Do You Believe in Santa Paws? |
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ICAN Joins the Festival of Trees at IHS!
"He sees them when they’re training
He knows what work it takes
To learn to help those in need
Great service dogs they’ll make!"
ICAN has joined with individuals, non-profits, businesses, and organizations in central Indiana for a little holiday fun.
This holiday season, we are sponsoring a tree at the Indiana Historical Society’s Festival of Trees. This is a great opportunity to connect with other groups in the area as well as promote the amazing work being done each day through ICAN. Due to in-person restrictions, the folks at IHS have worked tirelessly to create a virtual experience to allow even more people to enjoy this seasonal favorite.
Santa Paws is on his way. Our tree this year is in honor of all of our dogs both in service and in training. The tree features:
- 113 doghouse ornaments to represent dogs currently serving clients in Indiana
- 45 photo ornaments of dogs currently in training in three Indiana prisons
- “Unleashing Hope” Dog-shaped ornaments to symbolize the hope found for many living with disabilities
- “Unleashing Abilities/Changing Lives” ornaments showcase the inmate handlers whose lives are changed by working with these dogs
- Under the tree are plenty of gifts from Santa Paws, including the 2021 ICAN Calendar featuring pups in training
Of course, being festive is great but there's also a bit of a friendly competition. Each of these trees is hoping to be the FAN FAVORITE. We need your help to make the ICAN tree top dog!
A huge thanks goes to ICAN volunteer, Lori Steininger, for approaching us to do this, and her labor of love on creating everything magical for our tree. A special thanks to her sons, Drew and Ryan, for their assistance in helping her set it up!
Check out the amazing holiday spirit of the 50 decorated trees at the link below. There is only one vote per user so be sure to cast your vote for SANTA PAWS.
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Giving Thanks
by Jillian Ashton, President
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Dear Friends,
While 2020 has been a challenging year, silver linings are illuminated. For ICAN our volunteers have demonstrated such incredible dedication to our mission as they help ensure dogs in training continue to have their skills sharpen daily. We remain humbled by the dedication and commitment of volunteers and their love of mission. Another area brightened during 2020, the collaboration of ICAN staff to evolve programming for inmate-handlers and volunteers to e-learning. This new way of connecting has been so positive and we have more volunteers attending furlough meetings than ever before! We also conducted successful Foundations training this spring and fall remotely adding 40 new volunteer families to the ICAN team. And our fundraising events have welcomed more people, from further distances, to our mission via virtual events.
We are so grateful to have these experiences to lead us during this holiday season with attitudes of gratefulness and appreciation. Here’s wishing you and those you love a holiday season that is illuminated with great joy and peace!
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"To watch Arie grow and to witness her daily successes has truly become the driving force behind why I love this program. They say that if you truly love what you do for a living, you wont' ''work'' a day in your life. I feel that this old adage is true. With that said, I haven't ''worked'' a day in my four years as an ICAN handler. This is not a job to me, it is my life. The opportunity that ICAN has given me has shown me that I have a true worth, a purpose. This is my opportunity to truly give back. To change someone's life in a positive way. In my eyes, there is no such thng as a ''grown man or woman''. Considering the word ''grown'' is past tense, a grown man or woman would be done growing. Without growth there is no life. Among many other ways, the biggest change in me has become that ICAN helped me realize that I will never be a ''grown man." Lots of 'hardened' men around here look upon us handlers and smile. Not just because of the dogs, but because ICAN is a bright light in this dark place. I will always be grateful."
-Raymond, Arielle's ICAN Handler, Pendleton Correctional Facility
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NEWS ON TRAINING & GRADUATION
by Sean Diamond, Director of Training
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The ICAN program at the Pendleton facilities is continuing with their daily training of the dogs. Indiana Women's Prison is still in a holding pattern as their ability to social distance is more difficult due to set up of many of the dorms. Just like out in society, the facilities and our handlers are adapting, sometimes daily, to the pandemic and issues that arise due to it. There are increased restrictions at the facilities, just as we are seeing out in society but they are being very proactive and managing the situation well. They are working individually, and as a group (with social distancing) to continue to train our dogs with great success.
Team Training will be conducted January 18-28. Public Access dogs will come for the in-person training from January 18-22 and Facility dogs from January 25-28. Graduation will be virtual on Thursday, January 28 at 7pm. We will have seven dogs graduating in January. We are expecting four Public Access/Mobility Assistance dogs and three Facility dogs. We have made the decision to have Team Training/Graduation in January (as opposed to December), to allow us to fully move into our new office/training facility and use it for the Team Training. We have also adapted out Team Training to online and in-person. We will have numerous online videos with short quizzes afterwards that the clients will access and complete the two weeks prior to their in-person training. This model of online plus in-person training will continue for all future Team Trainings including, post-Covid.
