NCRA member showcases court reporting and captioning at California school

April 23, 2019 by
NCRA member Trudy O’Brien speaking at Grizzly Youth Academy

On April 19, NCRA member Trudy O’Brien, a freelance court reporter from Morro Bay, Calif., showcased the court reporting and captioning professions to students at the Grizzly Youth Academy (GYA) in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

The GYA is a partnership between the California National Guard and the Grizzly Challenge Charger School. It serves youth between the ages of 16 and 18 who have dropped out of high school or are at risk of dropping out. The curriculum offers a high-structured environment that promotes leadership, cooperation, and academic skills, while building self-esteem, pride, and confidence.

According to O’Brien, while she didn’t have any of the students asking where to sign up to learn the profession, she is hopeful the seed was planted in some of them.

“I could tell they were fascinated by my writing by what they were saying, so they definitely saw the magic happen. The kids enjoyed being able to take away bags and highlighters, and I made sure that they all left with a flyer,” she added.

A growing number of NCRA members have realized the value in attending career fairs as a way to promote the profession. Members report that they have participated in career fairs held at middle schools, high schools, community colleges, and other venues to promote the benefits of a career in court reporting or captioning. Below is a list of tips that include ways to find a career fair event near you and help you to plan a successful career day demonstration.

  • Visit a local high school website and contact counselors or directors of public relations/admissions.
  • Contact the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, or other youth organizations in your community to see if there is an opportunity to introduce the students to the court reporting and captioning professions. 
  • Contact high schools in your area to see if they are holding any college fairs.
  • Sign up to exhibit at your state’s high school guidance counselor convention to showcase what you do.
  • Bring along a short transcript to use as part of your demonstration. Let the students get a flavor for what goes on in the courtroom or the deposition suite by letting them have a turn at being the judge, the prosecutor, the defense attorney, or the defendant. 
  • Share personal stories of why you chose this profession. Let students know how diversified the profession is and more about the various work venues, flexibility, salary potential, training required, and job availability.
  • Be sure to have on hand materials such as flyers and information about where to learn more about the profession.
  • Be sure to pack plenty of your personal business cards. Offer interested students the opportunity to shadow you or a colleague in whatever area of our profession may be of interest to them. Give them the chance to see just how exciting the career is.

NCRA members who are interested in presenting at career fairs can access a variety of resources available from the Association. The Resource Center at DiscoverSteno.com has fliers, posters, a PowerPoint presentation, and more.

Members may also find value in the resources at NCRA.org/Awareness. These materials are focused on Court Reporting & Captioning Week, but members can adapt them for other promotional purposes or use them to find ideas for highlighting court reporting and captioning.

Other good sources to tap into for opportunities to showcase the court reporting and captioning professions include the American School Counselors Association (ASCA) and the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), which holds college fairs on national, state, and regional levels.

Members who do participate in career fairs or any other promotional activities are encouraged to contact pr@ncra.org to have their stories possibly included in the JCR or JCR Weekly. Keep in mind that any photos taken at a school career event will likely need to hide any identifying features of minors, especially faces.

Filed Under: Career, Volunteering

Sunrise Rotary learns about Veterans History Project

April 15, 2019 by

NCRA member Jill Layton, RMR, an official court reporter from Toledo, Ill., was featured in an article posted April 12 by the Effingham Daily News, about her volunteering to record the stories of Illinois veterans for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.

Read more.

Filed Under: Member Announcements, News, People in the News, Volunteering Tagged With: ,

Angel Donor Profile: Marjorie Peters

March 26, 2019 by
Marjorie Peters

The National Court Reporters Foundation (NCRF) supports the advancement of the court reporting and captioning professions through education, scholarship, recognition, and programs critical to preserving the past, enriching the present, and securing the future of the profession. NCRF is able to do the great work it does with donations from individuals and organizations through various donor programs, including the popular Angels program.

