Serenity Springs

When I learned that we were to do a volunteer service learning project, I was ecstatic.  There’s just something special about giving a hand to someone who dedicates their life to a cause.  Looking at the list of places to volunteer, I knew right away that I wanted to be at Serenity Springs Sanctuary.  I have only ever volunteered at an animal shelter, and while that was a rewarding experience, I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to spend time with pigs. From this excursion, I wanted two things: 1) I wanted to learn about pigs, since I have never spent time with one before, and 2) I wanted to hear Terry’s stories.  I’ve always loved hearing “rescue stories” about the compassionate people who take it upon themselves to care for animals left abandoned, neglected, or abused. 

Setting off on my adventure to Serenity Springs Sanctuary, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  Because it was such a beautiful day, I made the drive with my little Mazda Miata’s top down, the radio off, and my thoughts to reflect on my next five hours in Forestburg.  I have been struggling with the idea of completely becoming a vegetarian.  For a year, I worked at an organic pizza place that was very vegetarian friendly, I ended up just not really eating meat because the vegetarian dishes were just so good.  However, I also come from a line of people who lived in the country and hunted.  As a society, we have lost the sacredness of an animals' life because animals have become so objectified in our culture.  With factory farming, this trend will not get any better, but if there was some way to revert back to using small time farmers, then perhaps we will regain our humanity.  While using small farms means that meat will not be as readily available as one would find in a supermarket, and would probably be more expensive, “maybe when we did eat animals, we’d eat them with the consciousness, ceremony and respect they deserve” (Pollan). When I made my way up the windy, gravel drive, I spotted an older lady on a Gator toting with her rakes, buckets, and tools.  In the distance, I could see a pasture of horses, and a pony wandering the area.  I soon learned that the pony’s name was Buddy, and that he liked to accompany people, much like a dog would.  Right off the bat, I knew I would get along with Terry.  She was funny, down-to-earth, and unbelievably compassionate.  

She showed me around, and introduced me to every feral, farm, and potbellied pig in the sanctuary.  She knew every story for each pig.  The story that moved me the most, was about a pig named Trooper.  Surrendered by his owners to an animal shelter, he was brought in with a rope that had been tied around his leg since he was a small pig.  With this rope, he was tied to a tree for years. Terry made the trip to the animal shelter, and on the way back had to work to keep his body temperature regulated since it was such a hot summer.  Before they had even made it back, a portion of his leg fell off and was held by on by just a tendon because of the lack of circulation from the rope that hindered him for most of his life. Despite getting her vet out as soon as was possible, Trooper passed away.  I couldn't help but grieve for Terry as she told the tale, you could tell the situation had troubled her deeply.  How could people be so cruel?  The worst part is that since the owners had turned Trooper in, they were exempt from any animal negligence charges that they may have received if he was actually confiscated from them.  Francione compares the ownership and exploitation of animals as property to slavery.  While this can be true to an extent, in the case of Trooper, he was treated more like a prisoner in solitary confinement than a slave, which is arguably a worse fate.  The most heartbreaking part of this story was when Terry uttered the words, "He never even had the chance to spend just one day as a happy pig." According to Singer and Mason, in the west, we tend to privilege certain species over others, however, "there is no distinction that can be made between humans and animals that would not require either including other species or excluding certain humans." Until we see that all animals (humans included) have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, animals will continue to suffer at our expense.

After Terry took me around, I started work. She was taking in some young pigs later in the week and needed to house them in a suitable pen that they wouldn't be able to wriggle out of.  So I "baby-proofed" a pen by cutting fencing and securing it to the existing fence with baling wire.  After a couple hours, the task was completed, and I spent the rest of my time helping to groom Buddy and petting the horses that she had also rescued.  I couldn't have asked for a better experience, and I plan on going back to Serenity Springs.

A Big Event

My Twin Sister and I at The Big Event.  Picture by Amanda Frimpong.

