The school year is winding down and Lollypop Farm is once again preparing for the summer camp season. Through programs like Homeschool Heroes and Lollypop Farm Camp, your support allows children throughout our community to explore their love of animals in meaningful, hands-on ways.
Below are three current and former LPF campers who were impacted by their time here at Lollypop Farm. Thanks to your generosity, these programs continue to inspire empathy, curiosity, and connection in the next generation of animal lovers.
Junior Camp Counselor Addison
After years of regularly attending Lollypop Farm camp, 13-year-old Addison joined our humane education team as a volunteer Junior Camp Counselor. Throughout Addison’s first summer as Junior Camp Counselor, she progressively developed her public speaking and leadership skills until, before long, she was independently presenting her own lesson to the campers. Each week, she brought her pet rat, Orion, to camp and taught the campers all about rats, the care they need, and their wonderful personalities. And of course, the campers always loved meeting Orion!
“As a camper, I was introduced to many different animals- rats being one of them. I love to share my passions with kids and knowledge of animals, especially my rats. Through these experiences I have been able to grow as a person, build my self-confidence, purpose, and meet others with similar interests. I am so grateful for all my coworkers as they have been amazing mentors; supporting, guiding, helping, and encouraging me to explore and try new opportunities. I look forward to continuing my work as a volunteer, working with the kids and sharing my animal knowledge with them.”
From Future Vet Camp to Future Vet
It’s no secret that the nation-wide shortage of veterinarians has left millions of New Yorkers struggling to access care for their pets. It’s a deeply complex problem, but if there’s one thing we can be certain of, it’s that there is never a shortage of kids dreaming to become veterinarians.
Aiming to inspire that next generation of veterinarians, Lollypop Farm’s Future Vet Camp and other veterinary-focused programs have long been our most in-demand programs. Your support enables us to foster these young people’s passions for animals, provide them with opportunities to observe our clinic at work, and empower them to pursue careers as veterinary professionals.
Here’s a note from one of Abby, a second-year veterinary student at Cornell:
“Lollypop Farm has been a meaningful part of my life for as long as I can remember. It holds an abundance of memories for me—from adopting my first pet to spending every summer at the pre-vet camp. As I got older, my role shifted from camper to volunteer, and eventually, I was hired as a Humane Educator.
I have always known that I wanted to become a veterinarian, and Lollypop Farm not only fostered this ambition, but also guided me toward a passion for shelter medicine. The care that the staff provide, whether animal attendants or veterinarians, is always of the highest standard. Their commitment to addressing each animal’s physical, medical, and behavioral needs is something that I deeply admire and aspire to uphold as a veterinarian.
I am incredibly grateful to have grown alongside Lollypop Farm and to have witnessed its development into the vital community keystone that it is today.”
Abby Schwartzman
Cornell DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) Candidate
Class of 2029
Note from a Camper
Below is a note from Genevieve, who first got involved with Lollypop Farm as a summer camper. She’s now become a regular attendee of our Homeschool Heroes program since its launch in November. It’s safe to say that the experience has had a huge impact on her, but don’t take it from me. Here’s what she had to say:
Heroes program since its launch in November. It’s safe to say that the experience has had a huge impact on her, but don’t take it from me. Here’s what she had to say:
Your support does so much for the animals here at Lollypop Farm, but your impact goes far beyond the walls of our shelter. Every day, you enable our humane education team to plant seeds of compassion that will continue to make our community a kinder place for pets and their people for years to come.
