2007:  A Look Back
by Marti Heater, Founder and President of KINDLY CANINES and Tester/Observer for Therapy Dogs, Inc.

Each Year, KINDLY CANINES shares its activities with the public and this review of 2007 simply highlights another “furry” busy year. We are a local group of volunteer Therapy Dog Teams who’s Mission Statement is firm:  Therapy dog teams will provide unconditional acceptance and support to those who desire canine contact through “furry” creative and educational activities and programs.  Determined to be a quality organization, with a good reputation, we have proudly earned our 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.   Our motto identifies the spirit of our membership:  A group of real people with real dogs, who help real people with real life.  

2007 began at our home facility, Manor Care, where my dog CALLIE celebrated her five year anniversary as a Therapy Dog.  Many friends, including fellow Canine Therapists and Manor Care residents, joined her and everyone had lots of fun.  NBC 25 was even there.   CALLIE is directly responsible for having a Therapy Dog program in this area of PA – so there was much reason to celebrate!  Speaking of celebrating, we continue to have our monthly “pawty” at Manor Care, where Canine Therapists and residents celebrate their birthdays.  We’ve even added games including Ring Around the Rosie and the much loved Limbo - where the Canine Therapists actually accompany their resident friends through the Limbo, with Limbo music, and then the residents cheer their teammates (Canine Therapists) on as they proceed to “compete” to see which dog can go the lowest.  And much to everyone’s surprise, it’s not always the littlest dog that wins. So many other surprises and special touches add to this monthly event.  Resident’s family members, of all ages, also enjoy the monthly “pawty”.

We enjoyed repeat invitations to such annual activities as the Reading Rainbow in Shippensburg, The Children’s Fair in Chambersburg, CVAS’ Tails on the Trails and A R C’s September Social to name a few. We participated again in the March of Dimes’ Walk America and Make a Difference Day as well as Chambersfest and Applefest and other local events.  We also experienced new invitations such as to help CVAS at their Adoption Days and the Autism Awareness Fair, Scotland’s Memorial Day Parade, Fulton County Medical Center’s ribbon cutting ceremony.   Handlers even had a “field trip” to the VCA facility in Gaithersburg – without the dogs.  We developed and thoroughly enjoyed very successful summer programs for the LIU Migrant Education Program and the Boys and Girls Club.

We continue a very successful evening READS program at the Shippensburg Public Library.  A child from our READS program in the Chambersburg Area School District even wrote a book that was presented to the animal shelter.  CVAS still has it on display.  Responding to a request from CASD, (for a summer program where children reached during the school year could continue the positive relationships made with the Canine Therapists) we collaborated with The Franklin County Library System creating an accessible summer program which in turn spawned yet another program - a monthly program held at three of their libraries – and all are open to the public.   Pre-registered children can practice their reading by reading to dogs & everyone has fun! 

We rapidly produced a canine cookbook “KC’s Cookery” in response to the deluge of recalled dog foods.

Our own annual fun_raiser “Furry Fun Day”, held in Shippensburg, has quickly become a day recognized, anticipated and enjoyed by many.  The day requires a great deal of work and we hope to continue this event. 

Our very special Dare to Care program with Hospice of the Good Shepherd continues to reach people during the most delicate times of their life. A hospice patient even wrote his testimony to the feelings he gained from the Canine Therapists and the experiences of our program.

We receive very special gifts from those we serve – and we’re immensely grateful.

Whew – there’s more but not enough space.  KINDLY CANINES is an ongoing “work in progress” and we continue to think and act as creatively as possible.  We’ve had to decline many opportunities simply because we were stretched too thin and were unable to “do it right”.   Yet, we work to explore, expand and educate all the while.   We have developed a very successful Rookie Club – thanks to St. Paul United Methodist Church.  We touch lives and in turn we are touched.  And, all because of our dogs!

Enabling that process to grow, I’d like to introduce the new leader of KINDLY CANINES – Carol Vitko will take the helm of our group and lead us all in very positive directions.  I will work with Carol as she transitions into this position while I continue to expand my own horizons, which will always include therapy dogs and serving the people of this wonderful area.