Each month, NCRA will highlight one of the more than 100 Angels who support the National Court Reporters Foundation year after year. This month, the column kicks off with a profile of Marjorie Peters, RMR, CRR, who also holds NCRA’s Realtime Systems Administrator certificate.

JCR | Let’s begin with learning where you are based and what you do.

MP | Based in Pittsburgh, Pa., covering Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland. I am a freelance reporter and small firm owner covering complex realtime and all types of litigation, large and small.

JCR | How long have you been an Angel?

MP | Since the Angel program started, nearly 15 years ago!

JCR | Clearly being an Angel is important to you. Why?

MP | I did not attend college, but having a skilled trade that has become a career has offered me the opportunity to achieve goals and work in places with people I never would have imagined. It has given me freedom of choice and flexibility in my life. I want everyone to realize their own goals as well, and the Foundation programs offer those opportunities to others as well.  How can I not support that!?

JCR | Are you involved with the Foundation in other ways?

MP | I am on the Angels Gatherers Committee! Ask me about being an Angel! It’s not as hard as you think. After I was an Angel for the first couple of years, I realized it was a commitment that I would always make to myself and others because NCRF’s programs really do help others. Foundation programs empower!

JCR | What is your favorite NCRF program?   

MP | Well, the easy answer is the Oral Histories Project. It is a labor of love and the best day you will ever have. The Foundation programs support education through scholarships, support reporting firms by offering legal education resources, and of course the Corrine Clark Professionalism Institute supports fledgling reporters and firms. The Foundation lifts students, reporters, and firms to success personally and professionally.  

Learn more about the NCRF Angel Donors program, or become an Angel.

Filed Under: Business, Career, Features, Member Profiles, NCRF, News, People, People in the News, Reporting, Volunteering Tagged With: ,

Do well by doing good: The pros of pro bono

March 25, 2019 by

Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers, is credited with the phrase, “Do well by doing good.” Pro bono work is just that. In Latin, the term means “for the public good.” For many NCRA members, it means giving back to their community by providing services at no cost for a variety of venues and audiences. The opportunity for the provider to grow their network, sharpen their skills, possibly learn new skills, and, of course, to make a difference are among the benefits of offering your services on a pro bono basis.

Providing pro bono services (judicial, CART, captioning)

Pro bono services are defined by the Council of the Academy of Professional Reporters (CAPR) as “providing court reporting, realtime, CART, or captioning services for which compensation in any form was not rendered.” In practice, this can include any variety of services, such as providing CART captioning for a deaf consumer at a meeting or church service or taking depositions for litigants who could not afford reporting services. Specifically, 0.25 PDC will be awarded for a minimum of 2.5 hours of pro bono service, of which 30 minutes can be the preparation involved. Services for two one-hour events plus 30 minutes of preparation, for example, can be combined for one submission. The preparation time will be accounted for on the honor system. Members will submit an NCRA form along with the processing fee when requesting the credits. The form must be signed by either the deaf consumer or the host of the event for which the pro bono services were performed. The JCR recently reached out to several NCRA members to learn more about the pro bono work they do and why they do it.

LeAnn M. Hibler, RMR, CRR, CRC, is a freelance CART provider and captioner from Joliet, Ill.

JCR | Where and when did you volunteer your services pro bono?

HIBLER | Every spring for the past 12 years, I have provided overhead CART captioning on a pro bono basis for an Illinois Hands & Voices event called Mom’s Night Inn. The “moms” of deaf and hard-of-hearing children stay overnight at a hotel, and they share experiences and information. On Sunday morning they have a panel of people with hearing loss, which is what I provide the captioning for.

JCR | What motivated you to offer to provide your services pro bono?

HIBLER | At the time I was providing captioning for an undergraduate student whose mom was involved with Hands & Voices. She fought to have captioning for her son in high school and then college. She wanted to spread the word about CART captioning and asked me if I would provide my services at a Mom’s Night Inn, and the rest is history.

JCR | Did you use this experience to earn Professional Development Credits from NCRA?

