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Volunteers' Voice News for and about the Visiting Pet Program
December 2009 Volume 9, Issue 3


As the holidays approach, we look forward to visiting during this joyful time of year. Feel free to dress your dog or cat for the season. A ruffled collar, Santa hat, or other holiday wear will help your pet celebrate the holidays. The residents and patients will enjoy seeing their little visitors in their holiday outfits!

The January-May, 2009 schedule is now on the website www.visitingpetprogram.org. Please note that due to Mardi Gras parades, holidays, and special events, such as the VPP Annual Picnic, visit dates for many facilities have been changed.

Be sure to consult the schedule for your visiting dates! We need to know your plans for each individual month. You can confirm your visit schedule using the on -line confirmation form (members only page) or email your confirmations to [email protected] or fax to 504-324-0963 or call 504 432 8349.

Thank you for your commitment to VPP and service to the community. I hope you and your beloved pet have a wonderful winter-spring visiting season.

JOYCE KLEINFELDT
Program Coordinator


Quick Links
Visit Schedule for Spring 2010

To Claire to schedule your visits
[email protected]

To the web site
Visiting Pet Program web site

In This Issue
  • Message from the President
  • VPP at Delgado Animal Expo
  • VPP Member Gets Recognition
  • Visiting Pet Program 2010 Calendars For Sale
  • GUARDIAN ANGELS

  • Message from the President


    The Visiting Pet Program is extremely excited to announce we are the recipient of a $3500 grant from the New Orleans Red Dress Run sponsored by the New Orleans Hash House Harriers. For those of you who don't know, the New Orleans Red Dress Run is one of the largest Red Dress Runs in the United States. http://nolareddress.com It is is hosted by The New Orleans Hash House Harriers (NOH3) which is a local kennel (chapter) of The Hash House Harriers http://neworleanshash.tripod.com The NOH3 describe themselves as "A Drinking Club with a Running Problem". The New Orleans Red Dress Run is not affiliated with any specific charity, but instead contributes to several charities.

    The "New Orleans Red Dress Run sponsored by the New Orleans Hash House Harriers" funded some very deserving organizations this year and the VPP was fortunate enough to be included in that number.

    VPP member Judilyn Schneider was instrumental in introducing the Visiting Pet Program to the New Orleans Red Dress Run. In October Judilyn and I attended the New Orleans Red Dress Run Volunteer Party at the 3 Ring Circus in New Orleans. During this party, NOH3 awarded checks to the grantees and honored the organizations they were able to support with this year's proceeds from the Red Dress Run sponsored by the New Orleans Hash House Harriers. The list of organizations was impressive and I am honored the VPP was included.

    Thanks so much to the Red Dress Run sponsored by the New Orleans Hash House Harriers for this generous award.

    Claire Sommers
    President


    VPP at Delgado Animal Expo
    delgado2009-1

    The Visiting Pet Program was well represented at the annual Delgado Animal Expo in October. Volunteers Patty Spampneto, Ellen Goldring, Kim Carlson, Kevin Hand, Dawn Hagmann and Gayle Kroeger all helped spread the word about the value of Animal Assisted Therapy.

    The event fell just before our fall orientation, offering a golden opportunity to invite people to the orientation. Volunteers also sold our fabulous 2010 calendars. Over 600 people attended the event and many of them stopped by our booth.

    Our thanks to Fay Schultz for offering to take on the effort of organizing the booth an volunteers.

    Another job really well done!

    Lee Gaffney


    VPP Member Gets Recognition
    Danna Morris


    Under the leadership of VPP member Danna Morris, the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications of Kenner has continued to grow and is credited with not only saving Kenner more than $100,000 a year on phone services alone, but also with improving the city's technology, emails and organization improvements, including working with the Kenner Police Department to connect the city and the police department to a single communications network.

    City of Kenner Mayor Ed Muniz says the Department of Information Technology has been a tremendous success, not only in saving money but also in creating systems that the city of Kenner owns in perpetuity. Morris said her department has worked to improve productivity by better managing technologies such as emails.

