NEWSLETTER 42 NOVEMBER 2004
T Season’s Greetings! T
As we come to the close of another very
successful year, we look back at the wonderful people we were able to help, and
we are awed by the hundreds of caring people who have helped us. Of course we wouldn’t have accomplished much
without our phenomenal canines who eagerly devote their lives to their human
partners. It doesn’t get any better than
this! Thank you so very much to everyone
who has played a part, large or small, in the work of Canine Helpers. You have all made a tremendous difference in
the lives of so many, now and for years to come.
The year 2005 is soon upon us, bringing
with it new challenges and more exciting goals.
I feel confident that we will meet and exceed all of them with the help
of our many devoted supporters. Thank
you all for believing in our mission.
Merry Christmas and God Bless,
* * * *
For Your
Information…
By popular demand we are
going to try to publish four newsletters every year instead of two. This will enable us to pass information along
to you in a more timely fashion, and will allow us to recognize donors and
publish memorials in a more appropriate time frame.
We are also hoping to include more informative articles, since we never had
quite enough room to print everything that we wanted to pass on to our valued
supporters and clients.
We
appreciate the feed back we get from your notes and e-mail. Now we will have the opportunity to respond
to more of your comments and inquiries.
Three
months really flies by fast on this end.
So until next time, here is our holiday edition. I hope you enjoy it.
* * * *
From
Rags to Riches
Gibson’s
Story
Meet
Gibson. Quite a dashing fellow I’d say. He’s got his good looks, intelligence,
personality, a sense of humor, and the perfect career for the rest of his
life. Oh yes, and we can’t forget his
new loving life partner, Linda Rupert, who has opened up her heart and home to
him. He will now have a rich full
life. What a lucky dog! He couldn’t ask for anything more.
Well life wasn’t always so kind to Gibson
or his sister. Yes, they began life as
irresistible fuzzy puppies. But as time
passed, the novelty of owning them wore off, and their owner kept them tied to
dog houses in the backyard. Worse yet,
when the owners moved away they were literally abandoned. Such cruelty I will never understand. For a couple months, neighbors occasionally
threw food to them. Luckily by the time
freezing weather arrived, a concerned person had finally called an animal
rescue group to pick them up. The
poodles were taken in, cleaned up, fed, and given some much needed attention.
After going through a couple temporary
placements, Gibson was adopted by a loving couple who gave him a wonderful home. The story should end there. Unfortunately, Gibson was a little too wild
and undisciplined for the couple to handle.
What this unruly and energetic poodle really needed was a home that
could take on the added challenge of properly training him.
In the meantime, Canine Helpers was looking
for a Standard Poodle for a very special lady whose husband was allergic to
dogs. Fate – as well as the help of many
people searching – eventually brought Gibson to Canine Helpers. He was indeed in need of a good education,
but his intelligence and desire to learn was obvious. He had developed an independent streak from
all the pain he had been put through, but lots of love and understanding would
rebuild his trust in humans. His Service
Dog training and manners advanced well.
Unfortunately Gibson’s potential partner passed on before he finished
his training. He was introduced to
several other applicants, but they just weren’t the right match.
As his education and behavior modification
progressed, Gibson developed into a real gentleman! He appreciated how good and secure his life
had become. Yet something was missing…a
person of his very own to love and care for.
Then it finally happened! Linda Rupert was in need of a Canine Helper
Service Dog and came to the center to pick her dog out. Gibson was among the three possible
candidates that Linda would meet. When
she net Gibson, it was love at first sight!
The feeling was obviously mutual as Gibson leaned into her lap and
nuzzled her hand for attention and approval.
The following week Gibson visited Linda’s home and met her husband, cat
and two Cockatiels. All went well. The match was perfect!
Since then, Gibson completed his
specialized custom-training and is now in training with Linda. It is clear that they are becoming an
inseparable team. I feel certain that
Gibson has finally found the home he deserves.
We are hoping that Gibson and Linda will be
graduating at our December 4th Open House. And we hope you can come out to meet this
very lucky Assistance Dog Team!
* * * *
Special Thanks To:
l
WalMart
Pat Jarosz
Golden Tails
Jason Spriegel
Donna Nowicki
Buccolo’s Greenhouse
Mac & Prudy Michalakes
ll
for contributing to our
Summer Open House Raffle
* * * *
Coming in our next issue…
v
What are
Ivan’s career plans?
v
Who will
graduate next?
v
What are some
of the benefits of being an Assistance Dog?
v
What new and
exciting Spring fund raiser is coming up?
v
Plus we’ll
answer commonly asked questions about retired dogs’ adoptions.