                        In the initial process of debating what kind of service project that I wanted to do, I realize that my horizon has been expanded over a completely new range of studies. I began to explore new organizations and services that were all about serving and giving back to the community and to our planet Earth and humanity. Here at UNT, I signed up to become a Big Event Site Leader. “The Big Event”, is a nationally recognized community service project that was held at UNT for the first time in March. Volunteers from more than 100 student organizations at UNT came out to perform three to four hours of service in Denton County and surrounding cities. Some of the service projects include gardening, cleaning, painting, working with senior citizens and assisting children at local schools and development centers. With more than 2,000 student volunteers registered to participate, The Big Event is expected be the largest student-run community service project ever at UNT. I saw this event as an opportunity for me to get involved in my community! Preparing for this project, I did not know what to expect. I had only one objective; to make a difference and have fun doing it. A memo was attached to the email, reminding us to wear old clothing, jeans, and a good pair of “down right getting dirty” shoes. On the day of the event, I showed up at 8:00 am as scheduled, prep in the exact manner as recommended, and was ready for the unexpected. Matters took a turn for the worse, when I found out that I was going to be assigning management over another group. My group which was made up of mostly of the “World Echo’s Organization”, was assigned the task of cleaning and picking up trash around UNT’s campus. Good thing I brought my “getting dirty” shoes!

UNT The Big Event 2011. Picture by Brittany Echols.

                       As I started to clean up around campus, I noticed immediately that there was a wide variety of food wrappers and candy wrappers around campus. Not including the tons of cigarettes butts everywhere. In that moment I realized that, everyone wants a nice campus, and here at UNT, we “mean green”, however when does it come down to the reality of us carrying out that “mean green” action. I could actually see for myself, what us as students were doing to our campus, “trashing” it up. In recent in class readings and videos, we discussed the topic of pollution and how it affects everyone around the globe. Students dropping trash around campus is no different from big business dumping tons of pollution in landfills, neighborhoods and even miles away in another country. In addition, someone is being left up to the task of picking up behind him or her, or better yet nature and the environment suffering from his or her waste. Then I saw the bigger picture and noticed trashcans everywhere around campus. This proposed the fact that there is a alternative to just dumping trash where ever you choose, but instead placing it were trash properly goes for disposal. Just like in Higgins explains in his passage “Moreover, when environmental pollution is relegated to such appropriate socially polluted spaces, the environmental pollution is really “in its place” and therefore is not as noticeable as an anomaly or as an aberrant thing; it is relatively invisible in its physical and cultural separation from predominantly white, elite centers of power. By the same token, the more “socially polluted” the place, the more appropriate it is to direct environmental pollution to that place”. From this service learning project, I was able to connect more with my surrounding campus and evaluate myself as a student, and I realize that every little act has a counteract. If we do not take responsibility and clean up our mess, someone has to do it, this not only destroys everyone but nature as well. Most importantly I learned one can really have a awesome time picking up liter and putting it in its rightful place, even if no one has to ask, or is watching.

 
                                                              By Briana Echols

Signature Hope Stables. Learning the definition of Nature and what is Ethical.

Skeeter and I, Photo taken by Katie Stella

My easter plans where to go back home, but my only goal was not to just go to church, but to volunteer at a barn called Signature Hope Stables. It is a privately owned stable by Stacey Mlak. She dedicates everything she has into making sure horses not only around the Cypress, TX area are living respectably and comfortably, but also horses all around the United States. Stacey has adopted horses everywhere from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma. Stacey also participates in collecting old race horses that are being dumped or horses many people can not take care of anymore. If a horse is not being treated for anymore, Stacey seems to be the one to go to.


Signature Hope Stables has been around for almost 20 years. It is a family owned barn and is solely run on donation money and volunteer help.  Everything else is done with the Mlak's own pocket money. "Everything I do is for the horse's", she states, "they are my life."

Me with Micki and Kekya. Photo taken by Katie Stella.

