LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Dee Campbell admits that she developed a love for animals through her husband Jimmy. But when he passed away, she felt compelled to do something in his memory at the Lexington Humane Society and found that the need was great.
“Two and a half years ago started the James L. Campbell and Dee S. Campbell Hospice Program and everything else has transpired from there”, says Dee. “The services that that provides covers all the costs for the animals that are in my program. Food, medical – anything they need is covered. We felt like that was an area that I really wanted to get involved in.”
Dee’s program specifically helps older dogs and cats, which are harder to place in loving homes. Without a doubt, Dee is a hero to so many animals here – but don’t tell her that!
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“I don’t feel like I’m a hero. The hero is the staff, the volunteers, and the employees who all work here. This is a very loving place.”
Dee’s contributions go far beyond writing a check. She’s here with her feet on the ground, volunteering every week.
“It makes me happy. It makes me happy, that why I do their laundry”, Dee says. “I work two days a week in the laundry. It’s very rewarding for me. I like leaving when I’m hot and sweaty and I’m driving home and I go ‘it’s been a great day.”
“To not only have her be generous enough to create the program, but to also donate her time. You don’t see that often, so we were very admirable and impressed with that”, says Meghan Watkins, the Director of Community Engagement at the Lexington Humane Society.
“I’ve volunteered at a lot of places in my life and you always wonder if you made a difference, did I make a difference? But when I’m here, I never have to think about that, because I know I made a difference”, says Dee.
