VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3

When I asked Lisa Franck to be the subject of the Kitty Scoop Volunteer Profile, her comment was, "My life is not that interesting." 

I found that to be absolutely untrue!

Lisa was born in southern California and moved with her family to Placerville when she was 8 years old and her sister was 11.  After high school, Lisa returned to southern California to attend UCLA where she majored in anthropology and studied primates.

At age 20 while in southern California, Lisa volunteered at a gibbon conservation center.  She spent 7 years as a volunteer at the center.  Her goal at that time was to work in the field of primate conservation. 

In case you are not familiar with gibbons, I will tell you that they are small SE Asian/East Indies tailless apes that inhabit trees.  Lisa was quick to let me know

that they are "apes" and not "monkeys."  They range in weight from 15 to 25 pounds and they have long limbs for swinging through the trees.  Lisa has some interesting stories to tell about being in the cages with the gibbons, but I won't go there!  I'm sure Lisa or her sister Sharon (a fellow FFR volunteer) will tell you.

Lisa graduated from college in 1997 and was an elementary school teacher for 3 years, teaching 4^th and 5^th grade.  It was while teaching that she discovered that not everyone learns in the same way.  She found that she had to adjust her teaching method for the different ways that people learn.  She said it was a most valuable lesson and she is grateful for her teaching experience.

Lisa went to Thailand for 3 months to work in the Rain Forest assisting with a gibbon research project.  She spent her days following gibbons in the wild observing them, collecting feces, and taking notes on what the gibbons did.  Her reason for going to Thailand was to get more information to help her make a career decision.

While in Thailand, a friendly stray cat showed up at the State Park where she was working and Lisa immediately bonded with her.  Lisa named the cat "Ting" and got her spayed and vaccinated.  "Ting," she said, "had a part in helping me make a decision.  I realized I didn't want to do research and write papers that no one would read.  I wanted to directly help animals.  I wanted to be a Veterinarian.  I started looking into Vet Schools and getting information on what I needed in order to apply.  When I came back to the United States, I brought Ting with me."

Lisa started volunteer work at a cat clinic and then moved back to Northern California in 2001 where she taught as a substitute for a teacher who was on maternity leave.  While in this position, she found it a challenge to get the students to turn in their homework and the ONE TIME she got them all to turn in their homework, Ting shredded it all.  Lisa had to go back to her classroom and tell the students that the cat shredded their homework!

Lisa's sister Sharon offered her a place to live so that she could finish up the prerequisites to get into Vet School.  Lisa then began working as a Vet Tech at Blue Ravine Animal Hospital in Folsom where she said things are done right.  According to Lisa, clients' concerns are taken into account at Blue Ravine.  It's a business that takes care of people and their pets.  "I enjoy working there," she said.  "I like making a connection with the clients.  It feels good that they come to you and that they trust you.  When the doctor is unavailable, they ask for me and I like that."

Sharon introduced Lisa to Folsom Feline Rescue and Lisa joined as a volunteer.  I asked Lisa what was her favorite volunteer role with FFR and without hesitation, she said, "Adoptions!  I love to do adoption work."
I asked her about the goals and importance of Folsom Feline Rescue in the community.  Lisa said, "Folsom Feline Rescue is doing an awesome job of spaying and neutering ferals and pets.  We are beginning to see fewer kittens being

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