KPETS and Kollege Kids (90+ of them))

Touching Lives * Warming Hearts in York College

Email from Harriet Hombach ( KPETS Evaluator/Volunteer:

"Thanks to all the KPETS teams who did a remarkably, fantastic job at York College last Thursday. If you were not there, you missed lots of fun with YCP  staff and students. As you can see from the below email, we have already been invited back for next spring!!

Thanks to : Janelle w/Bouy; Cheyenne w/Surf; Christine w/JoJo; Jessey w/ Bandit;  Elaine w/ Ami; Elaine w/ Toby; Jan w/ Twiggy; Fran w/ Okra; and my boy Toon. (I sure hope I did not miss anyone!!!)

KPETS teams are the best!!

Harriet"

----------Original Message----------

From: Jessi Nocella
Date: Oct 16, 2012 3:13:32 PM
Subject: Re: next Thurs. Oct. 11 at YCP
To: Harriet Hombach <hubamus@verizon.net>
 

Harriet, Fran and KPETS members,

Once again, thank you for such a successful event! We thoroughly enjoyed having KPETS owners and dogs at YCP to help boost the students' mood (as well as some of our staff). We have truly appreciated working with your group and look forward to future events together. We've heard wonderful feedback from the students and our estimate was that at least 90+ students were touched by the event.

Have a wonderful fall and winter. We'll be in touch for the spring event!

Jessi Nocella on behalf of Counseling Services

KPETS at the 2012 Mutt Mixer

Saturday, October 6 was the 2012 Annual Mutt Mixer to benefit "Furry Friends Network Rescue".

Michelle Carroll, KPETS workshop instuctor, invited KPETS to join in the event that is so near and dear to her heart. KPETS staffed an info booth to share our mission and tell others about the joys of pet therapy volunteering.

Several teams helped staff the booth throughout the day, working in one to two-hour shifts. Check out the fun they had.

BIG THANKS to all who helped out.

Tales of Two Dogs

New KPETS Therapy Teams inititated a new program at The Arthur Hufnagel Public Library of Glen Rock, PA.

Jenn Irwin along with Hillary and Madilyn Bull and the Arthur Hufnagle Public Librarty created the "Tales of Two Dogs" Program. Or should the be "TAILS" of Two Dogs:)

Click here to view the program flyer! and find out more.

Great job ladies!

KPETS Komforts Kollege Kids

Dizzy, Sara and Remi don't know whether or not the new freshmen at McDaniel College are feeling a little homesick, or experiencing their first time on a campus away from family or friends.

But regardless, on Tuesday they were only too happy to:

more . . . . from the Baltimore Sun

and

More . . . (from McDaniel College Website

Multi-tasking KPETS Dog

KPETS team Copper Candy and Nan Hanshaw volunteered in several educational booths during the Farm Show January 7th through 14th. Copper drew the crowds for the Pennsylvania Animal Response Team (PASART) and the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA).

He worked sereral-hour shifts *  for several days and greeted hundreds of children and grown ups. When Copper wasn't working, other volunteers reported slow attendance at the booths, but as soon as he arrived, people swarmed the booths to pet him and ask questions about therapy dogs.

Many people took KPETS brochures along with information that was available in the booths for them. One woman stood in line and waited her turn to pet him and said a heartfelt thank you for all KPETS teams and especially the Hershey Heelers. Her son had been in the neuro unit at HMC and visits from the dogs helped his depression and she is sure helped speed his recovery. Her thank you made all the hours standing in the booths worthwhile that week.
* Copper was very tired each day but he never showed signs of stress or asked to leave. It was great to watch him work and realize how awesome our therapy dogs are- they tolerate things most animals never would and they do it willingly for us. It's great to be part of KPETS.

At-Risk Teens share with Adams County SPCA

During their November visit to Abraxas Youth Detention Center at South Mountain in Franklin County, volunteers Donna Gomer  with Cullen and Wendi Mitzel with Meeko assisted the teens in making new adoption gift bags for the Adams County SPCA.  The gift bags included small bags of treats, a special note from a teen at the Center, a new traffic leash, and braided fleece toy. 

The teens at the Center were provided the materials and braided the leashes and also the toys.  All the teens had a great time braiding, making treat bags, and writing a special note for the bag they put together.  Cullen and Meeko even got a few treats to bring home!  The teens did not want any dog left out and even made extras for some of the staff who had dogs.   All these items were placed in a larger bag and tied together with red or green ribbon with a note to the new owner attached.  Donna Gomer then took the gift bags and presented them to the Adams County SPCA.

Donna and Wendi along with their therapy dogs visit Abraxas bi-monthly.  The teens love working with the dogs, learning new ways to train using positive reinforcement, and just visiting with them.  We work closely with the counselor to develop new ways to effectively use our visits to help these teens find their way back into society as more caring, loving, giving, successful individuals.

Gio Delivers Santa (and more) to Luther Acres

On our most recent visit to Luther Acres Gio wanted to take Santa along to cheer the residents. So we pulled out his wagon and harness, put some Christmas lights around Santa, sat him in the wagon, and hitched it up to Gio.

Gio pulled it very proudly – you can almost see him saying “look what I have here”. Bandit got in on the Christmas excitement by dressing up in his special Christmas collar. We walked the halls to greet the residents and wish them all Merry Christmas.  We saw many smiles and laughs as we made our rounds. Later Bandit wanted to try out sitting in the wagon so out came Santa and in went Bandit. (We did not try pulling it this way yet as this was the first time Bandit had seen the wagon!) Both dogs were very entertaining!

On our  regular visits to Luther Acres there are two teams Gio with Jolene Newcomer along with Bandit with Marilyn Mackey, The big dog and the little dog teams – everyone so enjoys seeing the two together and making comparisons.