http://www.alligator.org/pt2/060808humane.php
Dirty work for volunteers as fraternity lends hand
By MARA SLOAN
Alligator Contributing Writer
Raking old hay filled with animal droppings and toys can be fun if you're doing it for a few canine friends.
Fifteen members of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity spent their Saturday volunteering with animals at the Alachua County Humane Society. They took turns raking two fenced-in exercise areas while others brought out dogs to walk and play.
Mike Ornella brought out Pokey, a brown mutt. Pokey stopped to lift his leg by every tree he passed as Ornella walked him around.
Someone else brought out a female dog that headed straight for Pokey.
"You don't want her, man - she's high maintenance," Ornella told Pokey.
Service is a key part of being a brother of Lambda Chi Alpha, said Adam Rieth, the fraternity's rush chairman.
"There's a big need for service and volunteers year-round, so we thought we'd help out," Rieth said.
As the members played with the dogs, they talked about the option of adopting a dog as a house pet for Lambda Chi Alpha.
Neil Kardos, a member of Lambda Chi Alpha, said he and other fraternity members used to care for Ace, a small mixed-breed dog.
But Ace passed away last year during the annual Orange and Blue football game.
He was 17.
"It's hard to be away from your pets at home," said Brian Geoghegan, another Lambda Chi Alpha member. "So it's good to come here and be around other animals."
Sugar, a Jack Russell mix, came bounding out with Trevor Kolski, a UF health science major. He leaned down every few seconds to pet her as she got her leash tangled walking in between his legs.
Kolski's apartment complex doesn't allow pets, but if it did, he said he'd adopt Sugar.
After throwing tennis balls with the dogs, the brothers moved on to hosing down and bleaching two-story cat cages.
Although they were dirty by the end of the afternoon, the guys joked around and said they had fun.
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