If you want a fun new community service project, then you can try Operation Kindness in Dallas. I have recently be-
come a volunteer at Operation Kindness, and so far it has been a great experience. Operation Kindness is a no-kill animal adoption center in Addison.

In order to become a volunteer, you need to do a couple of things. You must view several articles and videos about how to treat cats and dogs correctly. Then, you must complete an online essay. This may sound like an overwhelming amount of work to do to qualify for a service opportunity , but it is not that hard.

Inside the main building, the pet areas volunteers are allowed to visit are the dog, cat room, and kitten room. Person- ally, my favorite experiences are with cats, so I spend most of my time in those rooms. Sitting down and playing with the cats is one of my favorite things to do at Opera- tion Kindness. One cat, Olive, is the mother of a fresh litter. You can usually find her up in the walkways or sleeping in her cat bed. The kitten room is definitely one of my favorite places to be in the whole shelter.

In the dog area, there are small and medium-sized dogs. The larger dogs are in a separate building, which I am not yet allowed to visit. On the dog’s name tag, they have dif- ferent colors which stand for different levels, green being the highest level and yellow being the lowest level. At this point, I’m only allowed to interact with dogs on certain levels. In order to move up a level you need to pass certain tests. All the dogs I have walked and played with so far have been very friendly. My favorite canine experience was playing with a dog, Charmer, a basset and retriever mix.

To remain a volunteer you must complete a minimum of four hours of service each month. Unfortunately, if you don’t complete those hours, you will have to retake the volunteer course. As Operation Kindness is one of my favorite places to go, those four hours feel like nothing. This place is one of my favorite places to go so give volunteering there a try, and it could be yours, too.