Humans of RAPS: Val Leintz

Everything RAPS does is for the animals. But it’s all possible because of humans. This week, meet Val Leintz, a tireless volunteer at the RAPS Thrift Stores whose devotion has made fans of everyone he meets.

Val has been volunteering at the stores for about four years and doing, as he says, “a little bit of everything.”

It’s all for the animals, Val says, and while asking his favourite type of animal is a “trick question,” he admits he has an extra soft spot for cats, of which he has three at home: Trouble, Diggy and Elsie.

This smalltown Saskatchewan fellow is farm strong even as a senior. He is regularly found “swamping” the delivery truck and helping in the “binning” – sorting through the treasures that come in as donations.

Thrift Stores manager Karen Kamachi can’t say enough about Val.

“I could not do this job without Val,” she says. “He is completely graceful, completely humble. His real name is Valentine and he holds up to that name. He’s our Valentine around here. We absolutely love Val. … There isn’t anything this man wouldn’t do for RAPS.”

We are so thrilled to have Val on our side! The animals and people of RAPS thank you, Val!