Further information on how you can register for ICAN's Virtual Graduation will be emailed later on this month. If you would like to be notified, please contact Brynne Johnson.
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Jessica's Story
''The goal isn't just being clean. The goal is to love myself so much more. I never need a reason to ever use again.'' - Jessica
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Jessica was a former ICAN handler at the Indiana Women's Prison. Last year she was released from prison, and has made a successful re-entry into our community. Above is a photo of her last graduating dog, Lunar, who was placed with Fred (on the left). In addition to her day job, Jessica is taking classes to become a professional dog groomer. |
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This month, Jessica was recognized for her completion of the Reentry Court Program by the Madison County Reentry Court Judge and Court Team. She is now officially released from the court system. Congrats Jessica for conquering such a huge milestone, and being an example of how ICAN changes lives on both ends of the leash! We are so proud of you! To learn about Jessica's story, CLICK HERE.
Above Photo: Jessica with her son, Tripp
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Volunteers, Puppies & ICAN at IU News! |
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ICAN Volunteers Have Been Busy! by Julie Mathias, Volunteer & Canine Coordinator
Even throughout COVID, our volunteers have remained passionate and involved with our mission. Since March, over 85 volunteers have hosted our puppies and dogs in training and over 200 have attended virtual meetings and events.
As staying connected can be challenging with physical social distancing guidelines in place, each month, ICAN volunteers gather on Zoom to connect with each other virtually and learn various new topics. Our goal is to keep volunteers engaged and excited about our continuing work.
Since July, we have welcomed 29 households into our Furloughing and Puppy Raising Volunteer Community through various virtual training classes and small in-group outdoor hands-on sessions. 14 of these households have already jumped right into puppy raising and furloughing!
Volunteers are a critical part of our mission, and we would love to have you join us! Our upcoming foundations training class required to volunteer hands-on with our service dogs and puppies in training will begin in early March and run each Monday evening. This 8 week class will teach you everything you need about our program and how to work with the dogs in your home and in public.
To learn more, please reach out to JULIE by email.
ICAN Pup News
by Moe Kiley, Breeding & Puppy Development Coordinator
Since the beginning of this year, ICAN has brought 20 new puppies into the ICAN training program. During the first half of the year the following dogs came from other Assistance Dog International litters to ICAN:
Banzai, Sandy, Romeo, Maggie, Waldo, Jancsi, Mooch, Deacon, Lucy and Ami.
In the second half, we whelped or had someone else whelp the following dogs:
ICAN Keli had eight pups and ICAN kept Parker, Kassing, Breezy and Blue.
ICAN Dinah went on vacation to Minnesota and gave birth to six pups and ICAN got back Madison and Jobi.
We hosted INCA from ACAD and she had 10 pups and we kept Rocket, Astra, Pluto (all will get sponsor names soon) Hoosier and Dasie.
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ICAN at IU News
by Nick Meyers, President, ICAN at IU
ICAN at Indiana University is still actively working to support ICAN, even throughout a pandemic and unpredictable year. ICAN at IU's main goal has always been to aid ICAN to empower individuals to live more enriched and independent lives. We currently have 150 active volunteers on the Bloomington campus participating in virtual events and fundraisers.
One of the major ways we are able to do that this year is through the sponsorship of an ICAN puppy, Newton! This goal is something that ICAN at IU has been reaching for since its inception in late 2017. We are so proud to be able to strengthen the relationship between Indiana University and the Indiana Canine Assistant Network. ICAN at IU members recently held a fundraiser (a buck per vote) to name the sponsored puppy, and the winning name selected was Hoosier! What a better name than Hoosier, being a proud member of the IU family.
Photos: Top to Bottom: ICAN at IU volunteer Chloe Kenney with Banzai (left) & Hoosier (right); Banzai & Simi (L to R) on the seesaw; Simi, Nash & Banzai (L to R); Rocket from the Inca litter; Hoosier & Banzai (L to R), and bottom photo; Hoosier
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Virtual Wine & Wags 2020 a HUGE Success! |
Our first virtual Wine & Wags was a fantastic success! We had viewers from 155 cities, 28 states and three countries! A huge thanks to our co-hosts Chuck Lofton & Nicole Misencik for making the evening inspirational and fun, and, to Inca and her litter of puppies for sharing the puppy love with all of our viewers!
