It is so rewarding to work with so many wonderful people and amazing dogs. Every person who has ever volunteered time or services, given financial support, donated dogs, supplies or Tops tapes and Campbell labels… ALL of YOU are a very important part of our success! Thank you!

It is always a pleasure to hear from our past recipients. I thought you might enjoy an excerpt from an e-mail I recently received from Lisa, a very special young lady and recipient of a Hearing Dog. Her note gives a whole new meaning to a "gift that keeps on giving".

"My name is Lisa. In late summer of 1987 I came to Lockport from Long Island to be trained with a Hearing Dog named "Kim". "Kim" was a sweet, adorable Black Labrador mix…You’ll be glad to know that she led a very happy life with me and my family for over a decade… There were some trying times, such as when "Kim" had to undergo surgery to have a tumor removed… But we loved her so much and enjoyed pampering and spoiling her. "Kim" expired at age 12. I was with her until the end."

Again, THANK YOU to all of you who continue to make these awesome teams possible.

God Bless,

Beverly

My name is Joanne Olen. I am 39. When I am able to work, I serve as a professional singer for area performance organizations and churches, as well as being a voice and piano instructor at a local music school. The main reason I work only part time is because I have severe Fibromyalgia, a deteriorating disc disease that has required multiple surgeries and nerve damage in my right leg. I have periods of profound exhaustion and muscle weakness, episodes of severe spasming, (especially of the extremities), and difficulty with balance. Nerve damage to my right leg has left me without sensation or control. I currently use a walker. Sometimes when I have flare-ups, episodic weakness or exhaustion, it is virtually impossible to move. I am at a great risk of falling. I have fallen down stairs numerous times, and even the smoothest floor can be a challenge when my legs give way. That is where "Peanut", my Service Dog has become a great benefit to me.

"Peanut" can pick up things I drop, wear a harness that I can use to keep my balance, assist me as a "portable" stair railing, and serve as a bracing support should I fall, or even if I was having difficulty getting up out of a chair. If I need more help, he can get a cordless phone or even activate the panic button if I am unresponsive. There have been times when I awoke in the morning in such severe pain that I could not get out of bed. "Peanut" is able to bring my medication bag to me. I am now able to do things that my more able colleagues don’t think twice about: perform at venues without having to worry if the church or stage entrances have railings; attend outside events that are on grass (a very walker-unfriendly surface); enjoy a backyard cookout or a day on the shore. I now have confidence not fear when I take a step.

With my Service Dog "Peanut" by my side, I know I can reclaim the ground I lost since October and go about living my life more fully!

"Irv and Me and Indy Makes Three"

My name is Michele A. Gilmer, but most people call me Shelly. I have Multiple Sclerosis. Several months ago I mentioned to Irv, my husband, that I thought maybe it was time to get an assistance dog. I thought the love and companionship that only a dog can give would be good therapy for me.

Irv works at Lewiston-Porter South Elementary School as a repairman, and he spread the word about my wanting a dog. From there the teachers and all other staff took over. They contacted Canine Helpers for the Handicapped, Inc. and got an application for me.

Meanwhile they had already started to collect money so I could get a dog. The teachers then contacted Youngstown Volunteer Fire Co. where Irv is a volunteer fireman. The firemen and women started a committee to help raise funds and called it the Shelly Fund. The school and fire company arranged a benefit which included a spaghetti dinner, a Chinese auction and a 50/50 split every half hour. By this time, they knew they would need more help. So who did they call? The Marines of course! The Marines from the Conrad F. Kania Detachment. My husband is a member of the Color Guard.

I have already picked out my dog. His name is "Indy". Everybody says he’s beautiful or pretty, but I call him my handsome man dog! "Indy" and I are now in training and I can’t wait until he comes home to live with me. I love "Indy". And thank you to everyone for your support!

