The Value of Summer Volunteers Celebrated at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center
Monday, August 27, 2012
[August 23, 2012; Kennett Square, PA] – For 15 young people from Chester County and beyond, the summer of 2012 meant hours of hard work. And, by all accounts, it was worth every sweat-producing minute. The 15 were volunteers at New Bolton Center, the large-animal campus of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. The young people were honored recently in a celebration ceremony on campus.
New Bolton Center, located in Kennett Square, PA, encompasses hospital facilities for the care of horses and food animals as well as diagnostic laboratories serving the agriculture industry. The George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals sees approximately 6,000 cases annually, and has one of the world’s largest equine clinical faculties.
Wendy Keeler, large animal patient care technician at New Bolton Center, organized the volunteers. She said, “These dedicated workers made sure that every patient was groomed every day, the stables were in impeccable order and we had a hand moving and handling patients whenever we needed one. Together, they have given close to 2,049 hours since May.”
The volunteers came from as close as Oxford, PA, and as far away as Glasgow, Scotland.
They were:
• Anna Bernens, 232 hours
• Megan Calibey, 62 hours
• O’Hara Chard, 74 hours
• Kelly Creswell , 40 hours
• Jennifer Cummings, 32 hours
• Kallie Fehr, 40 hours
• Stephanie Heinbockel, 72 hours
• Rachel Hosier, 448 hours
• Erin Klingensmith, 248 hours
• Kelsey Koenig, 184 hours
• Gelsey Lee, 56 hours
• Ashley McFadden, 80 hours
• Kathleen Milligan, 66 hours
• Caitlin Riley, 208 hours
• Kalie Thompson, 207 hours.
Volunteers must be a minimum of 16 years old with their own health insurance and experience handling large animals, particularly horses. Interested applicants may contact Keeler at wmcnatt@vet.upenn.edu.
PHOTO, from left: Wendy Keeler, volunteer coordinator; Gelsey Lee; Kalie Thompson; Erin Klingensmith; Caitlyn Riley; Rachel Hosier; Kathleen Milligan.
Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine is one of the world's premier veterinary schools. Founded in 1884, the School was built on the concept of Many Species, One Medicine™. The birthplace of veterinary specialties, the School serves a distinctly diverse array of animal patients, from pets to horses to farm animals at our two campuses. In Philadelphia, on Penn's campus, are the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital for companion animals, as well as classrooms, laboratories and the School's administrative offices. The large-animal facility, New Bolton Center, in Kennett Square, Pa., encompasses hospital facilities for the care of horses and food animals as well as diagnostic laboratories serving the agriculture industry. The School has successfully integrated scholarship and scientific discovery with all aspects of veterinary medical education.
Visit us on-line at www.vet.upenn.edu