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Take Note!
CELEBRATING
31 SUCCESSFUL
YEARS
New Volunteer Orientation
Saturday,
June 9, 2018
10:00am to 12:00 pm
Sunday,
July 15, 2018
2:00pm to 4:00 pm
Saturday,
November 3, 2018
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Harahan Senior Center
100 Elodie
Pre-registration required
Pet/Handler Evaluation
Saturday,
July 28, 2018
Saturday,
January 5, 2019
Harahan Senior Center
100 Elodie
Pre-registration required
if you would like to have an additional pet tested.
Reading To Rover
Held on the third Tuesday of each month at the East Bank Regional Library
4747 W. Napoleon in Metairie
6:30pm-7:30pm
and
Held on the second Tuesday of each month at Rosa Keller Library 4300 South Broad Street in New Orleans
Contact Fay Schultz
to confirm your slot at any of these
Reading To Rover
events.
Happy Retirement
The following VPP members recently retired their pets from service to the community. Our sincere thanks goes to:
Susan Talbot who
retired Magic.
Magic joined the VPP in 2015 and was a regular at Chateau Living Center.
Our Deepest Sympathies
to
Bob Klare whose beloved Maggie
crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Maggie joined the VPP in VPP in January of 2011 and retired in December of 2016. At various times over those six years, Maggie was a regular at Reading to Rover, Children's Hospital, Chateau Living Center, and Colonial Oaks.
and to
Fay Schultz whose beautiful JJ
crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
JJ joined the VPP in 2003. JJ was a regular at Reading to Rover, St Margaret's and Waldon. JJ also participated in the Ochsner Pet Program.
and to
Tere Walsh whose handsome dog Yaeger
crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Yaeger joined the VPP in 2009 and retired in 2017.
Yaeger was a regular at St Tammany Parish Hospital .
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Barbara Hyland would like to thank members of the Buddy Program who joined her in assisting with the probationary pet visits for the January'18 evaluation group. Everyone is always willing to buddy the new handlers and guide them on their visits.
Buddy members included Jeannette Albert, Diana Alcazar-O'Dowd, Pam Bellone, Cathy Burch, Kathleen Caulkins, Brenda Chetta, Jerry Gibel, Lori Haeuser, Dawn Hagmann, Malay Hajra, Kevin Hand, Delia Hardie, Denise Mehurin, Fay Schultz, Diane Smith, Claire Sommers, Monica Stephens, Joy Sturtevant and Rhonda Vergona. Members who assisted with the observation visit included Jennifer Burstain and Christie Thomas.
A thank you is extended to all the mentors who helped welcome the new handlers.
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A Good Read
Molly and the Accidental Adoption: A true story
Molly and the Accidental Adoption tells the true story of the unplanned adoption of a shelter dog whose life was given a special purpose as an animal assisted therapy dog. Molly's new purpose gives her the opportunity to help many people, especially a young girl named Hannah. A vocabulary is included to help the your young reader understand new concepts involved in the life of an animal assisted therapy pet. Molly encourages spaying/neutering and rescue and adoption of animals in rescue organizations and animal shelters.
Available for purchase
at amazon.com
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Spring has finally sprung and our opportunities for service are blooming! Our monthly visits are discontinued from June to September, but that doesn't mean we aren't busy. The summer camps have already been calling and asking for our talented teams to visit. Local universities want our pups to provide a respite from the horrible storm known as finals. As always, our wonderful volunteers are eager and ready to serve. It's nice to have some time to provide our form of therapy in new and different ways.
Be s
ure to check out the great photos from our Annual Meeting. Our tha
nks to Carol LaNasa for having a camera handy and tons of
patience! Under a bright, sunny sky, 100 volunteers and family members, including 50 dogs, turned out for our event. All the pups were perfectly behaved as we celebrated our 31 years for service to the community. The buddies who no longer have pets in the program but continue to serve were honored as our Outstanding Volunteers. Our teams were acknowledged for their years of service with presentations topped off with fabulous door prizes.
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| Cake by VPP member Sherry Barlow |
Take a short break for yourself after all you have done for others for the last 9 months. Have a safe and happy summer.
We'll see you in September!
With thanks for all you do,
Lee Gaffney
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VPP Volunteer Appreciation Picnic/Annual Meeting
2018 Award Recipients
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS
This year, our Outstanding Volunteers were a unique group: we honored our buddies who presently do not have a pet in the program but continue to volunteer as Buddies. These buddies have active lives, whether they are working, traveling or involved with other volunteer groups. After losing their own pet, they wanted to continue to be active in VPP and share the knowledge and skills they have acquired. This year we honored and thanked them with this special recognition.
Kimberly Clayton, Diane Smith, Kathleen Caulkins,
Monica Stephens, Jeanette Albert, Bob Klare,
Danna Morris, Mason Morris
Dawn Hagmann, Kevin Hand, Mike Azzarello
Not pictured:Linda Bauer, Creevy Clay,Delia Hardie and Laura Williams
PEOPLE AWARDS
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20 Year Members
Lori Haeuser
Denise Mehurin
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10 Year Member
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Nancy Tatarski, Linda Bauer,
Diana Alcazar-O'Dowd,
Rhonda Vergona
PET AWARDS
6 years
Back Row: Maggie (Pat Egers), Parker (Claire Sommers)
Front Row: Beau (Charlotte Walker),
Guiness (Judy Haber Stone), Chloe (Suzette Hubbell) McKenzie (Nicole Parks with James), Chaz (Helen Hester)
Not pictured: Tej (Malay Hajra) Beau Charlotte Walker
3 years
Standing: Lucy (Holly Lambert),
Scout (Steve and Jean Inman) , Alex (Barbara Hyland), Stanley (Tom Gaffney),Cusco (Cindy O'Donnell),
Toodle Lou (Christie Thomas)
Front Row: Jesse (Rita Bezou), Gabby (Lee Gaffney), Evangeline (Sabrina Jacks)
Not pictured: Benny (Stacie Humble)
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Donations were received from
Lee Gaffney and
Suzette Hubble
in memory of
Terry Walsh's pet,
Yaeger
A donation was received from
Amazon Smile
A donation was received from
Humana
A donation was received from
Lee Gaffney
in memory of
Jeff and Terry Stadler's dog,
Lily
A donation was received from
Barbara Hyland
in memory of
Nancy Tatarski's husband,
Tony
Donations were received from
Christina Thomas and Lee Gaffney
in memory of
Sonja Flick
A donation was received from
Connie Back
Donations were received from
Barbara Hyland and Claire Sommers in honor of
Diane Smith's dog,
Emily
on her retirement
Donations were received from
Claire Sommers,
Barbara Hyland and Lee Gaffney
in memory of
Fay Schultz's dog
JJ
Donations were received from
Barbara Hyland and Lee Gaffney
in memory of
Bob Klare's dog
Maggie
A donation was received from Lee Gaffney in memory of
StacyWarnke and Terri Joia 's dog
Angelle
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About the Visiting Pet Program
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 31 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 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.
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