Hello! My name is Billie Jo. I was born with Cerebral Palsy and I use a wheelchair. I got a dog named "Gyver" from Canine Helpers. I have had him since the end of March. He picks things up off the floor for me. He picks up pens, paper, books, the phone and his leash. He opens the refrigerator door. Gets my lunchbox out, and closes the door. He helps take my coat off. He goes everywhere with me. "Gyver" gives me more independence and confidence. Training with "Gyver" was very hard, but it was worth it! I love him a lot!

You Can’t Beat Real Life Experience!

Hello! My name is Richard Ross. My family and I fostered a Golden Retriever named "Honcho" since January 1, 2001. While we were fostering "Honcho", I started having seizures and he picked up on them. When I had a seizure during the night, he went and called my aunt by jumping on and off the bed. At first my aunt didn’t know what he wanted and told him to go lay down. When he saw that she wasn’t going to follow, he jumped on and off the bed again until my aunt asked what he wanted and got up and followed him. "Honcho" took my aunt to where I was laying on the living room floor in a seizure. My head had gotten stuck under the couch, cutting off my breathing. I began turning blue. My aunt had to get my head out from under the couch so I could breath. If "Honcho" hadn’t called her, I would have died. "Honcho" saved my life and he was only eleven week’s old.

"Honcho" is now back at Canine Helpers receiving his formal Assistance Dog training. He certainly has benefited from all the real life experience he got with Richard, Gert, Peggy, and his role model "Tyndal" (Multi-Service Dog). A good foster home makes a big difference in the success of our puppies. A big thanks go out to Richard and his family for their loving commitment to "Honcho".

In the meantime, Richard has been matched with Multi-Service Dog, "Cayanne". Coincidentally, "Cayanne" is "Honcho’s" sister and has also proven to do excellent seizure alert work. "Cayanne" has the perfect working temperament and easy going personality to match Richard and his lifestyle. She is being taught seizure work and service work as well as hearing work, since Richard is developing a hearing loss.

Richard certainly has earned his very own Assistance Dog! We’re looking forward to Richard and "Cayanne" becoming a devoted working team, and hope you’ll be able to meet them at Open House.

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In response to all of you who have offered to help us out in your own special way, we have set aside Saturday, May 18^th as our Spring Spruce Up Day. If you like working outdoors, please bring gloves and garden tools. If you prefer indoors, please bring buckets, sponges or paper towels. If you like to paint or make repairs, we even have jobs for you! No need to call…just come between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. We’ll provide the "entertainment" and refreshments. Thanks!

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I’m sure these are names we are all familiar with. Both provide valuable fundraisers for Canine Helpers. Many area families send us their Tops register tapes, which we cut, add, bundle and turn in each month. We receive $1.00 for each $600 worth of tapes. Some of our tape savers have been with us for over ten years and are a valuable asset to Canine Helpers in their fund raising efforts. What a wonderful group they are! If you are not already on our tape saver list, won’t you please join the others to make this an even more successful fundraiser? To save on postage, you can send partial tapes as long as Tops’ name is on the bottom and the total amount paid is showing.

We also collect the front panels from Campbell products. When you use Campbell Soups, Swanson and Franco American foods, would you please save the labels for us? We can turn them in for office supplies, etc. It’s really worthwhile.

Our mailing address is on the front page of this newsletter. We are at the Center with our scissors and calculators all set to go! Or if you’re out for a drive and prefer dropping off your tapes and labels, there is a container for them at our front door, jus in case we’re training away from the building.

Thank you all for a job well done! And thank you for the many kind and caring notes that a lot of you include with your tapes. I really enjoy reading them! Hope to see you all at our June 1^st Open House.

Lois Maiman for donating Golden Retriever "Honcho"

Upstate Guide Dog School for donating Labrador Retriever "Gyver"

Kim Cain for donating Golden Retriever "Cayanne"

Krista and Dave Hansen for donating Smooth Coated Collie "Indy"

Please let us know if you are receiving more than one newsletter, or if we need to correct your name or address. You can drop us a note (attn: Doreen) or leave a message on our answering machine any time. Thank You!

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