Volunteers' Voice

News for and about the Visiting Pet Program

August 2015    Volume 15, Issue 1

    Take Note!   

CELEBRATING

28 SUCCESSFUL YEARS

 

 

  

New Volunteer Orientation

 
 Saturday, 

October 17, 2015

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

  

 Harahan Senior Center

 100 Elodie

  Pre-registration required

Contact Claire Sommers at paws4visits@gmail.com to register


  

  

Pet/Handler Evaluation

 

 Saturday,
September 5, 2015

and

January 9, 2016

 

 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

  

In Orleans Parish  

Held on the second Thursday of each month, Rosa Keller Library, 

4300 South Broad
New Orleans
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  

  On the West Bank

  Held on the second Sunday of each month

 2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey

 from 2:00pm-3:00pm

  

    Contact Fay Schultz

 paws4visits@gmail.com 

 to confirm your slot at any of these
Reading To Rover

 events.

  

 

 

Our Deepest Sympathies

 to

Monica Stephens,
who lost her precious, funny little Pinot, the Pommeranian.
  

Pinot joined the VPP in 2011 and

retired in 2014.   They were regulars at St Joseph's in Harahan.
Monica continues to visit with her 2 Ridgebacks.  

and to

 

Kathleen Caulkins, 

who lost her beautiful Standard Poodle,

Jazz.

Jazz joined VPP in 2010 and was a regular at Chateau.  

  

  

  

  Happy Retirement

The following VPP members recently retired their pets from service to the community. Our sincere thanks goes to:

 

Beth Joubert who retired her dog, Nachi. 
 
They joined the VPP in 2011 and were regulars at Chateau and Colonial Oaks.
 Quick Links
 


  Visiting Pet Program

 

   Monthly Schedules for Fall 2015 

 

  Help VPP by shopping through IGive

 

  Shop for great therapy dog books at Dogwise


 

Four Paws Salute
 
    

 

Barbara Hyland would like to thank members of the Buddy Program who joined her in assisting with the probationary pet visits from the January, 2015 evaluation group. Jeannette Albert
Mike Azzarello
Connie Back
Kathleen Caulkins
Dawn Hagmann
Delia Hardie
Malay Hajra
Nicole Parks
Fay Schultz
Claire Sommers
Patty Spampneto
Monica Stephens 

Our September group is right around the corner and our Buddy's will be called on once again.

Greetings!

  

Time to start our visits once again!Hard to believe we are entering our 28th year of service to Orleans, Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes. 

 

Our volunteers didn't take much of a break during the summer months. Read below about some of their many activities during the summer. We're ready to get the fall started with our Evaluation in early September and then welcome our new volunteers through out the fall.

 

 

If you have not already done so, be sure to send in your visit confirmations for September through December. Your schedules are due by August 15th.

  

 

Many of you have asked about the cute "business cards" many of our members are using. I've included 

Chaz's card as an example.  If you 

are interested in purchasing, send 2 high resolution photos of your pup to me at terriergroup@gmail.com. The cost is $40 for 250 cards and can

 be paid via paypal on our web site. 

 

 

Have a wonderful year of "Bringing Love and Leaving Smiles"!


 

 

With thanks for all you do,

Lee Gaffney

President
This just in from AKC...
 

We receive frequent requests from AKC Therapy Dog title applicants for AKC to recognize that the Canine Good Citizen test items are included in the therapy dog assessment. If you have received an AKC Therapy Dog title, your organization's testing process has been reviewed by the AKC. 

 

We are pleased to announce that AKC Therapy Dog title holders and applicants (who are registered with a recognized therapy organization and have completed at least 10 therapy visits) may now apply for AKC's Canine Good Citizen title with no further CGC testing needed.

 

The AKC is happy to accommodate this request and offer the CGC Title to the hardworking dogs that deserve it. If you would like to add the official Canine Good Citizen title to your dog's title record and list of accomplishments, go here to download the form.

 VPP at Camp Tiger


 

On a beautiful Friday in May, a group of VPP pet-handler teams joined the fun at Camp Tiger hosted by the LSUHSC Med Students for special needs children. What a great camp and what a great day! 

 


VPP at Camp Lighthouse




 














A large group of VPP members once again visited Camp Lighthouse, a camp for visually impaired children. Both dogs and kids had a wonderful time getting and giving snuggles.
VPP at
Care Cadet Camp 
 

   

Barbara Hyland and Alex gave their annual summer presentation to the LASPCA Care Cadet Campers. Barbara said  it was exciting to share with the Care Cadets our new Members in Training Program/MIT.  They will now have an opportunity to become members of VPP.

 
Guardian Angels
                           

A donation was received from 

Crossroads Foundation, Inc.


 

Donations were received from Lee Gaffney, Cathy Burch, and Danna, Mason and Kaci Morris in memory of Kim Bradley's dog, Abby


 

Donations were received from United Way


 

A donation was received from Barbara Hyland in memory of
Monica Stephens' dog, Pinot


 

A donation was received from New York Community Trust


 

A donation was received from Suzette Hubbell in memory of
Denise Schoen's dog, Gigi


 

A donation was received from Barbara Hyland and Alex in memory of Mr. Ned Leonard


 

A donation was received from Fay and Bill Schultz in recognition of Robin Gates completing Ochsner Ironman Triathlon


 

A donation was received from Diane Smith in memory of
Doug Lapara's pet, Kaiser 

About 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 28 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 P.O. Box 24748, New Orleans, LA 70184-4748. 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