I worked from 9am to sun down with these horses. Though it was not the easiest thing, especially because I have never worked with animals before it defiantly was rewarding. I learned so much about how to take care of horses, I learned what they like, I learned what they like to do,  and I learned how they communicated. In learning all of these different things I came to the conclusion, horses aren't so different from human beings. When being side by side these animals and not just standing and watching them pass as I drive down a country road, it opened my eyes and let me look past what I use to think about animals. When I think about it, my whole life I never actually spent anytime around animals. I learned everything about animals through different people and what society told me about them. I let society make up my own judgement. Which brings me to the question, What is nature? Who and how do we define it? We look to Collard and his writing titled, Rape of the Wild. Collared states, nature is "one thing to lovers, another to scientists, farmers, brick layers, office workers, land developers, and so on." Nature is defined by who and what you are. "'Nature" does not so much define what we see but how we see." Nature is a state of mind and cultural convention. "Nature makes it self while culture is man made." All in all, When wilderness becomes part of a human experience it becomes nature. We tend to view nature as there but then realize it truly exists  only when we come face to face with it it. Just like I did with the horses. Being right up close to something like horses opened my eyes to nature in general. Before nature was invisible to me, I only saw it in the trees and the grass, I have never grasped what was truly out there. To me nature is the trees, sky, birds, all animals, bugs, and all plant life. Others may have a different opinion. Like Collared says, Everyone defines nature differently.

Beasty and I about to be taken out of her stable
 and out for grooming.
Photo taken by Katie Stella.

Another realization that came to mind is when I was grooming Beasty, a female horse that was used to just be impregnated over and over again for a certain breed in demand. She was abused and poorly taken care of. Stacey rescued her just in time before she became seriously ill. When learning her story it brought me to the question, What gives us the right to be the ones in power over animals? Why do we act as if animals are here for us and our needs? We as a society today don't think twice that maybe animals are here to live by us side by side as an equal. In the beginning, the bible was said to give us all the answers in the book of genesis. There are so many versions and interpretations such as one stating that god says when creating the earth, "Be masters of the fish in the sea, the birds of heaven and all living animals on the earth,"(29) Eventually we come to the conclusion again that, society determines what is ethical and right. We as a culture determine the rights and wrongs. We as individuals are shaped into thinking what our ancestors thought we should believe. Why is or was Beasty an object to man kind? She is apart of nature and our society remains with the belief that we should remain dominate over it.


Last, Then on a similar  note, according to the reading by Merchant the the question of nature and mans relationship is brought to a point. Is nature there for man to control or is man there to learn and prosper along side it? Again, are we here alongside nature side by side as equals? The reading published by Merchant presents that earlier years the natives embraced the land, became one with nature and all “her” teachings. That idea was later lost in “Modern Thought” when Europeans came into the belief of domination of nature. “For some men care only to know nature, others desire to command her.” (46) Now today we result in the Humanistic ways that are fully concurring our worldview as well as the practice of Egocentrism (thinking only of oneself, without regard for the feelings or desires of others). Our world has fully become absorbed in what is good for humans and humans only. According to Merchant today we learn everything about nature and earth through science and every technical scientific explanation. The 20th century view stands at, all objects on earth are here to assure man’s domination over the earth and planets. Throughout time everything from DNA- Biotechnology and Laws based on nature help man figure out the meaning and understanding of our relationship with nature. Through all this man has lost total understanding in whats important and that’s maintaining an equal and healthy balance between nature and ourselves. Working with these horses has brought me out of the dark and into my own beliefs and understandings. 

In conclusion, My experience working with these horses was life changing in a way. Analyzing the experience made it even more understandable what was right and wrong in nature to me in our world today. We all need to take an initiative and make our own decisions for a better tomorrow.

By Schyler duVall


work cited- 
https://ecampus.unt.edu/webct/urw/lc5122011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct

Every Dog Has Its Day - Service Learning Project Blog by Sean Elezovic

                   Every Dog Has Its Day

               By Sean Elezovic

Humans can sometimes be over the top and selfish, thinking only as an egocentric individual, but there are many humans with donation on their mind. These individuals help out the not-so-fortunate with tidbits of love, care, and volunteering. Volunteering is not a paid job, nor is it something any human, with a conscience, can avoid their entire life without at least a thought on the matter. There are many people that show up at soup kitchens on Thanksgiving to give to those that do not get to share a meal with loved ones. There are individuals that donate time out of their busy schedules to ring a bell for the Salvation Army, during December, for the needy. There are even those that are affluent, like National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball players, whom dedicated much of their ridiculous salaries to Haitian earthquake funds and Japanese relief funds for their disastrous earthquake and tsunami. To dedicate time out of your schedule to help someone else in need of: food, water, shelter, or even time are saintly in regards to their deeds. This is a story of such an endeavor. This is a story about how every dog has its day.


