Gregg Gilman
Gregg spends multiple days of the week at the Lincoln Park Adoption Center socializing cats/kittens and helping them head off to their loving new home. Gregg began as a Kitty City Level 1 volunteer and graduated the Level 2 Kitty City class in 2019. He is a friendly face around PAWS Chicago, the people and felines of Kitty City are always delighted to see him!
- How long have you been a volunteer at PAWS Chicago and what made you decide to volunteer for PAWS?
I became a PAWS volunteer about 5 years ago, in preparation for my retirement. When I retired from my teaching job three years ago, I began to volunteer much more and became a Level 2 volunteer in Kitty City. Kitty City was where I adopted my cat, Griffin, 10 years ago and I was touched then by how wonderful an organization PAWS is. Getting Griffin from PAWS was one of my best decisions ever.
- What’s your favorite part of volunteering at PAWS?
My favorite activity at PAWS is helping an adopter find a cat to love forever. I like meeting everyone who comes into the adoption center and hearing their stories and trying to match them with a cat. When they decide to adopt a cat, it's like a little jackpot feeling every time! When adopters are not around, I love socializing with the shy cats or the cats who have some behavioral challenges that prevent them from getting all the attention they deserve.
- What inspires you to have a heart for animal welfare?
My cat is sitting on my lap as I type this. I can't imagine having anything bad ever happen to him. This simple act seems so full of love. I want every cat and cat lover to experience it. So many cats come to PAWS, like my cat did, with a backstory we can never know. They've all been through something and deserve the best life they can get.
- What’s your favorite PAWS story?
At the start of the COVID shutdown, I tried fostering two shy kittens. When the first one was ready to be adopted I cried the entire drive down to hand her off to her forever home. I took in an even more shy cat and saw her gradually come out of her shell and start to love life. I couldn't stand the idea of bringing her back to the adoption center and seeing her scared again. I contacted a friend who had been thinking about getting a cat and told her, "This is the cat for you!" She adopted Luna and they are a perfect match. I get frequent updates on how great Luna is doing and how in love my friend is with her.
- What would you tell someone interested in becoming a PAWS volunteer?
You will be surrounded by wonderful people to work with. I love talking to the other volunteers, the staff, the animal care team. Spending time with like minded people who all have animal welfare at heart is a wonderful way to spend the day.
You will be doing a world of good for animals, who will in turn do a world of good for their people who eventually adopt them. You're just passing on goodness.
PAWS can be a busy place, and that's great. But when you get those quiet moments of just hanging out with an animal, it is incredibly calming and soothing, and so worth your time as a volunteer.