Volunteers' Voice

News for and about the Visiting Pet Program

 December 2012
Volume 12, Issue 3

Take Note! 

                        CELEBRATING

25 SUCCESSFUL YEARS

   

 

 

 
 

 

Pet/Handler Evaluation

 

 Saturday,
January 5, 2013

 Harahan Senior Center

   100 Elodie

 Pre-registration required

  
Contact
Barbara Hyland

to register at
greytpets2@gmail.com  

 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   

    

 Contact Fay Schultz

 fibrofay@cox.net 

 to confirm your slot at any of these Reading To Rover

 events.

  

 

    

Our Deepest Sympathies 

to  

 

Laura Williams,

who lost her beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Bud.

Bud joined the VPP in 2002. He was a regular visitor at St Tammany Parish Hospital.

Bud was very special and will be missed by all who met him. Our deepest sympathies to Laura for the loss of her precious pet.

  

 

 

and to  

Dawn Adams,

who lost her beloved Gracie.
Gracie joined the VPP in 2001. She retired in 2010 as a regular visitor at Jo Ellen Smith.
Gracie was very special and will be missed by all who met her. Our deepest sympathies to Dawn for the loss of her precious pet.

  

 

 

 

 


 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 Quick Links
 


  Visiting Pet Program

 

 

 

 Monthly Schedules for Spring 2013

 

 

 

  Help VPP by shopping through IGive

 

 

 

  Shop for great therapy dog books at Dogwise

 

 


 

Greetings!

Although I have shared this poem with you in Decembers past, I feel it is important to share it again. It's sentiment is something we all should remember with every pair of eyes we look into on our visits.

 

Have wonderful holidays and the Happiest of New Years as you embark on your visits for 2013.

 

Lee Gaffney

President

 

When an elderly lady died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Dundee, Scotland, it was felt that she had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through her meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Ireland where it has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of North Ireland Association of Mental Health. This little Scottish lady who thought she had nothing left to give to the world, is the authoress of this poem winging across the internet.

 

An Old Lady's Poem

 

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?

What are you thinking when you're looking at me?

A crabby old woman, not very wise,

uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply,

when you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try!"

 

Who seems not to notice the things that you do,

and forever is losing a stocking or shoe

Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will,

with bathing and feeding, the long day to fill.

 

Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?

Then open your eyes, nurse; you're not looking at me.

 

I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,

as I do at you bidding, as I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of ten...with a father and mother,

brothers and sister, who love one another.

A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,

dreaming that soon now, a lover she'll meet.

A bride soon at twenty...my heart gives a leap,

remembering the vows that I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,

who need me to guide and a secure happy home.

A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,

Bound to each other with ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,

but my man's beside me to see I don't mourn.

 

At fifty once more, babies play around my knee,

again we know children my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead;

I look at the future, I shudder with dread.

For my young are all rearing young of their own,

and I think of the years and the love that I've known.

 

I'm now an old woman, and nature is cruel;

Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart.

There is now a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells, and now and again my battered heart swells.

I remember the joys, I remember the pain,

and I'm loving and living life over again.

I think of the years, all too few, gone too fast,

and accept the stark fact that nothing can last.

 

So open your eyes, nurses, open and see,

 

Not a crabby old woman; look closer...see ME!!

 
Author........Annonymous
Spring 2013 Schedule
 

 

The January through May, 2013 schedule is now on the website www.visitingpetprogram.org 

 

Please note that due to Mardi Gras parades in January and February, Super Bowl Sunday, Holidays, and special events, such as the VPP Annual Volunteer Appreciation Day Picnic on March 3rd, 2013, visit dates for many facilities have been changed.

 

FYI  PLEASE READ   The following facilities have changed their start time:

 

The following visits will now start at

Chateau   2pm

Our Lady of Wisdom 9am

St Anthony's 2pm

St Tammany Parish Hospital 10am.

 

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 paws4visits@gmail.com or call 504 432 8349.

 

Your visit confirmations for the months of Jan thru May are due before December 15th, 2012.

 

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

 

Claire Sommers

Program Coordinator

  

Guardian Angels
                               
  

 

A donation was received from Creevey Clay in loving memory of Delia Hardie's pet, Pumpkin

 

Donation was received from Claire Sommers in memory of Marcia Legendre's pet, Thuy and Laura Williams' pet, Bud

 

A donation was received from New Orleans Flea market

 

A donation was received from Barbara Hyland in memory of Laura William's dog, Bud.

 

Donations were received from Barbara Hyland, and AnneMarie Fisher, in loving memory of Dawn Adams' dog, Gracie.

 

A donation was received from Denise Mehurin

 

 

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 25 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