HIBLER | I think it’s great that NCRA allows its members to earn PDCs for providing pro bono work, but, no, I have not taken advantage of it yet.

JCR | Why is it important for any professional to provide their services pro bono?

HIBLER | It’s important on a professional level because it’s a great opportunity for networking and business growth. Oftentimes when you are working on a pro bono basis, you are allowed to disseminate your business information free of charge. How can you go wrong with free advertising?

JCR | Do you have plans to provide more of your services pro bono in the future, and if so, do you know where and when yet?
HIBLER | Well, clearly a year from now I’ll be working again with Hands & Voices. My pro bono work comes into play when a special situation arises. A couple years ago, I was asked to work a memorial service for the nephew of a consumer I knew. It was a few blocks from my house, and I was more than happy to do it pro bono.

JCR | What have been the greatest personal rewards for you from these activities?

HIBLER | Oh, I just love people. I’ve met the most wonderful people through my captioning jobs and learned about non-profit organizations that do great work. I have no problem providing a couple hours of captioning for free, especially for organizations that hire me on a regular basis. I figure I have the time, I have a fantastic skill, and I’m happy to do a nice thing for our consumers from time to time.

JCR | What would you say to someone to encourage them to offer their services pro bono?

HIBLER | If you think of pro bono work as a hassle, you’re never going to want to do it. What you should do is pick an event that means something to you in some way. Maybe you have a soft spot for indigent litigants. Maybe you’d like to caption for the parishioners in your church. Maybe you’re trying out some new technology and need an audience. Remember, you can use your pro bono work as a way to introduce yourself to potential new clients. You may be working for free today, but it could bring new business for tomorrow. Just do it. It might even make you feel good!

Gayl Hardeman, FAPR, RDR, CRR, CRC, CRI, is a freelance CART provider, captioner, and agency owner from Pinellas Park, Fla.

JCR | Where and when did you volunteer your services pro bono?

HARDEMAN | In December we were contacted by a grant recipient who needed interviews with survivors of human trafficking transcribed. The transcripts were to be used to create a docu-drama to educate people about the scourge of human trafficking. There were 10 interviews to be transcribed within a few weeks’ time, as the grant recipient was facing a deadline with the performance to take place in late January. I decided her cause was genuine and one that aligned with my values; namely, to help people know about this established network of traffickers and unwitting trafficking victims. I knew I couldn’t transcribe almost 25 hours of interviews over the holidays, so I’d need help, and four of my colleagues stepped up and helped me meet the deadline. My colleagues — Tammy Milcowitz, RMR, CRR, CRC; Kathryn Bentley, RPR, CRC; Leslie Schwartz; and Holly McKay — were fantastic in giving their time and skills. Thank you!

JCR | What motivated you to offer to provide your services pro bono?

HARDEMAN | To serve those who serve, and to help spread the word that a whole pattern of modern-day slavery exists.

JCR | Did you use this experience to earn Professional Development Credits from NCRA?

HARDEMAN | I will probably do so soon.

JCR | Why is it important for any professional to provide their services pro bono?

HARDEMAN | It makes you feel good to assist people by using your skills to create an enduring and useful record for them.

JCR | Do you have plans to provide more of your services pro bono in the future, and if so, do you know where and when yet?

HARDEMAN | I have no plans to, but I often give of my time as a mentor and trainer.

JCR | What have been the greatest personal rewards for you from these activities?

HARDEMAN | I was educated about something I’d heard about. Now I’ve been a firsthand witness to several personal accounts of how young girls were lured into a life of forced prostitution. The best part of transcribing these accounts was finding that the young women emerged from their horrible situations to help others avoid and deal with the aftermath of that life.

JCR | What would you say to someone to encourage them to offer their services pro bono?

HARDEMAN | We get a kind of burnout at times in our career, so to reframe our skills as tools for human education and justice elevates our purpose and identity.

