve marginalized groups. Service-learning immersions, which helps build life skills through animal and Earth care projects. The sessions, which can last anywhere from one to four days, are intended to encourage personal self-reflection and growth. Visit https://sanctuaryone.org/service-learning/ for more information.
Job training and unpaid internships are also available for anyone interested in learning more about the farm life. Visit https://sanctuaryone.org/visit-volunteer/internship-program/ for more.
Do any of these numerous opportunities sound of interest? Get in touch, either through any of the provided links, via email at info@sanctuaryone.org, by phone at 541-899-8627. We hope to see you around the farm soon.
