North Miami resident Dayle Fragin recently passed her 10,000th hour of volunteering at the Humane Society of Greater Miami, and Freddi Hyman has 5,000 hours under her belt.
Why do people volunteer at the Humane Society of Greater Miami? It’s a good feeling to know that you are helping animals in need and making a difference in their lives. The experience of volunteering helps you grow as a person, meet new people and get an insight into how the organization operates. Mostly it is so gratifying when someone tells you that you are doing a good job — and you feel needed — even if you don’t get paid.
In another lifetime, Fragin must have been a dog, more specifically, a Schnauzer. The former schoolteacher, who taught fifth and sixth grades for 37 years in Liberty City, now spends every waking hour helping the animals at the Humane Society of Greater Miami. Fragin lives with her four Schnauzers — all adopted from the Humane Society of Greater Miami. When she adopted Ginger, her first dog, she knew she wanted to be around animals all the time. Now she is
Fragin is involved in many programs at the facility as well as community outreach endeavors. At the shelter, she helps with the buying for the shelter boutique and runs the Match a Pet program. She listens to what people want and then matches them with the perfect animal. Her success rate is impressive.
“I get such a warm feeling when an animal is adopted by the right person, “she said. “It makes my day.”
Prior to volunteering at the Humane Society, Hyman worked for the State of Florida Work Force System for 35 years. She always knew when she retired she would work with animals in some way.
“I used to work for money and now I work for appreciation,” she said. “I love the place, the people and the animals.” Hyman lives in Sky Lake with her husband of 44 years and her dog, Moonbeam. “My husband and my dog are my children,” Hyman said.
Hyman has her own desk, mailbox and email. Her job doesn’t stop at 5 p.m.; she also takes work home. Sounds like a perfect employee, except she is not on the payroll. She has volunteered at the shelter for eight years. Hyman is the support person for the volunteer program.
“But most of all she is the backup person for all the administrative staff,” said Laurie Hoffman, associate executive director of the organization. She helps us with spreadsheets, letters, invitations, bid sheets, phone calls — whatever it takes and whatever is necessary. I honestly don’t know what we would do without her.”
Donna Tallon, executive director at the organization said, “We appreciate all our volunteers but Dayle and Freddi are truly extraordinary. Orphaned animals go to the core of them.”
For more information on being a volunteer at the Humane Society of Greater Miami, go online to www.humanesociet–
