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9Mark
Your Kalendar! |
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Crusing for a
Cause
Brother's
Pizza, Hanover
Saturday,
June 25 4-8pm
See
story for more fun
details!
Knights
of Columbus Golf Tournament
Four
Seasons, Lancaster
August
13. Need golfers and Hole Sponsors. See story
for more details
Round
Table Breakfast
Saturday,
July 9
BYOB
- Bring Your Own Breakfast! 9
am
Blair
Room, in the KPETS office building.
RSVP
Bow
Wow Bingo: Every
Friday night starting in
July
Bow
Wow Brown Bag Bingo
Sunday,
Sept 4
Circle
M Campground,
Millersville,
PA
Adella
does an awesome job for our LARGEST fundraiser
ever. But we'll need all the help we can get to
pull this one off. We'll need volunteers to help
set up, work the event and help tear down!
Please, if you can help
contact
konnections@kpets.org
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EXTREMELY
Important Links |
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If
you have trouble or want to review previous
KEYNOTES, they are available on the website at
www.kpets.org
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AKC
Therapy Dog
Title! |
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Hello
KPETS teams - happy summer!!!
We
know how much the work that your therapy pets do
brings joy and happiness to so many. We also
know how much you appreciate their devotion and
how special you think they are. Wouldn't it be
great if an organization that has been
evaluating and titling dogs for many, many years
would also recognize the amazing value of pet
therapy and actually honor them with a Therapy
Dog Title???? Well wait no more....you can now
earn an "official" title - read on. . .
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KPETS
is pleased to announce a therapy dog titling
opportunity offered by The American Kennel Club
(AKC). The AKC acknowledges that a therapy dog
title has consistently been one of the most
requested titles at AKC. The purpose of the AKC
Therapy Dog titling program is "to
acknowledge dogs that work to improve the lives
of people through their interactions with
therapy dogs."
The program is open to all dogs (purebred OR
mixed breed) that are registered or listed with
the AKC and is a title for dogs who have already
worked as therapy dogs.
Here
are the requirements:
1.
Certified/registered by an AKC recognized
therapy dog organization (KPETS fits this
criteria).
2.
Perform a minimum of 50 visits (this is
retroactive to January 1, 2000)
3.
The dog must be registered or listed with AKC.
Because
they add the title to a dog's AKC record, the
dog needs an AKC number to earn the title.
Both
purebred and mixed breed dogs are welcome to
apply for the AKC Therapy Dog title. Mixed breed
dogs enroll in AKC Canine Partners to acquire a
number for earning titles.
To
learn more or to download an
application, Click here or email akctherapydog@akc.org or
contact the AKC at (919)
816-3900.
The
website gives detailed information on what steps
are necessary to earn the title and includes
forms to assist you in putting together the
documents. The cost of this title is $20.00. We
hope KPETS teams will take advantage of this
offering. Please let us know if you have any
questions as you work on your new title! GOOD
LUCK!!!
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Updates
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Volunteer
Round Tables Lancaster
When: July
9 / every
2nd Saturday of odd numbered months-9 am
Where:
Blair Room in the United Way Building in
Lancaster
Who:
KPETS volunteers and anyone interested in
KPETS
What:
BYOB :) Bring Your Own Breakfast format. Or if
you want to share some goodies, I doubt it would
be turned down!
Why:
To
connect, share and learn from each other.
RSVP
to Jenny at Konnections@kpets.org
Lending
Library Update:
Check out
the Forum's Lending Library to see what
books and videos we have for you to borrow.
Contact Jenny-mailto:Jenny-Konnections@kpets.org.
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Adopt
a Kitty |
During
CVC
(Council of Volunteer Coordinators)
meeting, the Humane League rep notified us that
next week you can adopt a kitty for free! The
kitty would be spayed/neutered, microchipped,
UTD on shots, and ready to go home with
you!
If
you can find it in your heart to open your home
to one of the precious creatures, now is the
perfect time to take the
step. | |
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 Golf
Golf Tournament
/ KPETS
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Knights
of Columbus 3rd Annual Golf Tournament for KPETS
will be held as Four Seasons Golf Course on
Saturday, August 13.
Shotgun
start at 12 noon. The day includes Golf, Lunch
and Dinner, prizes and fun for all.
This
great fundraiser for KPETS is being put together
by the Knights of Columbus Council 6810. All we
need to do to help is support their efforts, by
rounding up golfers and hole sponsors for the
event.
Tell
your golfing friends! Or if you know of a
business who may like to be a hole sponsor, let
us know! Click here for the event flyer and
details about sponsorship and signing up a golf
team.
Even
if you 're not a golfer you can always join us
for the dinner at the end of the round. It's
great food and that's when all the prize winners
are announced too!
Hope
to see you there!