    Congratulations to Danna. We are all proud of you. Keep up the good work!


    Visiting Pet Program 2010 Calendars For Sale
    calender2009-1

    I wanted to remind everyone about the 2010 Visiting Pet Program calendars we are selling. The calendars are our only fundraising effort this year. Since it is December, I'm sure everyone is thinking about holiday gifts. These calendars will make a great gift: one size fits all, easy to wrap, perfect for a man or woman, and they are just downright cute! These would be a great gift for your vet, your groomer, pet sitter or dog walker. Actually for anyone that is a pet lover. And of course we all need one for the home or office.

    Calendars are priced at $15 each. If you buy 4 calendars you get the a 5th calendar Free If you buy 8 calendars, you get an 9th and 10th calendar Free.

    Please contact any of the following to purchase calendars: Claire Sommers at [email protected]; Pam Bellone at [email protected]; Lee Gaffney at [email protected]; Malay Hajra at [email protected] and Rebecca Breaud on the northshore [email protected]

    Also, if you want to have a calendar mailed to a pet loving friend or family member that lives out of town, we can take care of that for you. Contact Pam Bellone at [email protected] to arrange to mail calendars. There will be an extra fee ($2) for postage. If paying by check make the check out to Visiting Pet Program, cash is also accepted. You can also pay via paypal.

    Thanks so much and Happy shopping.
    Claire Sommers


    GUARDIAN ANGELS


    A donation was received from
    Mina Lea Crais
    in memory of Eleanor Maier's cat,
    Charley.




    A donation
    was received from
    Lee and Tommy Gaffney
    in memory of
    Alison Cook's Greyhound,
    Betty.

    A donation was received from
    Mina Lea Crais
    in memory of The Duplesis Family dog,
    Lulu.

    A donation
    was received from
    Lee and Tommy Gaffney
    in memory of
    Connie Back's boxer,
    Stella.

    A donation was received from
    Mina Lea Crais
    in memory of Ralph Marchetti's and Peter Tiskis' dog,
    Marigny.


    About the Visiting Pet Program

    The Visiting Pet Program is an all volunteer 501 (C)(3) non-profit animal assisted therapy organization serving Orleans, Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes.

    For the past 22 years, the volunteers of the VPP have lived up to their motto of "Bringing Love and Leaving Smiles" to the residents of nursing homes and hospitals.

    Our literacy project, Reading to Rover, offers young readers the opportunity to practice their reading aloud skills to the gentle therapy dogs.

    If you would like to make a donation to the Visiting Pet Program, please click on the button below or mail your check to 5831 S. Johnson Street, New Orleans, LA 70125. Please note if your donation is in memory of a person or a pet. We will be happy to send an acknowledgment of your donation to the family. Please include the name and address to send the acknowledgment. Because we are a 501(C)(3) organization, your donation is tax deductible. We are an all volunteer organization. Your donation goes directly to the support of our mission.
    Thank you


    Take Note!


    CELEBRATING
    22 SUCCESSFUL YEARS



    Pet/Handler Evaluation

    Saturday, January 9th, 2010
    Harahan Senior Center
    100 Elodie
    Pre-registration required
    Contact Barbara Hyland to register at [email protected]
    or
    504- 481-6288
    if you would like to have an additional pet tested.

    Reading To Rover

    On the East Bank
    Held on the third Tuesday of each month
    at the East Bank Regional Library
    4747 W. Napoleon in Metairie
    6:30pm-7:30pm

    On the West Bank
    Held on the second Sunday of each month
    2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey
    from 2:00pm-3:00pm

    Events are now being planned in conjunction with the STAIR program. Please contact Fay for upcoming times and locations

    Contact Fay Schultz
    [email protected]
    to confirm your slot at any of these
    Reading To Rover
    events.

    Quick Links...

    Visiting Pet Program Web site

    Monthly Schedules for Winter/Spring

    Help VPP by shopping through IGive

    Shop for great therapy dog books at Dogwise



    phone: 504-866-2532 Fax: 504-866-9823

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