Wags Orientations

Posted by TeamCharlie on July 13, 2008 under Wags for Hope | Be the First to Comment

I have conducted the orientations for Wags for Hope since its inception.  All in all I guess there have been at least a dozen or so.  One would think that after having gone over roughly the same material that many times, I would be anxious to give up the task.  Just the opposite is true.  These orientations actually rejuvenate the energy I have for this organization.  They are conducted roughly bimonthly at the Holly Hills Country Club in Ijamsville.  (I have to give them their due props because they sponsor these events.)  We created these seminars in mid 2006 and in every case I can say there have been over 10 people in attendance, and lately (for the last four orientations or so) there have been 20-30 participants.  I am always amazed at this, as I figured that these would naturally get smaller as we progressed.

What gets me excited is the attitude of the audience.  Many are all so eager to get started and have been waiting for an opportunity such as this.  I am hearing that membership in some other service groups is on the decline for whatever reason, but ours seem to continue to thrive.  I think the reason is that people get so much enjoyment out of including their pets in volunteer activity.  It is another way to bond with and socialize them. 

During this seminar I will announce that at least one of them will come back to me someday (maybe sooner than later) with an incredible story.  I can say this with confidence because it has already happened so many times.  The last instance was when I was told a story about Hambone, a beagle mix who visted a nursing home in West Virginia.  The team had only visited a few times (if that) when the event occurred.  Hambone was invited into a room with a person who was described as “semi-comatose”. (Don’t ask me what that means.)  He had trouble lifting his hand but they could tell the he was trying to lift it to pet the dog.  When Hambone saw this, he instinctively nudged the resident’s hand up with his nose, and rested his head against the man’s chest!  The family of the patient began to cry as did the handler.  I always get goose bumps when I recount stories such as this.  It’s simply amazing what these animals are capable of.

So, at 1PM I am off to conduct another orientation.  I can’t wait to meet everyone and watch their progress to see what happens to them.