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Thanks
from Lexi - by
Lexi, the Golden |
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Hello
PETS Teams and Friends! It's
Lexi
here just thanking all of you for your support
during the Lexi's
Challenge.
We
raised 2762.50 so, with my doggie moms' $2500
matching contribution we raised a total of
$5262.60 for KPETS.
On
Sunday, on the stage at the KPETS Expo, Mom
Wendy McKelvy presented Karen Gerth with the
check featuring yours truly on the top
right corner of the check. (Wish I could have been
there but I stayed home. The weather had me a
bit concerned and I just felt safer at home
that day.)
This
has been a tough time for me, with all my
chemo treatments, but knowing everyone was pulling
together in honor of me and so many other
special therapy dogs, has made my days a
whole lot
brighter.
I'm
looking forward to continuing my visits for a long
long time.
Thanks
so much to
everyone!
And
now this is a note from Karen Gerth, Executive
Director of
KPETS.
What Adella Houck and Wendy McKelvy pulled off for
KPETS is so appreciated. Their on-going support of
our organization has been essential to KPETS
survival - between the Bingo's each year and now
again with Lexi's Challenge.It is with deep
heart-felt gratitude that I am writing this.
Lexi
was a rescue case. Wendy and Adella's home is
Lexi's third home. And Lexi's life has
changed since she came to live with them. But what
is even more exciting is by Wendy, Adella and Lexi
becoming KPETS therapy teams, they have 'touched
lives & warmed hearts' of so many.
Lexi's sweet and loving nature (and
doggie costumes) have brought changes to others
lives as well.
Here
is quote from one of Lexi's friends: "Thank you
for bringing my mother back to us. She has
Parkinson's and for months was starting to slip
away mentally, but ever since you have been
bringing the dogs, expecially Lexi, when I talk to
her on the phone, I hear my mom again. She is back
mentally and doing great because she has your
visits to look forward
to!"
Wendy
and Adella are so committed to sharing their
precious pets, they even visit on the holidays!
Christmas, Easter, etc. - the time when the lonely
are the loneliest. What a selfless and
beautiful act.
God
bless you Wendy and Adella - as you are truly
a blessing to KPETS! And Lexi too. I pray
Lexi goes into full remission forever and has many
more years to be your beautiful companion and
KPETS teammate! |
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KPETS
Pet Expo and Stroll 'n Roll - Fun for
all! |
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The
weather sure was better than last year's and the
timing could not have been better by waiting till
after we were all packed up to issue a
tornado warning for our area. So Sunday, June
12 was a great day for
Keystone
Pet Enhanced Therapy Services (KPETS) to declare a
day for barking in the park - Ephrata's Grater
Memorial Park!
That
was the site of the KPETS Pet Expo and Stroll N'
Walk. Scores of dogs and their humans stopped by
the mid-day event to visit with vendors, munch on
burgers and fries (and puppy treats) and enjoy
pet-themed demos and presentations. A highlight of
the day was a demonstration by Flyball
Dogs Anonymus. Visitors could attend sessions
to receive expert advice from Dr Leslie Osborne,
local veterinarian; Sheree Dietz, pet groomer and
Bonnie Hess, trainer during their "Ask the Vet,
Groomer, and Trainer " sessions. There were over
30 vendors participating with goods ranging
from doggie snacks to vacuums. Other
non-profits attending and promoting their
causes and looking for volunteers were
several doggie rescues organizations (Brookline
Lab and SAY - Save a Yorkie), CART (County
Animal Rescue Team), two Search and Rescue groups
(Middle Creek SAR and Cumberland County SAR). Some
of the other features were presenations
by United Disablity Services Service Dogs,
Guaridan Angels for Soldiers Pets.
There
was also a blessing of the animals by Pastor
Deborah Miley to send the pups and people off on
the Stroll 'n Roll Walk. Many attendees
participated in the walk through the park to raise
much-needed funds for
KPETS
The
Expo and Stroll N' Walk raised more than $2,000
for KPETS, and raised awareness of the good work
KPETS does throughout 10+ counties in
Pennsylvania, Maryland and
beyond.
Thanks
to all who attended, volunteered and
walked. We hope to do it bigger and even
better next year! |
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Pet
Grief Support Group hosted
by Fred F
Groff |
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 Thursday,
July 21
I
can't count how many times I said 'they just
don't' live long enough' referring to our dear
sweet beloved pets. And losing them is so very
hard. Most of us have been through it and probably
more than once. But it doesn't make it any
easier.
To
offer support for just these times, Fred F Groff
Funeral Home will hosting a Pet Grief Support
Group. The first one is on Thursday, July 21
from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. They intend to hold these
sessions monthly. Sadly, I'm afraid there will
probably be enough loving pet parents dealing with
this type of situation to merit a monthly
group.
