Julie Carpenters Wish

After a year of searching for a job that she loved, Julie Carpenter finally hit the jackpot.

Every Thursday Julie works at the Star of the North Humane Society in Grand Rapids, MN.

“Julie expressed to us when she starting in the Community Employment program that she wanted to work with animals or children,” her Employment Specialist Joelle Holsman said. “She was set up at several day care centers for assessments & trails, but we could never seem to get farther than that.”

“I put in an application at almost every daycare,” Julie said after asking Joelle if she could look into one last daycare she heard was hiring.

Shortly after applying to the Humane Society, Julie called Joelle excitedly proclaiming that she would begin her new position the following Thursday.

Julie loves to stay busy with work but says she would prefer to work full time with children and animals

“Julie works four days a week at Hired Hands in Deer River and works two hours every Thursday at the shelter,” Joelle said.

When visiting Julie at the shelter, you could sense the joy and passion she had to be around the animals.

“This one is my favorite,” Julie stated as she pulled an orange and white cat, Garfield, out of his cage to be groomed.

“I come in to help with the cleaning and feeding of the animals,” Julie said as she cleaned about. “Of course, after that is done, I make sure I spend some time playing with them.”

Julie was all aglow as she showed us around the shelter, talking about her duties and her love for the animals as she went.

Julie hopes for more hours at the shelter but said she is just happy to be working with something that she truly loves to do.

Julie will be closing out of ODC at the end of January 2016, as she will no longer be needing ODC’s employment assistance.

Congratulations Julie and keep up the great work!