Title:
A Shelter for Abused Animals, Where Volunteers Also
Find Healing
Description: This is
a VOA Special English General News Report.
See text below
Text:
Ellie Laks started the Gentle Barn Foundation in
California. Her group gives a home to animals it
rescued from abuse or in need of care. When
recovered, the animals spend time with troubled
young people and disabled adults.
ANA GOLDBACH: "I've been here for a while."
Ana Goldbach comes to the Gentle Barn once a week.
Caring for animals is said to help people deal with
their own problems. Often, the animals get months of
special care before they can work with people.
ELLIE LAKS: "This place doesn't work by just hugging
cute animals. It's the at-risk kids that have been
through abuse and neglect and hardship and being
misunderstood. When they come face-to-face with an
animal that has the exact same story, that's the
healing element. That's where a kid goes, 'Wow! I'm
not alone. There's someone else that shares my
story. And, if this animal can overcome and is safe
here, then I can overcome and be safe in the world.'
So it's the stories that are healing."
Laks says her volunteers help educate people about
abused animals.
ELLIE LAKS: "And they do so many things. We really
count on them for so much. Like I said, all the
horses are groomed at 10 o'clock every day. So we've
got volunteers that come in and groom the horses. We
have volunteers that come and take the animals for
walks and to eat grass. When we have a special
rescue, the animal needs supervision or company we
have volunteers that come and supervise that animal,
sometimes 'round-the-clock, all through the night."
Janet Becht began volunteering at the Gentle Barn a
year ago.
JANET BECHT: "And it was my birthday. And, I said
I'm going to do something special on my birthday.
I'm finally going to go. And I didn't know where it
was. It was four miles from my house. So it was very
close, and I don't know, I just never saw anything
like this and fell in love with the horses. They
scare me, they did. They don't scare me so much
anymore."
Donations support the work of the Gentle Barn. Ellie
Laks hopes to start Gentle Barns across the country
so other people can have contact with animals and
experience the healing. I'm Barbara Klein.
Hi. I
personally reviewed this video and found it appropriate for
the news section of English Global Group. This
is a Voice of America video which covers an interesting
topic in Special English. I would appreciate some feedback from both
students and teachers about this video. You can comment in
the window below using any of a number of different services
including Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail.
To post a comment:
• Click "Comment using..." in
the window below
• Click your favorite service: Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail
• Login to the service
• Click "Add a comment..."
• Post your comment in the window
Students: Please post a
comment stating what you found interesting about this video. You are
welcome to include links to your English study blogs and any
other materials you think might be useful for learning
English.
Teachers: Please post your
thoughts about this video. You are welcome to include links to
your sites, blogs, and any other materials you think might
be useful for learning English.
Hi. I
personally reviewed this video and found it appropriate for
the news section of English Global Group. This
is a Voice of America video which covers an interesting
topic in Special English. I would appreciate some feedback from both
students and teachers about this video. You can comment in
the window below using any of a number of different services
including Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail.
