REM Award Honorees (2004) — Joette Marks (Humane Society Waterville Area)

We would like to present Joette Marks, this year’s Humane Society honoree. She is an invaluable member of our volunteer team. She walks dogs, rain or shine and makes sure they all get out. Many a day she can be seen in her raincoat, hair dripping, taking dogs for a walk. Joette helps wherever she is needed. She has been instrumental in finding homes for harder to place dogs by taking care of extraordinary medical expenses. Summer weekends find her assisting around town at local businesses that allow the Humane Society to feature pets for adoption, where she willingly answers any questions that come her way. Joette epitomizes the ideal of a true volunteer. We honor her and her to know how much we appreciate all she does.

Joette says, “I grew up on a farm in Albion and am a graduate of Besse High School, class of 1965. I was employed by New England Telephone in Waterville and Farmington for 17 first as an operation and later as a service representative. In 1967 I married Winston Marks and we built our home in Benton. My husband is an electrical contractor and I am the company bookkeeper. We have two children, Julie Marks Kaizawa who lives in Japan with her husband Toshiharu, and Jason Marks who lives in Albion with his wife Missie and their two children.”

“I have been volunteering at the Humane Society, Waterville Area since April 2003. I believe every animal deserves a loving and caring home. I feel they need human interaction to make the adoptable, and I enjoy the time I spend with them. I do whatever is needed, and feel a small victory every time I see an animal go to a new home.”

For more information about the Humane Society Waterville Area, please visit its website.