If you walk into Joanne Duda's office at the Wake County Animal Center, you might think you've wandered into a Carolina Hurricanes fan museum.
Joanne Duda, the Animal Center's foster coordinator, has been a Hurricanes season ticket holder for 16 years, and her office is filled with memorabilia collected over the years. From signed hockey sticks to life-size player cutouts, nearly every item has a story.
One of her favorites is a hockey stick signed by former Hurricanes goaltender Scott Darling. The gift came from one of Duda's fosters, who worked at a pet store where Darling regularly shopped for his dog. After hearing that Duda was a huge Hurricanes fan, Darling went home, grabbed a stick, signed it and sent it back with the volunteer.
"I was shocked," Duda said. "That was pretty special."
Another unique piece is a cardboard cutout of Duda herself. During the COVID pandemic, when fans weren't allowed in arenas, the Hurricanes invited supporters to submit photos that were turned into cutouts and placed in the stands during games. Duda jumped at the chance, and when the season ended, she even had hers signed by former Hurricane Nino Niederreiter.
Then there's the Jordan Martinook cutout standing in the corner. A foster who worked at a grocery store rescued it after a promotion ended and brought it straight to Duda. One of the most unusual pieces in the collection is a giant Brent Burns head. It was once used during an in-game fan contest, and when the team later offered the oversized cutouts for sale, Duda knew she had to have one.
As the Hurricanes continue their playoff run, Duda is as confident as ever.
"Oh, they're going to win," she said. "There's going to be a lot of crying and a lot of hugging. It's going to be incredible. I probably won't have a voice left."
But even in playoff season, Duda's day job comes first: helping homeless pets find loving homes, and she needs more people to help her do it. The Animal Center is always looking for fosters, whether for dogs, cats, kittens or puppies. Fosters provide temporary care that saves lives and makes space for more animals to come in off the streets.
Fostering is a rewarding way to help homeless pets. By taking one animal into their home, foster volunteers help that pet while also freeing up space for another animal at the Wake County Animal Center.
