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Community E-Newsletter                                                                     Late July  2017
Quick Links
Upcoming Events

July
26 -  Kent County Levy Court Day Camp
     Camden, DE
28 - DeStress Event - WSFS
     Wilmington, DE
28  -   Discover Employee BBQ 
     New Castle, DE
28 -  Delaware Children's Museum "Dog Days of Summer"
     Wilmington, DE
29 - Carnival at The Summit
     Hockessin, DE
31 -  Youth Emergency Services Summer Wellness Program 
     Philadelphia, PA

August
1  - Sunday Breakfast Mission
    Wilmington, DE
1  - Days of Summer Camp
     Middletown, DE
2  - Delaware Youth Conference
     Dover, DE
4 - DeStress Event - Discover
     New Castle, DE
6 - P lay Without Boundaries at the Please Touch Museum
     Philadelphia, PA
7 -  Pre-Deployment Yellow Ribbon Event
      TBD
7 -  Meeting of the Minds Alzheimer's Support Group
      Newark, DE
9 -  Bird's Eye Family Success Center
     Woodstown, NJ
10 -  Elkton Alliance Dog's Day of Summer
     Elkton, MD
10 -  Smyrna Night Out
     Smyrna, DE
14 -  Bark in the Park - Blue Rocks
     Wilmington, DE


Interested in joining PAWS? Here are the upcoming Orientation (O) and Training (T) sessions:

Kennett Square, PA
Wednesdays, 5:30 PM
O & T: August 2 & 16

Wilmington, DE
Saturdays, 8:30 AM
O & T: August 5 & 19

Newark, DE
Fridays, 10:00 AM
O & T: August 11 & 25

Philadelphia, PA
Saturdays, Noon
O & T: August 12 & 19


Thursday, August 17, 6:30 PM
PAWS Office, Newark, DE

Our PAWS for Reading program is based on the concept that a pet's non-judgmental acceptance and loving attention can help new and struggling readers feel more comfortable and less self-conscious when reading aloud. These sessions create a forum where readers can practice their skills in a "safe" place without criticism. PAWS' goal is to provide a positive reading experience where the reader builds confidence, strengthens literacy skills, and develop a love for reading. PAWS for Reading sessions are held during the day at schools and in the evening at libraries on a regular, set schedule.
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Thursday, August 24, 10:00 AM
Kennett Square, PA

This course is for those who visit with people in hospital settings (including nursing homes, skilled care and rehab facilities. We will take a look at what people may be feeling while they are hospitalized and how pet therapy can really help.


Whether you are just getting started or you need to work on specific behaviors, we have the perfect class for you!


August 17, 6:30 PM
(Thursdays, 5 week course)
NEW COURSE!
Emphasis of this course is to improve  and  build a more reliable team through mastering  attention   skills  and   focus  on the handler around distractions. We will cover a variety of exercises and games  as well as loose-lead handling skills which will provide a well rounded  and  reliable performance in all areas of your required training as a pet therapy team as well as a well mannered family pet.
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August 17, 7:30 PM
(Thursdays, 5 week course)

Want to become a PAWSome team? This class is for you! Throughout this 5-week course, handlers will have the opportunity to review and practice the basic skills necessary for their dogs to become therapy pets. 
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August 15, 6:30 PM
(Tuesdays, 5 week course)

Do you have a new puppy? Want to get a good start with its training and have fun at the same time? This 5-week course will focus on helping you and your pup build a partnership by teaching the basics in a fun, motivational way. We'll also teach you how to incorporate play into training and how to keep your pup's focus on you around distractions.
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August 15, 7:30 PM
(Tuesday, 5 week course)

Target Training allows you and your dog to focus your training on 1 or 2 specific behaviors - things you either need to work on for pet therapy visiting or behaviors you are having trouble with at home.
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August 6 - 11:15 AM
September 10 - 11:15 AM
(one hour session)

Come learn valuable "tricks" that you and your therapy companion can use while visiting! These are all simple to learn and can add variety to you own repertoire of fun behaviors that can entertain and distract. 

Thank You to Our Sponsors


Feedback Welcome!
Please e-mail Wendy with suggestions and stories
registration@PAWSforPeople.org
Painted PAWS
While touring the Child Advocacy Center in Bel Air, MD, before an Orientation session, we got a treat!  All of the walls are covered with wonderful murals.   It was to our great surprise when we rounded a corner and saw two extremely recognizable faces. The artist who painted the murals lovingly portrayed Kilo and Dizzy on the wall. Kilo and Dizzy are two PAWS therapy companions. Kilo, a Yellow Lab, belongs to Carey Gerres and Dizzy, a Shih Tzu, belongs to Dione White.  Both Carey and Dione work at the Child Advocacy Center and regularly take their pups to work with them as PAWS in the Workplace teams.  Kilo and Dizzy are fantastic pet therapists and love their "jobs."  What a beautiful tribute to two of our PAWS in the Workplace teams!
Newsletters
Dear members, 
The quarterly print newsletters for members were mailed last week. If you did not receive it, please e-mail us to let us know and we will make sure you are on the mailing list.


