The folks Gerry Stern sees in her volunteer work can’t tell her in so many words how much they appreciate her help — but they have their own way of communicating. &uot;You know the animals appreciate being fed and watered and taken care of — by all the licks on your face,&uot;&160;Stern said of the animals she helps care for at the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society’s shelter.

&uot;That’s the rewarding part, knowing that you are making a difference in being able to care for them.&uot;

In her own words, Stern spends at least two hours a week at the shelter &uot;doing whatever is necessary.&uot;

That may include cleaning, medicating and vaccinating the animals; driving them to and from veterinarians’ offices; and handling admission and adoption paperwork. She has even gone to schools to educate children as young as kindergarten age the importance of taking good care of their pets.

&uot;They brought food for the shelter’s animals,&uot;&160;Stern said. &uot;I&160;guess you could say it was good for them and good for the shelter, too.&uot;

In a way, Stern seemed specially suited to working for the shelter. For one thing, we spent many hours in the past volunteering for such groups as the Natchez Children’s Home Board of Directors and the Homochitto Medical Alliance.

And although she has one dog now, her house has been home to a host of animals in the past, from dogs to rabbits to turtles. The family even cared for a stray pig who wandered up to their horse’s stall.

Stern admitted that her heart breaks when an animal is not adopted and has to be put to sleep. &uot;But there are the good moments, when you see an animal going to a good home,&uot; Stern said. &uot;Those are the rewarding times.&uot;

To suggest an Everyday Hero, call Nita McCann at 445-3550 or e-mail her at nita.mccann@natchezdemocrat.com.