Ninette Butler, RPR, CRR, CRC, Realtime Systems Administrator, is a freelance court reporter from Orlando, Fla. She is part of a team that provides live streaming on Sundays at a local church.

JCR | Where and when did you volunteer your services pro bono?

BUTLER | First Baptist Orlando.

JCR | What motivated you to offer to provide your services pro bono?

BUTLER | A heart to serve and use our God-given talents for those in need.

JCR | Did you use this experience to earn Professional Development Credits from NCRA?

BUTLER | I do if I need additional credits to complete my cycle.

JCR | Why is it important for any professional to provide their services pro bono?

BUTLER | It’s a unique talent that we are blessed with. It only makes sense to share it with others.

JCR | Do you have plans to provide more of your services pro bono in the future, and if so, do you know where and when yet?

BUTLER | This is an ongoing ministry for us every Sunday.

 JCR | What have been the greatest personal rewards for you from these activities?

BUTLER | I feel we get so much out of it in return, by being able to hear such an impactful message every week. The people that we serve are also so very grateful. We don’t get that kind of gratitude in the legal setting!

JCR | What would you say to someone to encourage them to offer their services pro bono?

BUTLER | If there is a little voice inside you that is yearning to serve others, prayerfully consider where God will place you and look for opportunities. There’s always a place designed just for you!

Deborah Weaver is a freelance court reporter and owner of Alaris Litigation Services in St. Louis, Mo.

JCR | Where and when did you volunteer your services pro bono?

WEAVER | At Alaris we have a long-standing tradition of helping worthy causes. We are committed to giving back to organizations that make a difference in the communities we serve. Alaris is involved in many community efforts. A few of these include:

Let’s Start. For more than 13 years we have packed lunches for children to take on the bus when they go visit their mothers in prison.

Center for Women in Transition. Involved in providing resources and community support to women who have recently been released from prison.

Dollars for Depositions. By developing this program in partnership with the Missouri Coalition for the Right to Counsel (MCRC), we are able to provide funding for deposition services to support individuals who may not be able to afford them otherwise.

BAMSL Motion for Kids. For more than 24 years, Alaris has supported the Motion for Kids organization, which is a nonprofit that holds an annual holiday party for children in the foster care system or who have been severely impacted by the criminal justice system. Alaris distributes gifts for the kids at the Santa Station and helps with visits from Santa.

JCR | What motivated you to offer to provide your services pro bono?

WEAVER | As a company, Alaris believes by actively participating in the betterment of our communities, we build strong relationships with other organizations, volunteers, and community members while also becoming visible and present to those around us. This strengthens the position of our company, and strong personal relationships can often lead to strong business relationships. Additionally, our charity involvement has introduced us to relationships with people who have become friends outside of business hours.

JCR | Did you use this experience to earn Professional Development Credits from NCRA?

WEAVER | No, we did not.

JCR | Why is it important for any professional to provide their services pro bono?

WEAVER | I’m a firm believer in using your unique talents to serve the community in which you live and work. I believe it is something everyone should do, no matter how large or small. The legal community has always supported me personally and my companies, and this allows us to give back.

JCR | Do you have plans to provide more of your services pro bono in the future, and if so, do you know where and when yet?

WEAVER | We will continue to support these community projects, and if any come our way that align with our organization, then we are certainly open to supporting how we can.

JCR | What have been the greatest personal rewards for you from these activities?

WEAVER | On a personal level, I find it incredibly rewarding to bring hope, assistance, and joy to someone’s life, most especially a child’s life. It is also rewarding to see our staff get involved and be supportive in these efforts. I see it as “paying it forward,” using my talents to help make the world a better place one little effort at a time.

JCR | What would you say to someone to encourage them to offer their services pro bono?

WEAVER | Just do it! No, really, just do it. Whether it’s helping break the cycle of incarceration or beautifying your neighborhood, find what inspires you and make it an active part of your life. It’s such a privilege to be able to give back to one’s community, and the rewards you see from these efforts are always tenfold. Whether it’s strengthened business relationships, creating lasting personal relationships, or the simple joy of knowing you’ve made your community a better place to live and work, there is always something to be gained.

