SAFE wishes to recognize Jules Malen for his courage, his sweet disposition, his surprising appearance at the barn Saturday mornings in spite of the impact that chemotherapy has on his physical condition, and his overall attitude and love of SAFE and the horses.
Fellow shift volunteer Nitant says, “Jules is an extremely valued member of the Saturday morning shift. His calm demeanor, friendly disposition and hardworking nature make him a popular face on the shift. He arrives early at the barn and can be seen cleaning stalls, hauling water buckets or cleaning feed-pans with enviable vigor. He is one of the last people to check out, not leaving until all the horses have clean stalls, and sufficient food and water.
Saturday crew mate Jennifer adds, “Jules was one of the first people I met during my first shift at SAFE. He was always there with a quiet greeting and ready to work hard. When he shared his story of moving to Washington and shortly after being diagnosed with cancer, I was shocked that he kept up with the work at SAFE. He would tell me he wasn’t going to be there the next week due to chemo and then, bam … he was there the following week. He is an inspiration to me with his willingness to work, his love of the horses and the pride he takes in a job well done.”
Hailing originally from Salt Lake City, Jules now calls Redmond home. He says he had dreams as a kid about working with and owning a horse, “so my main goal when moving up here was to get involved with a horse rescue as a way to get my foot in the door and maybe make a career out of it someday.”
Luckily, he saw a flyer about SAFE, signed up for an orientation tour, and was “instantly hooked!” Now, he says, “it’s very obvious everyone cares for the well-being of the horses.”
Jules is a special fan of Ruger. “He always stuck his head out when I walked by and I couldn’t help but have a conversation with him. I am also very happy Ruger found a forever home and will have the peace and quiet he deserves.”
When he’s not at the barn, Jules says he likes to go for walks/hikes and enjoys concerts and listening to a wide variety of music. He has worked with computers for about 20 years and spends time tinkering with them on various projects ranging from hardware to programming.
Finally, Jules says he has enjoyed working with everyone at SAFE and hopes to be back soon. We hope so too, Jules.