Dear members & greater community, 
Did you know that you can access our latest print newsletter as well as the print newsletter/e-news archives on our website? Check it out!
2018 PAWS Calendars
All PAWS members are invited to enter their therapy companion(s) into the 2018 calendars (wall calendar and day planner). Either sign up for a 10-minute photo shoot (see below) or send in a high-quality picture of your choosing (no people please).


Package 1: $40.00
- 10 minute photo shoot
- Your therapy companion(s) included in both calendars
- One wall calendar
- Digital pictures of your shoot via e-mail

Package 2: $50.00
- 10 minute photo shoot
- Your therapy companion(s) included in both calendars
- Two wall calendars OR one day planner
- Digital pictures of your shoot via e-mail

Package 3: $25.00
- Entry of one HIGH QUALITY digital photograph of your PAWS therapy companion(s) provided by you in both calendars
- One wall calendar

Package 4: $35.00
- Entry of one HIGH QUALITY digital photograph of your PAWS therapy companion(s) provided by you in both calendars
- Two wall calendars OR one day planner

Wall Calendar: One - $15.00, Two - $25.00
Day Planner: $25.00
Photo Shoots
Professional photographer, Stephanie Callaghan, will be returning this year for a one-day photo shoot to capture what makes your pet a star! 

If you would like to have your therapy companion featured in the 2018 PAWS for People Wall Calendar and Day Planner, sign up for a 10-minute photo shoot session at the PAWS Office on Saturday, August 12 between 2-5 PM.

Once your calendar picture is taken, remaining time can be used however you wish - include family, add props, slip on your holiday sweater for your holiday card picture... You may bring multiple therapy companions to a single session. No non-PAWS pets, please.

Summer is here and we're sure you're gearing up for all kinds of activities.
To kick it off, we have a challenge for you!
 
Challenge #1: 
R egister for the Wag-n-Walk and create a personalized fundraising page to be entered into a raffle to win a NEW long sleeve PAWS for People Sport-Tech shirt.

At the end of July, we will pick our winner!


 
Video Spot - PAWS at The Please Touch Museum


Lynne Major & golden retriever, Luna, and Kim Kienzle & basset hound, Norman, offered PAWS for Reading sessions at the  Please Touch Museum  last week. Check out the video of them working their magic!

Snapshot: 4-H Fun with Cinder
Shining Stars
Christine Lewandowski & Spirit
Christine first joined PAWS in January of 2008 with her Golden Retriever, Divot. After Divot passed away, Christine introduced another Golden Retriever to PAWS, her handsome boy, Spirit. As an Advanced team, Christine and Spirit currently visit at The Helen Graham Cancer Center and Christiana Care Hospital. What a great team!
Cathie Taylor & Sabrina
Cathie and Sabrina, a lovable Chocolate Lab, joined PAWS in September of 2016. This Advanced team is trained in the PAWS for Reading Program. Together, they bring joy on the many visits they do in the community. Sabrina joins Cathie for PAWS in the Workplace at the American Veteran's Thrift Store. They also have made many friends visiting at Cadia Rehab Renaissance and Roxanna Residential Treatment Program. This team is terrific!

Re-STEX - Star Advanced
This new Re-STEX level, Star Advanced, is for those teams who complete  their STEX re-certification with utmost precision and no coaching ! Since this was introduced two weeks ago, we have had three more teams achieve this level. Congratulations to
Tawanda Harbison & Mr. Gibbs, Cathy Amick & Dixie, and Sheri Kearns & Piper


Before you come back to Re-STEX, please take some time to practice the behaviors.  If you and your therapy companion sail through the evaluation without a reminder from us and with total competence and confidence, you will be our next STAR ADVANCED PAWS therapy team.
 
If you have questions, please contact Andrea Cox ( ACox@PAWSforPeople.org) for more detailed information.
Do you have a visiting story to share? The most popular segment of our e-news tends to be about visiting. Please share your stories with us so we can help share the impact of pet therapy! No pictures needed, but if you have them (and photo releases) send those, too!  Send stories to Wendy ( Registration@PAWSforPeople.org ). Thank you!