Filed Under: Career, News, Volunteering

Nominations for NCRA Board of Directors sought

January 8, 2019 by

Serving on the NCRA Board of Directors is an excellent opportunity to use your leadership skills to help advance the premier organization that continues to empower the court reporting and captioning professions. As a Director, you will serve with others as fiduciaries to steer the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies as well as by making sure NCRA has adequate resources to advance its mission.

Declare your candidacy or submit recommendations to boardnominations@ncra.org by Jan. 18, 2019. As a courtesy, please contact your candidate directly prior to submitting his or her name.

A Web-based, no-obligation orientation will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 9, for anyone interested in seeking future Board service. This briefing will help you gain a better understanding of the process and expectations of serving on the Board. To sign-up for the Webinar, please click here.








Filed Under: Career, Member Announcements, NCRA & You, News, Volunteering Tagged With:

It’s a giving time of the year!  Make a difference!

December 11, 2018 by

By Sandy Bunch VanderPol

Sandy Bunch VanderPol

When you love something, you want to support it all the time, even if it takes a lot of effort and time. This is how I feel about our profession and the National Court Reporters Foundation, the philanthropic arm of NCRA.  As a Trustee on the NCRF, I have the privilege to serve all of you, as members of NCRA. It is indeed a privilege.

As a freelance reporter and an independent contractor, it has always been in my heart to support the profession I so love. I do this by volunteering my time and by supporting the profession with my financial contributions, and I have benefited greatly from doing this. Financial generosity is an important element in the success of any organization that supports the philanthropic efforts of that organization, and your financial support is necessary to the success of the charitable work of the NCRF.

I would ask all of you to please take a moment to consider making a charitable contribution to NCRF. There is no amount too small or too large. Your contribution will be spent wisely in supporting the many programs of NCRF. Make a difference! The feeling of giving – what a feeling it is!

Thank you in advance for your support. I appreciate it. Oh, and I forgot to mention, your contribution is tax deductible. And if you contribute $1,000, you will be an “NCRF Angel,” which can benefit you through networking and a number of public relations and marketing opportunities.

 

Sandy Bunch VanderPol, FAPR, RMR, CRR, of Lotus, Calif., is an NCRF Trustee and longtime NCRF Angel. Visit www.bit.ly/NCRFYEA to donate to NCRF to support your profession.








Filed Under: NCRA & You, NCRF, News, Volunteering Tagged With:

Guest speaker opportunity at a community college

December 10, 2018 by

NCRA member Penny Wile, RMR, CRR, owner of Penny Wile Court Reporting in Norfolk, Va., has been a court reporter for more than 30 years. Recently she showcased the court reporting and captioning profession to students in a paralegal course taught at her local community college.

By Penny Wile

Penny Wile talks to paralegal students

Approximately three months ago I took the deposition of a risk management specialist for a national chain of stores. It was a run-of-the-mill 30(b)(6) document production deposition stemming from an accident that resulted in a personal injury claim being filed. Plaintiff and defense appeared via video-teleconference, and the witness and I were together at the deposition site.

The deposition took most of the day, and during breaks the witness asked me questions about court reporting. We chatted about my profession and hers. Not only is she a risk management specialist, but she teaches a paralegal course locally, at Tidewater Community College on Thursday evenings.

At the conclusion of the deposition she asked if I would be interested in speaking to her class about court reporting. I eagerly agreed! Anytime I can attempt to recruit others to join the profession, I am happy to help.

We set several dates for me to appear, but there were delays. (Note to self: Don’t plan speaking engagements during hurricane season!)

I reached out to NCRA and asked if they could provide tools for me to use in my talk. I quickly received literature to download and print. The next day I received a box of print media and goodies for the class. I purchased some clear bags with handles and filled them with important information about court reporting:  History, training, career rewards and challenges, in addition to the goodies.

