Volunteer of the Quarter – Kieran Lynch
by Dan Monn, Animal Care, Gift Shop & Volunteer Assistant
Wolf Haven International is very lucky to have an amazing and diverse group of volunteers. Our newest Volunteer of the Quarter, Kieran, also happens to be one of our youngest, yet the first day I met him, he told me he would have started much sooner if he could. He had quite a wait to meet the age requirement (17), given he wanted to be a volunteer at Wolf Haven ever since visiting in the 5th grade. Knowing his time commitments as a Senior at Black Hills High School with other interests, we are honored that he commits as much time volunteering at Wolf Haven as he does.
Managing his time between school, marching band and working toward his pilot’s license Kieran still spends most Sundays helping us at the docent table. He does a great job engaging and interacting with our guests as they wait for their scheduled sanctuary visits. He has a warm and friendly personality that makes him very approachable for any who are interested in learning a little more during their time with us.
Beyond his interactions with the guests, Kieran also does a lot to help around the grounds. He arrives a couple hours before each docent shift to do some extra work. Usually it is a lot of weeding and pulling blackberry, though some Sundays our Sanctuary Manager Erik Wilber, will steal him to help with a special project. This led to one of Kieran’s favorite memories. Recently working with Erik, Kieran got to help with the preparation for our newest wolf enclosure. This “glamorous” job involved brush clearing in preparation for Southgate Fence Inc. to set posts, hauling away limbs and clearing brambles and blackberry. He was excited to contribute as we work to provide more space and flexibility for the care of the wolves – and WE are excited to have the help of such a dedicated volunteer.