A Heart for Caring and a Passion for Pets
Inga Wilkerson is someone who puts the “care” in Caregiver. When she’s not transforming complex data into easy-to-understand reports and dashboards in her role as a Reporting & Visualization Analyst on the Enterprise Data Solutions Team, you’re likely to find her volunteering for a local non-profit.
Inga has served at the Lynchburg Humane Society (LHS) for over ten years. She began volunteering because she has always loved animals and has had many pets over the years–including parakeets, hamsters, 1 dog, many cats and a dozen pet chickens as a child. “The Lynchburg Humane Society provides a great service to the community and even brings in animals from other shelters and states when needs arise,” she explained.
Fostering kittens is her main area of involvement with LHS and she currently has three that will soon be up for adoption. “Helping raise these babies, and getting to play, socialize and nurture them is rewarding. It is hard to let them go but I know that I have had a part in making them a wonderful pet for someone,” she expressed. Once the kittens are old enough and at the proper weight, they get their vaccinations and can go up for adoption.
Unable to resist the cuteness of two cats in particular, Inga describes herself as a “foster failure.” She adopted a long-haired calico that she named Callie along with Dixie, a foster that she adopted from Bedford Humane Society. It’s no surprise that she encourages everyone who is in the market for a new fur-baby to check out the many wonderful pets at area shelters first.
Inga’s community service hasn’t been limited to the Lynchburg Humane Society, as a Hill City native, she views giving back and supporting our local community as worthwhile describing it as, “a blessing to help others!”
Organizations that she has been involved with include the Dawson Inn, Meals on Wheels, Miriam’s House, Gleaning for the World, Salvation Army and Allow the Children. Additionally, she enjoys volunteering for the Sedalia Center in Big Island, a non-profit, where she is on several committees.
The facility located at the foot of the mountains provides arts and music and has around nine events each year including the Celtic Festival, Terrapin Mountain Earth Day Festival, Doc McCabe’s Bluegrass Festival and Sedaliafest. Her personal favorite is Chili Fest in October where teams compete for cash prizes.
In close, she shared, “One just needs to find the volunteer opportunity that resonates with them, and we can truly make a difference! You will find it is just as rewarding for you as the organization you are helping support.”