Heather Kierstead

Heather's passion has always been animal rescue. She started volunteering with and fostering for Forsyth Humane Society (FHS) as soon as she discovered it was a possibility.  That was nine years ago, when she was fourteen.  She immediately fell in love with the goals of the adoption center, and volunteered almost every day after school and on weekends. Rex Welton trained her on all the shelter duties from taking care of the animals, to paperwork, answering phones, and helping with birthday parties and Critter Camp. She was named volunteer of the year her first year of volunteering, and was the youngest volunteer in the history of FHS to receive the award.

            In 2002, Heather went to boarding school in Georgia, where she volunteered at a local humane society for two years.  Along with her studies, she graduated from a wilderness leadership program as a Honor Graduate. She combined her junior and senior year together, graduating a year early from high school. 

In 2004, she moved to Florida and continued to stay involved with animal rescue, volunteering and fostering for Alachua County Humane Society.  In November of 2006, she moved back to Winston-Salem and reunited with FHS.  She began working at a downtown boutique called Patina, developed and run by an active artist named Kelly Petersen. Kelly would let Heather bring the dogs and puppies she fostered to work with her in the store.  This gave the animals great exposure and in turn, many more were adopted.

      In early spring of 2007, Heather was planning a big adventure with her best friend to hike the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia.  Kelly helped her create pledge forms so that she could raise money for FHS while hiking. To promote her fundraiser she appeared several times on local TV's "Pet of the Week" program with her dog Kobe (adopted from FHS), and was rewarded with a great response from the public.

      While hiking, WXII become more interested in her story and Master Control Supervisor and Digital Producer Paula Atkinson  began covering it creating an entire page to Heather's hike.  Heather sent Paula location updates, wildlife tales, and pictures (http://www.wxii12.com/family/13690070/detail.html). 

After six and a half months, Heather completed the 2,175 miles and raised over $18,000 for the Forsyth Humane Society.  After her return, WXII interviewed Heather several more times to unveil more specifics of the trail.  They also covered a reception that was held at Patina in Heather's honor. (YouTube- search Heather Kierstead)

      Heather began working for Kelly again. In the summer of 2008, Kelly offered Heather partnership if she would turn the back half of Patina into a coffee bar and art gallery.  Heather opened Verdigris Art Gallery and Coffee Bar in October of 2008. 

            Also in 2008, Heather became very interested in the "New Leash on Life Program" FHS was developing. "A New Leash on Life" is a program that allows minimum and medium custody state prisons to partner with the humane society to train dogs in preparation for their adoption.  In turn, the inmates are given a chance to serve the community by training dogs to be well-behaved pets. Due to her interest and history with the humane society, Heather was   invited to an Adoption Center Committee meeting.  She ultimately joined the committee, and soon after the FHS board of directors, becoming the youngest member of both.

            Heather also became interested in a local group called Fur-Ever Friends of North Carolina, drawn in by their lobbying to change laws improving the lives of animals. She was invited to sit in on a board meeting and was offered a seat in which she gratefully accepted.  

            Unfortunately, Heather's dear friend and business partner Kelly passed away from *** cancer in February of 2009 at the young age of forty-one. A month before her passing, she was married to Ralph Womble, leaving the business to Heather and him.  They decided in July that they would keep the store open for one more Christmas, and then move on.

             Patina and Verdigris have closed their doors, and in March, Heather will begin her next great adventure. She will drive across the country with Stephen Dunn to start hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The PCT is a five to six month journey through the west coast of America, spanning 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada.  She wishes she could take her canine hiking companion, Kobe, but the extremes of the Pacific Crest Trail are very harsh on even the toughest dogs.  However, she is confident that Stephen will be a great hiking and fundraising partner.