Volunteer Spotlight: Amanda Fleenor

For the past year and a half, Amanda Fleenor has been making a difference for the cats of P.A.W.S., giving her time, energy, and heart to help animals in need find brighter futures.

Amanda's volunteer journey began during a difficult time in her own life. After losing her beloved cat, Shania, to illness, she found comfort in the idea of helping other cats get a second chance.

"I liked the thought of giving cats another chance," Amanda shares.

Amanda's cat, Luna.

When she first became involved with P.A.W.S., two special cats, Luna and Salem, captured her heart. Although Amanda later experienced the heartbreaking loss of Salem due to feline leukemia, her bond with Luna remains strong.

"Since I lost Salem, Luna and I keep going, giving her the best chance."

As a volunteer, Amanda spends much of her time fostering cats and helping with P.A.W.S. events, including the National Road Yard Sale. While she enjoys meeting new people and supporting the organization at community events, fostering has become her favorite part of volunteering.

Opening her home to cats in need has allowed Amanda to play a direct role in their journeys toward happier, healthier lives. The experience has also created some of her most cherished memories. When asked about a memorable moment from her time with P.A.W.S., Amanda immediately thinks of the day she brought Luna and Salem home.

For Amanda, volunteering is about more than helping animals—it's about finding purpose. She says that her involvement with P.A.W.S. has given her a renewed sense of meaning and fulfillment. Through fostering and caring for rescue cats, she has discovered just how deep the bond between people and animals can be.

One of the biggest lessons Amanda has learned is that animals aren't so different from us after all.

"They are just like people. They need you as much as you need them."

That understanding continues to motivate her work and strengthen her commitment to helping cats in need.

At home, Amanda shares her life with one dog and one cat, continuing a lifelong love of animals. When she's not volunteering, she enjoys diamond painting, crafting, reading, and taking walks.

Looking toward the future, Amanda hopes to see P.A.W.S. continue expanding its presence in the community, particularly through participation in local events like the county fair. Opportunities like these help raise awareness about animal rescue while connecting more people with the organization's mission.

Amanda's compassion, resilience, and dedication remind us that rescue work changes lives on both ends of the leash—or in this case, both ends of the purr. By opening her heart and home to cats in need, she has helped countless animals while finding purpose and connection along the way.

We are incredibly grateful for everything Amanda does for P.A.W.S. Thank you, Amanda, for being such a valued member of the P.A.W.S. family!

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If you are interested in becoming a foster and would like to learn more or apply, feel free to check out our website here. We always need fosters, and we would love to have you join the P.A.W.S. family.