Many people in the Metroplex have animals to share their love and affection with. These respective people, many of them, have jobs that take much time out of their schedules. This results in their animals getting little to no attention, walks, or playtime. What is a person to do? They cannot just up and quit their jobs to appease their dogs and cats. They need assistance. Enter the “I Love My German Shepherd” affiliation. The first and largest Facebook group for German Shepherds in the world was actually created right here in North Texas. The group also has very strong allies in the “German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County,” which is the second largest Facebook group supporting the lifestyles and health of this great nation’s German Shepherd breed. As Plato's Timaeus states from the "Question of the Animal" reading, "The Race of wild pedestrian animals, again, came from those who had no philosophy in any of their thoughts…." It doesn't take a blind man to see that the animals around us sometimes require human assistance.The “I Love My German Shepherd” group does a lot of good for the Metroplex, not just for German Shepherds, mind you, but for all dog breeds. This past week, they volunteered their time to help out many people suffering from little-to-no time to walk and play with their dogs. The Lewisville Dog Park located at 1301 S. Railroad Street, Lewisville, TX, 75057, in the Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park, housed the adventures. Owners brought their dogs over mid-afternoon, and left them in the care of “I Love My German Shepherd” volunteers for six hours. The volunteers took in all kinds of breeds to play with and give some entertainment to. Having strong ties to the group, I jumped at the chance to volunteer, doing something I love for animals I adore. I, also, brought my own German Shepherd to play with the other breeds and on her behalf, I can guarantee that she had a blast! Owners were e-mailed, texted, and called well before the play date so that they had the time to R.S.V.P. Many of the prominent members of the group networked among their friends with known animals and also a mass e-mail was sent to the entire Facebook group to make them aware of the event, as well.


Many animals made cameo appearances from 14:00 hours until 20:00 hours. The volunteers gave them treats and balls and water and, most importantly, fun in the sun. I volunteered from beginning to end because of my roots in the group. My roommate is an administrator of the created group. The dogs jumped and played and endlessly craved the attention their poor owners didn’t have the time to give. It was a sight to befall.


Seeing the animals out there proved that human beings shouldn’t be so greedy. I’m not speaking ill of their owners, but rather people who declined invitations to join us in helping out their masters and pets get some quality fun in; not just those people either, but also the ones who refuse to ever spare some time to make animals happy. There are plenty of farms in Texas that a horse lover, for instance, could dedicate some time to the constantly busy farmer and help them bathe and feed their animals. The feeling of, not only helping out the human being in need, but also showing a philanthropic nature towards smaller, needier beings with a soul, gigantic heart, and need to exercise its muscles, is an indescribable emotion. "I know many animals do many things better than we do, but… It can even be used to prove they act  naturally and mechanically, like a clock which tells the time better than judgment does…." Renee Descartes' quote from "Letters 1646 to 1649" explains far more vividly. A dog know no time, no sense of how long something goes on for, etc., but it does have a sense of urgency to use the bathroom, eat, drink, and exercise; very "naturally and mechanically, like a clock." Many dogs in the United States suffer from being obese and having failing muscles in their older years and thrive on the moment they see you grab the leash. A good way to avoid having the family pet pass away at an age earlier than potential can reward is to take it on a walk. Take it to the park and play Frisbee with it. Some even buy treadmills and train their dogs to use them -- anything to keep your pet in a stable and happy mood. Pet organizations, such as the one I volunteered for and California’s Orange County Rescue Organization, provide many good deeds for communities without any expected reward. Both of the organizations are non-profit and only expect you to drop off your dogs so that they can get some athletic action!


All groups, including the city of Lewisville’s weblink, are listed below along with the pictures. Thanks for those with an ear to listen, and I hope the thought of helping out animals has inspired you to commit time to the animals in need. As Immanuel Kant's "Lectures on Ethics" states best: "Our duties toward animals are merely indirect duties towards humanity. Animal nature has analogies to human nature, and by doing our duties to animals… we indirectly due our duty toward humanity."




















http://www.cityoflewisville.com/


http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=2210681963


http://www.facebook.com/#!/gsroc.org