What do paws and jam have in common?

The 8th annual Paw Jam, Saturday, May 2, 2009 from 11 AM - 5 PM at Battleship Park brought to you by Pets Are Worth Saving (Paws) of NC. Admission is $5.00 at the gate and proceeds support multiple rescue organizations in our community.

The mission of Paws of NC is to facilitate opportunities to raise funding and awareness for no-kill, non-profit animal rescue organizations in Southeastern North Carolina through the education and empowerment of the public.

If you are looking for a pet friendly event to attend, come listen to live music, enjoy festival food at the food court and beer garden, stroll through and purchase the wares of local arts, and pets vendor and enjoy pet related activities. Please, pets must be leashed.

Carolina Canines for Service is one of the 10 benefiting organizations. Come on out and say hello to our crew, met service dogs in training and therapy teams, renew old friendships and add to your Carolina Canines tee-shirt collection with our 2009 tee-shirt.

The End of National Volunteer Week

This is the last issue of this year’s National Volunteer Week newsletter. I just want to say a big thank you to everyone for all the work that you do! We have been able to help so many people and touch so many lives through your passion and dedication to this worthy cause and we hope you continue to support Carolina Canines through your time and efforts! Thanks again!

Foster Puppy Parent: Lori Brinkley is currently training Tamara, a beautiful golden retriever. She is the breeder of Tamara and over the years have donated a number of puppies to become service dogs in training. Lori is dedicated to the success of Tamara, and wants to see her succeed into being a service dog for someone. It is evident in the hours she spends working with her. Lori is also a dedicated Carolina Canines for Therapy Team. Thanks for being such a great ambassador Lori!

Carolina Canines for Therapy Team: LaceyAnn Struve is a wonderful Carolina Canines for Therapy Team. She is very active in the Paws for Reading program at Wrightsboro Elementary school in Castle Hayne. Paws for Reading is a program developed to assist children reading below grade level. She has been very active with the Therapy program for many years now and thanks to her dedication we hope to continue her work at Wrightsboro. Thanks for all the great work you do LaceyAnn!

Overall Volunteer: Pam and Glen Adair have trained a service dog that was recently placed. They were able to witness the placement of Conway with his new client. Even after the placement, they have continued to stay active with Carolina Canines by attending our many functions and fundraising activities. Their passion for the many programs of Carolina Canines shines through and we are so happy to say that they are a dedicated volunteer of Carolina Canines for Service.

National Volunteer Week

Hello to all of our wonderful volunteers,

Established in 1974 by former President, Richard Nixon, National Volunteer Week, is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their community. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, in unison, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. National Volunteer Week is about taking action, encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change—discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to foster positive transformation. National Volunteer Week is not only our moment in time to celebrate our volunteers, but to enable a nation to share ideas, practices, and stories, wherever they happen, and shaping a movement to re-imagine the notion of citizenship for the 21st century.

We want to take a week and acknowledge some of our amazing volunteers, without whom we would not be able to do what we do! Thank you to everyone and we hope you continue to help us help others!

Foster Puppy Parent: Stacey Sears is a new but dedicated foster puppy parent. She is the newest foster mommy to Luke, a 7 month old labradoodle. She has shown her passion through her weekly commitment to Monday night classes as well as being the 2nd highest individual fundraiser for the 3rd Annual Walk For Those Who Can’t. Thanks for all you do Stacey!

Carolina Canines for Therapy Team: Dave Thomas recently celebrated his 5th Anniversary as a Carolina Canines for Therapy team at Liberty Commons Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He and Sam enjoy their weekly trips to visit the residents and continues to show his enthusiasm for the Carolina Canines mission! Keep up the great work Dave and Sam!

General Volunteer: Stuart Callari is a recent graduate of the Carolina Canines for Therapy team, but what stands out is her constant willingness to come in a lend a hand in at the office! Stuart always brings a smile to the staff’s face when she comes in to help out whether its framing pictures or mailings. Stuart comes from Southport and keeps the staff in stitches as she plugs along at her tasks. Thanks Stuart!

30th Annual Coastal Living Show

Join the Wilmington Woman's Club for the 30th Annual Coastal Living Show this weekend, April 18 - 19, 2009 at the Schwartz Center.

The Coastal Living Show is produced by the Wilmington Woman's Club as its only fundraiser. It is an opportunity for businesses to showcase to the public a variety of gifts, products, and ideas for the home, garden, office, and seaside living. All proceeds from this fundraiser are distributed to non-profit agencies and college scholarships and this wonderful groups of hard working women support Carolina canines for Service.

Look for us in the lobby area and meet some of our newest Carolina Canines for Therapy teams that are starting to visit in our communtiy. We'll be there both Saturday and Sunday; Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. - 4 p.m. See you there!

Top Ten Reasons the 2009 Walk for Those Who Can’t was a Success!

10. The weather was beautiful. Finally a year that the temperatures were above 40 degrees, the breeze was mild and the rain held off until just after the walk was over.

9. The John Nesbitt Loop at Wrightsville Beach is a great place to take your best 4-legged friend for a Walk on a nice morning.

8. There were plenty of great people to meet and dogs to see and pet.

7. Fifty-five (55) fundraising pages were created on firstgiving.com by our supporters.

6. The volunteers that staffed the Carolina Canines booth including a Kathleen and David Goins from Greensboro area who donated the fantastic Sam and Macy’s Cookie Crack dog treats.

5. The volunteers that helped put this together from hospitality, the water stations, registration, logistics, each person played a key part in making the event a success.

4. The top fundraising individual, Nina Newell and Jaxson who raised $1,275 and runner up Stacy Sears and Service Dog in Training Luke raising $535.

3. The top fundraising team, Association of Nursing Students that raised $1,285 and the runner up team, Harrells Christian Academy Key Club raising $800.

2. Our sponsors who without their support the event would not be possible. Talk Inc., Merrill Lynch- William Truscott, Atlantic Orthopedic, Papa Johns, WECT, Sunrise Broadcasting, Surf 98.3, Jammin 99.9, DogLiving, Encore, Daid Hill & Associates, NRL Builders, INc., Health Source of Wilmington, Bootleg Magazine, Dock Street Printing, and Backyard Paradise.

1. Our supporters, that means you, teams and individuals are the best! Raising a net of just over $18,700, the people from our community and further came out to help us to help others.

We cannot continue the work we do without your financial help. As stuarts of your donations, 95 cents of every dollar works to help someone in need! Thank you for your commitment to serving our community.