They
are located at: 234 W Orange Street,
Lancaster.
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What
KPETS is all about !
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If
you look at our Kalendar, there is so much going
on, I can't keep up with writing about the
events AND posting them. I need your help. If
you attend an event or have a heart-warming pet
therapy story, please send them to blogger@kpets.org. We'll
post them on the KPETSTails blog and add a link to
them in the newsletter
too.
Here
are a few . . .
Pets
on the Square, Hummelstown
-
Gini Swartzell
We
had a beautiful day for the Pets on the Square
Event in Hummelstown on May 7 from 1 - 4 pm.
There was plenty of shade for our dogs and a
nice refreshing breeze.
Participating
in the Costume Contest, Sophie/Cathy Farr's
pooch was all patriotic riding in a sleigh all
decked out in red, white and blue while being
pulled by Cooper, Cathy's grand
dog!
Tucker/Gini
Swatzell's dog was a sporting a "Life's a Beach"
Theme. Donning a whistle and sun-glasses, he
rode in a '"Life Boat" float with sharks chasing
behind him.
Sophie
and Tucker both took first place in each
category and won $50 in Hummelstown
Dollars!
While
the two famous dogs were parading around town,
Lori McDaniel and Linda Hummel were mingling
with to community at the KPETS Info Table. Lori
and her husband, Steve brought in donations for
KPETS by bringing soft pretzels from
Philadelphia Pretzel Factory on Progress Avenue,
Harrisburg. They gave the pretzels away for a
donation made to KPETS. Total donations were
$45!
Thank
you, Steve and Lori! Those pitching in for the
event were Linda Hummel/Carney, Lori and Steve
McDaniel/Roxy, Todd Dohner/Benellie, Gini
Swartzell/Tucker and Cathy Farr/Sophie! Thanks
teams for being such wonderful ambassadors for
KPETS in the Hummelstown
area!
Even
If It Just Opens the
Door
-
Rhonda Garns
My
goal from the beginning was to be able to take
Mickey with me when I began volunteering with
Hospice of Lancaster County. I made my first
rounds alone to get the hang of it and also to
see if those I would be visiting were interested
in seeing Mickey. All but one was very excited
that I would be bringing her. And one
didn't care to have a visit at
all!
The
first time I took Mickey, our visiting time went
much longer than I ever expected because before
I could even get to the specific rooms I needed
to visit, we would be stopped by others. I was
MOST excited because the one specific person who
never wanted a visit, saw Mickey next to me at
her door and her face lit up like a child in a
toy store!
She
didn't seem to care about Mickey but her
attitude totally changed when she saw
her.
Each
week I go, we go down to her room and she
eagerly motions for us to come in, tells me to
pull up a chair and we chat while Mickey lays on
the cool tile floor. Who knew.
Thanks!
Dogs
are good for our
Health
- Dawn Rissmiller
Dog
owners are more likely to meet the minimum
federal exercise goals each week than people who
don't have a dog. more from LGH
newsletter
Speech
Therapist shares how pet therapy
helps
Click here for more about how pet
therapy helps child with Autism
Oregon
Dairy Fundraiser a Fun
Time
So
many of our volunteers came out to staff our hot
dog/burger stand at Oregon Dairy on May 14th.
Oregon Dairy supplies the grill, tables,
condiments, etc and we just had to be there to
cook, sell and schmooze the crowd. And that we
did, with our KPETS pups prompting people to
come see what we were all about. The profit
donated from food sales was $283 and our
donation jar brought it $168 for over $450 to
KPETS. Way to go teams.Thanks for all you
help. | |
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Cruising
for a Cause, June 25 / 4 - 8
pm |
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 Brother's
Pizza in Hanover...
and
Wendi Mitzel are 'driving' the Cruise
for a Cause fundraiser. Be sure to stop by at
Brother's Pizza at 1011 York Street. The car
show/cruise-in to benefit KPETS is from 4 - 8 pm.
But Brothers Pizza is graciously donating 20% of
all sales from the entire day to
KPETS!
For
the Cruise-In, there will be dash plaques to the
first 50 cars registered, door prizes given away
throughout the evening, a coloring contest for
kids, a bake sale, a DJ, and a quilt raffle ticket sale (the quilt
winners will be announced at the Bow Wow Brown Bag
Bingo in Sept.) There will also be a trophy given
out to the Brothers Pizza owner's favorite
car.
So
please come out and join us for some great music,
great food, and great cars! Not to mention
visiting with the awesome KPETS pups that will be
there! Hope to see you at Brothers Pizza on June
25th! For more info contact wendim@kpets.org. Click
here for the Cruise flyer. Feel free to print
out and post
too!
ps..
Wendi could use some volunteers to help the day of
the event. Please contact her if you can (with or
without dog would be very much
appreciated! | |
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