Naomi Pollock & Hartley

It’s no secret that DoveLewis volunteers keep the wheels turning for us in many ways. None of our events would run smoothly, or at all without their enthusiasm and hours of help. Naomi Pollock started her ‘career’ in October 2006 as a DoveLewis volunteer through our Animal Assisted Therapy & Education (DLAATE) program.

Just before her six–year–old Chihuahua, Hartley, was to complete the program, he got very ill and became a patient at DoveLewis. Naomi is very grateful that Hartley is healthy again; they have since become certified DLAATE program, and they their regular visits to Doernbecher hospital and Raphael House. Naomi also volunteers at the DoveLewis second floor reception desk—you’ll often find Hartley in her lap!

For our 2007 Boutiques Unleashed human/canine fashion show, Naomi logged more than 100 volunteer hours—incredible! “Fashion, dogs and fundraising for a worthy cause? I’m in!” She says. “There really couldn’t have been a better fit in terms of leveraging my own interests.” Let’s just say that a football–themed event might not have generated the same enthusiasm. A seven–year resident of the Pearl District, Naomi took it upon herself to scour the boutiques, asking for auction items. She says it was the business owners’ reactions to her requests which kept her going. “I was so proud of all of the boutiques that stepped up to get involved —they really embraced both the value of contributing to Dove and the only–in–Portland quirkiness of ‘fashion for both ends of the leash.’”

Not only does Naomi give her time to DoveLewis, she’s also a donor. It’s a no–brainer for her: “My passion for animals came relatively late in life—I was a kid who was scared of dogs. Now, I can’t imagine life without them. Hartley teaches me every day—to appreciate others, to live in the moment, to play. My connection to him is so deep and was so unexpected—and I feel like DoveLewis as an organization not only understands that bond but respects it and fosters it. So, like they say, I do it all ‘for the love of Dove.’”