MY VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES

[Jacque Reynolds]

Please use this discussion to share the experiences that you are now having or that you have in the past enjoyed through your volunteer work. No job is insignificant! We want to encourage volunteer participation in all types of non-profit organizations, anywhere in the world.

[Shelley and Riley]

Hi Jacque,

This is a great group to have. Thanks for thinking of this. I help with different organizations that work with children and cancer. It is through childhood cancer and UCSF Children's Hospital that I even heard of goldendoodles. Some of the kids have chosen doodles following bone marrow transplants. Some doodles were awarded through Make-A-Wish. Some of the older children are raising theirs as therapy dogs to help other children.

[Jacque Reynolds]

Oh, Shelly, this is wonderful! What a great experience you have had with your volunteer work. It is so rewarding. We have found that there is nothing more rewarding than seeing the joy that our pups give to these special needs children...adults too, but especially the children.
I look forward to your posts, thanks so much for joining and for your note! :o)

[Liz Syring]

I'm a nurse practitioner at a combination Geriatric nursing home and acute care hospital. My Seamus has been visiting the sick in nursing homes since 6 months after I rescued him from a shelter (he was a puppymill survivor, not able to be sold as a youngster so released to the shelter at 9 mo of age). His easy going temperament was a perfect fit for therapy work in nursing homes once he had some basic obedience training. I often wonder why he has such affinity to these folks who are tethered to their chairs or beds and perhaps remembers his days when he lived in the mill.
I care for many folks with mental illness, one of my first experiences with pet therapy was a woman with schizophrenia who needed an annual physical but she refused to allow medical exams or to take off any of her clothing when I tried to examine her. The next week I brought in Seamus to work with me after I overheard her talking about loving dogs. This extremely paranoid woman became a different person when I brought Seamus and offered for her to hold his leash and enjoy him! She played with him for over an hour and repeated his name for days. The next day at work I passed her in the hallway and she called out "Seamus's Mother, Seamus's Mother"... when I bent to speak with her she shyly told her that she won't let "those doctors" examine her body but she WILL allow "Seamus's Mother" to check her out! That was the first time of MANY opportunities I had to thank Seamus for giving me professional credibility. Here's some pictures of patients who have all agreed to share their pictures and stories with others. http://doodlerescueinc.ning.com/forum/topics/seamus-syring-working-...

His absolutely favorite group of people in the world are elderly women! He is drawn to them like a magnet and when he stops at their feet their eyes light up with a sparkle I've never seen before. I also think that perhaps their wheels of the wheelchairs might smell like their last meal.... When we are out in public and there is a handicapped person in a wheelchair he will strain like crazy to go "visit" that person, he doesn't realize that wheelchair bound people in the community are not always as delighted to see him as he is delighted to see them!
Liz

[Jacque Reynolds]

Liz, this is incredible! Thank you for posting this. I knew of your work with rescue animals and that you and Seamus were working as a therapy team, but I did not know the passion that you obviously have. This is such a touching story.
I am happy that the ADA recognizes mental disabilities as protected under the law. We work with a wide range of people with "invisible" disabilities and that includes people with mental, emotional and "unseen" physical disabilities.
I hope that you and I can have a discussion about this sometime. Please feel free to contact me personally if you would like to discuss this further.

[Lisa Van Dyke]

Hello, my name is Lisa Van Dyke. I do volunteer work for the People for Animal Welfare in El Dorado County (PAWED) and for El Dorodo Dog Owners Guild (EDDOG). I am the secretary for EDDOG, but wear many hats whenever needed, including facilitating the development and implementation of our website, establishment and maintenance of our Facebook Fan page, Twitter, and keeping pressure on local politicians. :-) I'm in the process of also creating a Facebook Fan page for PAWED and I work with shelter dogs and assist with adoptions of both dogs and cats for PAWED. I'm a learn as I go photographer and donate all photography profits to both these organizations. I faciliate and coordinate local fundraisers, etc. EDDOG is about getting dog parks in our community and creating a canine-frienly culture and atmosphere to enhance the quality of life for dogs and their owners. PAWED is about saving and improving the lives of companion animals through adoptions and education on spaying/neutering pets.

[Jacque Reynolds]

Hi Lisa!
Thanks for joining in our group and our discussion!
You are doing fantastic work and it appears that much of your time is given to the causes that are dear to you...great job!
I appreciate you posting because it gives me an opportunity to learn about other dog-related organizations and causes.
You obviously have a big, loving heart and give freely to help support the things that are important to you. Thanks again for sharing with us. I hope that you will post often and keep us up to date with the projects that you are working on.

[Liz Syring]

Wow Lisa, sounds like your volunteer work is a full-time job! Kudos to you for the great work you are doing. Pardon the lack of geography knowledge, but what state is El Dorado County? Wonderful work. Do you have your own pooches?

[Jacque Reynolds]

Good question, Liz, I assumed that Lisa was referring to El Dorado County in California...but I suppose that there could be other El Dorado Counties... Nope, I just checked Lisa's page and she is from California.

[Lisa Van Dyke]

I'm in California...good question. :-) Yes, keeps me busy so sometimes it takes me a while to respond to possts.