On Nov. 29, I spoke to the classroom of paralegal students. The students were eager to learn about the reporting profession. I started with a once-upon-a-time story of how I entered the profession. It’s not a glamorous story but one that should be told. They appeared to appreciate how I entered the profession. These students work during the day, have family obligations, and attend college at night. They are real people with busy lives trying to receive an education. They asked me many questions and seemed to be engaged. I spoke to them about my work abroad, some of the more rewarding assignments I have covered in my career, some of the unusual assignments I have covered, and gave them court reporting 101 in two hours .

Penny Wile sets up her machine for paralegal students

Two students in particular were very interested in training with the NCRA A to ZTM Program.  They were excited they could “try out” reporting and see if it would be a good fit for them. I provided my contact information and told them I would be happy to help them if they pursued training in the profession.

When my talk wrapped up, I couldn’t believe I had spoken for two hours! I have been invited back to be a guest speaker for the upcoming semester, and I look forward to the opportunity to inform and encourage others to enter the field of court reporting.

You can also read Career Days are great ways to promote the profession.

For more information about career day resources that are available from NCRA, contact pr@ncra.org, or visit the 2019 Court Reporting & Captioning Resource page.








Filed Under: Career, NCRA & You, Schools, Student, Student Report, Volunteering

Career days are great ways to promote the profession

December 10, 2018 by

With 2019 Court Reporting & Captioning Week on the horizon, many NCRA members are planning to mark the event by participating in a career day at a local middle or high school where they can show off their steno skills and introduce students to the benefits of a career in court reporting or captioning.

The JCR Weekly reached out to NCRA members Ann Hall, RPR, an official court reporter from Monterey, Calif., and Jason Meadors, FAPR, RPR, CRR, CRC, a freelance court reporter from Fort Collins, Colo., who each recently participated in local school career days, to find out more about their experiences.

Ann Hall

In early November, Hall participated in a college/employment fair day at Seaside High School in Seaside, Calif., where she introduced the court reporting profession to students from all four of the grades. Hall said she was asked to participate by a counselor from the school, and she noted that the last time she had attended a career event was some 12 years ago.

“It was great to work with young people and hopefully get some of them interested in court reporting,” she said, adding that she would definitely do it again if asked. “Thanks to the package I received from NCRA, I had many NCRA magazines available, some ‘swag’ from various vendors, and information about court reporting in general.”

Among the many questions students asked her were: How does the machine work? What’s it like to be in court?  What do you do when people talk over one another? And among the responses, Hall heard: “Cool!  I’ve never seen a machine like that before.”

Hall added that she learned about the court reporting profession from a family friend who worked as a reporter, and it was he who encouraged her to pursue the career.

Jason Meadors

Meanwhile, in Colorado, Meadors said he showcased the court reporting and captioning professions to sixth, seventh, and eighth graders at the Broomfield Heights Middle School in Broomfield, Colo., upon the request of an associate.

Meadors said the students’ questions were great, and the experience gave him hope for the generation to come, because they were bright, inquisitive, and polite. The experience also gave him an appreciation for the need for NCRA members to get their story out to younger people.

“They wanted to know what type of training was involved, how much education, how much work per week, if travel was involved, what kind of people I ran across, what were my most and least favorite aspects of the job, if I got perks for airline miles – I don’t remember them all, but the questions were very perceptive,” he said.

“They thought the machine and realtime display was pretty cool. They thought the traveling I do was pretty cool,” added Meadors, who noted that he has done other career day events which, unlike this one that rotated students through one classroom, were set up similar to a vendor hall.

Meadors, who said he would certainly participate in a career event again, advises others who decide to attend one to go prepared with a presentation they want to give, but be agile, because the format they choose might not be the format that’s best for the setting.