* * * *
Thank you Sandra Olear and Girl Scout Troop #137
for donating your time, doggie treats and
much needed cleaning products!
* * * *
Thank you
For your Tops Tapes!
Pleas remember to send your tapes
directly to
Canine Helpers for the Handicapped, Inc.
v
The post office
will no longer forward envelopes addressed to
v
We have just
learned that Tops will discontinue its tape saver program at the end of this
year.
v
We have counted on
this income month after month for many, many years, and appreciate all of you
who have supported our work through this program.
v
In view of this,
would you please be sure that any tapes you have will reach us by December 26th
so we have enough time to add them up and turn them in to Tops before the 31st.
v
Again, thanks for
the years of support.
* * * *
C JOB
WELL DONE!
Many thanks to Mrs. Cassata and her
students at Erie BOCES 1 – Senior High Work Study Program at Cheektowaga
Central School for folding and labeling Canine Helpers’ Fall newsletter. It’s a very time consuming job and we really
appreciate your help!
* * * *
Building Fund Update @
Our Building Fund is growing and our
garage-storage building dream is getting closer and closer to becoming a
reality…thanks to ALL of you who have donated to this fund and to AES
If YOU are one of those generous people
contributing to our building fund, watch for signs of construction as you drive
by, and feel good knowing that you helped make it happen! (our Friendship wheelchair van, lawn mower,
snow blower, scooter, wheelchairs, and other valuable equipment also say “thank
you!”)
* * * *
Chiavetta’s Chicken
Barbeque
Thanks to all you folds who joined us in
* * * *
Our very special thanks to AES
* * * *
"
Labrador
Retriever
Demo, PR
& Therapy Dog
Donated by Dana Rose of
“Hope to see y’all at Open House!”
* * * *
%Congratulations to our own
President
and First Lady
(Don and Betty Clark)
on their
44th Wedding Anniversary!
* * * *
YWCA’s
Tribute To Women Awards
Our
congratulations to Beverly Underwood and Doreen Kish for being among the 24
award nominees honored at the “YWCA’s 2004 Tribute to Women”. Awards were given to women in six different
categories at a dinner held at the
The YWCA’s
* * * *
Canine
Helper
Logo
Gifts
Are you looking for a unique gift for someone special
this holiday that would do double duty?
When you purchase a gift from Canine Helpers for the Handicapped, you
will not only receive an attractive quality item, but you will also help
support our assistant dog training program!
We have many items to choose from, and all are tax free.
Pleas call our office with your order so we can have
your items ready for you to pick up at your convenience.
Purple
Sweatshirts $15.
Purple XXL $18.
Other
Color Sweatshirts $12.
Other Color XXL $15.
Purple Tees $12.
Purple XXL $15.
Other Color Tees $10.
Lt. Blue Polo Shirt $10.
Lt. Blue XXL $12.
Tote Bags $15.
Purple Visors $15.
Other Color Visors $10.
Purple Embroidered Cap $12.
Colored Caps With Patch $ 5.
Patches $ 3.
Pins $ 2.
Christmas Ornaments $ 2.
* * * *
Beware of Antifreeze:
It tastes sweet and even small amounts can be deadly to your
pet. All kinds of chemicals and
compounds are used to melt ice in the winter.
Make sure to wipe your pet’s feet and any part of them that may have
come in contact with it!
* * * *
PET
GIFTS
All proceeds benefit the Caring
Canine Retirement Fund
Each item will have your special
dog or cat’s name embroidered on it, and includes
paw prints and milk bones. Great birthday or new puppy gifts!
Thermal dog or
cat blanket $15.00
Mini “wet paws”
towel $5.00
All items are wrapped and ready to give. Call
* * * *
|Canine Helpers’
Pathway to the Future |
and Renewing
Gardens
We are pleased to know that so many of you
are interested in Canine Helpers’ Pathway to the Future and
Nestled among the pines west of our
training facility, this sheltered area will offer a haven for reflection,
dreams, remembering and renewal. It will
also help support the future of Canine Helpers while commemorating the founding
vision and the first two decades of service of “love and help on four legs”.
We invite you to purchase a beautifully
engraved brick ($75.) or granite stone ($150.) to be placed in our perennial
garden or future pathway.
* * * *