The generosity of our donors helped us raise $165, 375.09 in pledges and donations to support the ICAN mission!
Thank you to everyone who watched the program, and supported this year's Wine & Wags!
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ICAN IN THE NEWS!
This month ICAN was featured in a segment on Journey Indiana, a PBS television program. We are extremely grateful to the producer, Reuben Browning, for reaching out to us, and allowing us to share our story. Click Here to Watch!
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ICAN HAS OFFICIALLY MOVED! |
ICAN's new headquarters is located at 5100 Charles Ct, Suite 100, Zionsville, IN 46077.
We are not quite ready for visitors yet. Our office will remain closed while we finish unpacking, and put the finishing touches on the office.
We look forward to having you celebrate with us at a Welcome Open House in 2021!
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HOLIDAY GIFTS TO SUPPORT ICAN!
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In search of the perfect gift for the animal lover in your life?
We’ve partnered with Robert Goodman Jewelers and Judi Powers Jewelry to create a special pendant perfectly suited for the holidays!
Plus, this limited-edition sterling silver Milagro Pendant supports our mission to train and place assistance dogs with individuals with disabilities and provide foundational life skills to inmates through their experience as trainers.
Only 200 pendants will be made and only for a limited amount of time—so order now and 10% of each purchase will be donated to ICAN!
Calendar Paw Signing at Robert Goodman Jewelers!
While you are out Holiday Shopping, stop by Robert Goodman Jewelers in Zionsville and pick up a calendar and have it paw signed! Our infamous paw signer ''Montauk a.k.a. Monkey'' will paw sign that special date for you, and these calendars make such great stocking stuffers!
Saturday, December 5th from 11am to 2pm!
“Drive-Thru” Paw Signing and Holiday Sale!
Join us at our “Drive-Thru” Paw Signing and Holiday Sale on Saturday, December 12th from 10am-1pm!
ICAN Calendars will be on sale for only $15—and rumor has it that SantaPAWS and some of his four legged elfs will be there!
Stop by while you’re out shopping for special holiday gifts! A unique gift not only for your friends but a gift to ICAN too!
LOCATION: 5100 Charles Court, Zionsville, Indiana (near 106th & Michigan Road).
To busy to wait in line? You can PRE-ORDER your calendar and pick it up at the drive-via location between 10am and 1pm that same day (at the front of the building).
Pre-order your calendar at 2021 ICAN CALENDAR and indicate what date(s) you want paw signed, and we will have them ready for you!
All Pre-Orders must be done no later than Noon on Thursday, December 10th!
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Photos: Top to Bottom: The Milagro Pendant; Cover of ICAN's 2021 Calendar; Calendar Image -ICAN Minnie; Calendar Image -ICAN Ami |
LET ICAN MAIL YOUR CALENDARS FOR YOU!
Too busy to send out that year-end gift to clients, family or friends? Let ICAN help you with your Holiday cheer!
For any orders of 7 or more calendars, ICAN will mail them out for you! Cost is $20 but ICAN will handle the postage and shipping fee, and include a personalized note from you in with the calendar.
Contact Brynne at 317-250-6450 or drop her an EMAIL for more information.
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Chewy Affiliate Program
ICAN is a member of the Chewy Affiliate program. ICAN receives $15 commission for a new customer order. (Existing customers do not qualify for a commission). You will receive 30% off your first auto-ship order and 5-10% off every auto-ship order. To sign up for your first auto-ship, please use this link for your order for ICAN to be credited to receive the $15. The link is embedded with an ICAN tracker. https://prf.hn/l/6kg0ojz
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Did you know that for every purchase you make at Kroger, ICAN can earn dollars through their Community Rewards Program? It's very simple to enroll! Visit ‘’Kroger Community Rewards’’ at www.kroger.com then select Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN) as your nonprofit organization. From there all you need to do is shop and swipe your Kroger Plus Card!
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You no longer need to log in separately to the Amazon Smile site to have your purchases credited to your charity! Upon logging into www.amazon.com. (NOTE: You will need to create an account if you do not have one.) SELECT INDIANA CANINE ASSISTANT INC. as your Charity under Amazon Smile. To learn more on how to set up Amazon Smile on your mobile or to see our Wish List, please visit Other Ways to Support ICAN.
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NEW ADDRESS!
Indiana Canine Assistant Network
5100 Charles Court
Suite 100
Zionsville, Indiana 46077
317-250-6450
www.icandog.org
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