“For instance, I had a PowerPoint prepared, but I ditched it. I was prepared to scatter realtime screens throughout the classroom, but that wouldn’t have worked as well either. Instead, I answered their scads of questions, I told the most entertaining but honest stories I could, and they gathered around while I did a realtime display,” he said.

“We really do have a fascinating profession. I gave my presentation in tandem with a lady who had the title of ‘project manager,’ and she kept complaining privately to me that she just sounded boring compared to the work we do,” he noted.

Meadors said he first learned about the court reporting career while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he was assigned to legal services clerk class right out of boot camp.

“The highest graduates of that class went to the court reporter class. It was stenomask training. I placed high there, found out I loved the work, and went to steno school upon my honorable discharge from the Marines,” he added.

NCRA member Penny Wile, RMR, CRR, owner of Penny Wile Court Reporting in Norfolk, Va., has been a court reporter for more than 30 years. Recently she also showcased the court reporting and captioning profession, but this time, to students in a paralegal course taught at her local community college. Read Penny Wile’s story.

For more information about career day resources that are available from NCRA, contact pr@ncra.org, or visit the 2019 Court Reporting & Captioning Resource page.

 

 








Filed Under: Events, Getting Through School, Member Announcements, NCRA & You, Schools, Student Report, Up-to-Speed, Volunteering Tagged With: ,

NCRA member aids in animal rescues during California wildfires

December 4, 2018 by

Sherri Kuebler and her horse Taylor

When the Woolsey fire northwest of Los Angeles, Calif., burned nearly 97,000 acres before it was finally contained, it left in its wake not only a trail of devastation and heartbreaking loss of life but also stories of courageous volunteerism. NCRA member Sherri  L. Kuebler, RPR, a retired freelance court reporter from Chino Hills, Calif., was one such volunteer.

According to Kuebler, the ranch manager where she, her husband, and several of their friends board their horses, was contacted by a rescue group asking for volunteers with horse trailers to pick up various livestock in the Calabasas area where the Woolsey fire was headed.

“We had four horse trailers and approximately 12 volunteers who drove approximately 70 miles to a staging area where we coordinated with the Lost Hills Sheriff Department who escorted us into the danger zone and to one particular address where the owner was not able to get his animals out,” said Kuebler, a court reporter for 19 years who recently retired from her assignment to a felony trial courtroom at the North Justice Center in Fullerton.

“At this particular address, we rescued pigs, horses, peacocks, roosters, hens, guinea pigs and huge 400-pound turtles. We picked up two sheep who were running loose on the streets, and another homeowner just handed her horse to my ranch owner and said: ‘Please take her’,” she added.

Loading the scared animals into their slant-load horse trailers was pretty difficult, said Kuebler. “There were no cages to take from the property and these huge pigs were not cooperating. We finally got them into modified cages and trash cans on wheels and loaded them that way.

Kuebler said the volunteers were only able to make one trip due to the emerging fire and heavy smoke, but all the animals they did save were brought back to the ranch where they keep their horses. There, she said, some of the boarders bought cages and food for the rescues to help make them as comfortable as possible because they were very scared.

“Our ranch owners were kind enough to allow these rescues to stay as long as needed until they were reunited with their owners. Thank goodness all of them survived and have all been delivered back to their owners,” she said.

Kuebler, who can be contacted at sherrikuebler@verizon.net, said that donations to help support rescues such as the Woolsey fire one can be made directly to the El Rodeo Equestrian Center at 4449 Carbon Canyon Road, Brea, CA 92823.








Filed Under: News, Reporting, Volunteering Tagged With:

How can you get involved?

November 30, 2018 by

JOIN NCRA with a student membership. Become a member to get discounts on testing, convention registration, study guides, and more.

CONTRIBUTE to Up-to-Speed by submitting articles, study tips, questions for reporters and instructors, and suggestions.

LEARN about upcoming scholarship and grant opportunities.








Filed Under: Getting Through School, Schools, Student, Student Report, Up-to-Speed, Volunteering
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