MARENGO, Iowa (KCRG) - All this week KCRG-TV9 is highlighting outstanding volunteers throughout eastern Iowa, known as our 9 Who Care.
Kevin Recknor shares a kiss with Beeboo at the Iowa Farm Sanctuary in Marengo on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019. Recknor was one of the KCRG 9 Who Care winners. (Aaron Scheinblum/KCRG)
Kevin Recknor, a retired school teacher in Iowa City, received more nominations than any of the other 9 Who Care winners. His passion for animals led his peers to nominate him for his volunteer efforts at the Iowa Farm Sanctuary.
There is not an animal at the Iowa Farm Sanctuary that has not met Recknor, and he knows all of their names, their backstories, their likes, and dislikes. From Molly Brown and her appreciation for belly rubs, Fefe and her love to socialize and hug, as well as Carl and his love for the camera, Recknor makes a point to engage with all of them when he volunteers at the farm.
Despite being retired from teaching for the last three years, Recknor never really stopped putting in work.
"When I retired, I knew what I wanted to do- and I wanted to do a couple things, and one, I just wanted to rescue animals," Recknor said. "That was my main idea."
Shawn Camp, the co-founder of the farm sanctuary, vividly remembers Recknor showing up to their farm to help, the first time they ever asked for it.
"He was actually, it was our first volunteer orientation, and he was the first one at the gate," Camp said.
When amp started the farm sanctuary, the sales pitch for volunteers was not... glamorous. Most days, to their admission, include mucking the barns- but that is a job Recknor is more than happy to do.
"So you come out here and you scoop poop all day, you know, nothing glorious," Camp said. "But he does it to be with the animals and help them out."
"You muck the barns and trim their hooves and take care of them, feed them, sometimes put them away at night, just whatever is required," Recknor said.
The thing is- it was never "required." For Kevin, it was an obligation.
"We all have this like mind," Recknor said. "We all believe that farm animals is where most of the suffering goes on in the world. And we want to stop it. And so we want to give these animals a sanctuary and a place to live out their lives."
For at least three days a week, sometimes every day, Recknor is out at the farm. And Recknor does, in his words, "whatever it takes."
"If you bring this many animals and you rescue them and you're giving them a sanctuary, there's a lot of work," Recknor said.
Camp and the other volunteers would admit, Recknor has gone above and beyond what is asked, and what is expected. Camp even remembered a time Recknor stayed all day to put a fence.
"He is part of the organization," Camp said. "He is as much Iowa Farm Sanctuary as I am as the co-founder."
And if Recknor has overstayed his welcome, no one seems to show it, including the animals.
"Definitely didn't expect that he would be here every day we needed him for what, going on 2 and a half years, 3 years," Camp said.
And it is all that time, hard work, and dedication that Recknor hopes is building towards a better future.
"Really it's for these animals, but really it's for something much bigger," Recknor said. "And I believe that if we can change people's perspective, we can lessen the suffering in this world."
Even if it means showing up to the farm multiple times a week, with the expectation of shoveling poop.
For information on the Iowa Farm Sanctuary, visit their website.
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9 Who Care: Retired school teacher finds passion in maintaing farm sanctuary for animals - KCRG
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