Dr ywall Be White

1,000 Jewish volunteers
painted, doled out food and
entertained to give gentile
workers Christmas day off.

Above:
Rebecca Hyke gives a dog the best volunteer contribution of all, love and affection.

Above right:
Brenda Arbit, a frequent animal rescue volunteer, gives a cat a scratch.

Right:
Tami Rubin, Ken Zendel, Marlene Zendel and Jessica Geftic
worked on the PATH two-family home.

Stuart Hyke and Susan Tauber of Rochester Hills brought three children, Fred,
15; Rebecca, 12; and Jeffrey, 9; to the Michigan Animal Rescue League in Pontiac.
The family works at the shelter throughout the year. On this day, however, gen-
tile employees and volunteers took a day off while Ms. Tauber and Mr. Hyke paint-
ed shelves and cleaned cages. Their children changed feeding and water bowls
and offered a hug to almost any cat or dog.
"It's just a nice thing for our family to do," Mr. Hyke said. "We know there's such
a need here to help out with these cats and dogs. We're glad to do anything we can."
"It gives the people here a chance to be home with their families," Ms. Tauber
added. "Also, I think it's important for the kids to realize that we're Jewish, yet we're
out here volunteering on Christmas day."
Brenda Arbit, a teacher from Farmington Hills, was volunteering with friends
Bradly Mann and Sara Levin. "This isn't something that comes and goes on Christ-
mas day," she said. "We need more people to volunteer to work with the animals
throughout the year. I usually volunteer with the animals twice a month. These an-
imals need love."
Minutes away at a Pontiac Area Transitional Housing (PATH) project, a team of
Federation volunteers primed and painted the walls of a two-family home. They saved
PATH hundreds of dollars in painters' fees, and also expedited the process of pro-
viding safe, affordable housing for two families housed in an emergency center.
PATH is an affiliate of Lighthouse of Oakland County, a nonprofit organiza-
tion providing transitional housing for 22 homeless mothers and their children in
Oakland County.

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"I wouldn't have been doing anything as worthwhile anyway," said Alyson Ru-
bin, a social worker from Northville. "This is important what we're doing; it's re-
ally going to help someone. Plus, I don't get to volunteer as much as I'd like. What
better way to get out and help someone."
Ms. Rubin's sister, Tami, a social work student, also was volunteering this day,
as was Alyson's fiance, Darren Findling, an attorney from Northville.
"This is a great experience," said Mr. Findling, who had white paint specked over
his clothing and glasses. "It's nice to see the Jewish community coming out and con-
tributing. It's therapeutic to be out here today. Everyone here is making a differ-
ence." El

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