The Hallam-ICS North Carolina team recently spent a day volunteering at the Blind Spot Animal Sanctuary for our Fall 2024 service project. This 100% volunteer-run sanctuary provides lifelong care to neglected and homeless farm animals, giving them a safe, loving home—whether permanent or adoptive.
As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by friendly volunteers—and even friendlier animals! Pigs of all shapes and sizes were our first introduction, with many rescued after outgrowing their previous owner’s size expectations. Fun fact: pigs can start breeding as young as five months but keep growing until they’re 4–5 years old!
We toured the sanctuary and met an incredible array of animals: mini donkeys, chickens, peacocks, horses, sheep, goats, alpacas, emus—and, of course, more pigs. We learned pigs communicate in unique “dialects,” much like humans, and met Dozer, one of the sanctuary’s largest (and most unforgettable) residents.
Our day’s work included cleaning out stalls, restocking bedding, and refreshing water stations. Surprisingly, the pigs’ stalls were the tidiest! Outside, we helped clean up the property while being “supervised” by Doug, one of two resident emus. Doug (who goes by she/her) shadowed us all day, inspecting our work and even accompanying us when we hand-fed the goats and sheep.
Lunch was a delicious, vegan meal prepared by the sanctuary staff, reflecting their deep love and respect for all animals. While we ate, Dozer had to be secured—he’s known for his attempts to steal food—but a mischievous little black pig joined us, begging at the table like a naughty puppy.
This visit also brought us full circle with a special resident: Eddie the ram. In 2021, Eddie (formerly Phillip) was rescued after living alone for years on a wooded property in Research Triangle Park. A member of our team had previously worked for a real estate developer in the area, and when the company acquired the property, they reached out to Blind Spot to arrange Eddie’s rescue. Now, Eddie happily thrives on the sanctuary’s farm with his new animal family.
The day was both inspiring and heartwarming. From caring for the animals to learning their stories, it was a beautiful reminder of the impact kindness and dedication can make. Huge thanks to Blind Spot Animal Sanctuary for hosting us and for all the incredible work they do!
(Check out Eddie's transformation—lonely in RTP to happy on the farm!)
About the author
Melissa Verdery is the Client Solutions Manager at Hallam-ICS, based in Apex, NC. Melissa joined the company in 2023, and has brought over 22 years of expertise in developing, constructing, and managing life science R&D facilities. Her superpower lies in building strong relationships with stakeholders to surpass business objectives, while her passion for fostering meaningful connections remains at the heart of her work.
In her role, Melissa leverages her extensive knowledge of commercial R&D buildings and mechanical systems to support the growth of Hallam-ICS in North Carolina. She excels in driving market presence, identifying opportunities, and providing tailored solutions to clients, all while nurturing a sense of purpose within the local life science community.
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About Hallam-ICS
Hallam-ICS is an engineering and automation company that designs MEP systems for facilities and plants, engineers control and automation solutions, and ensures safety and regulatory compliance through arc flash studies, commissioning, and validation. Our offices are located in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, North Carolina Texas and Florida and our projects take us world-wide. 
