Giving Thanks

This season as many are celebrating with family and friends let us continue to remember the ones who serve our country every day being away from family and friends so that we can live in freedom.  

Toyota 100 Cars for Good Program
Sienna Rampvan

The American spirit remains and is evident in the people that give every day by volunteering in their community or donating to support groups that help others. This season Canines for Service is thankful for the continued support of our communities near and far.  For the financial supporters that continue to stand with us to change people’s lives; from the special gifts to the monthly supporters, we thank you.  To the thousands that rallied support this past August for the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program win, thank you.  To the corporate sponsors providing in-kind donations and financial support, thank you.  To our funders who have read through thousands of applications and choose to invest in the people we serve, in the work we do and our future, thank you.  To our volunteers, Board members, foster families, therapy teams, literacy mentors, office support and event planners, thank you.  Our mission would not be possible without each and every one of you.  

Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday season and for Canines for Service it marks a time of celebration of the 15 years of commitment and service we are thankful for.   Thank you to all of our supporters because without you, we could not continue to serve.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

The Season of Giving

Christmas came a few days early for the Carolina Canines for Veterans service dogs in training thanks to Harry Barker Inc.  Carol Perkins, Founder, saw a recent article in the Post and Courier about the Carolina Canines for Veterans program conducted at the Naval Consolidated Brig Charleston and knew it was just the type of thing she wanted to support.    After a few phone calls and exchanges of emails, several of the U. S. Marines handling the dogs, Rick and Pat Hairston, service dogs in training Elder, Eden and Angel, Service Dog Titus and Therapy Dog Delta Mae visited the Harry Barker facility, met the incredible staff and had a little shopping spree.   The dogs and people were like kids in a candy store; they had so much fun!  

Thanks to the generosity of businesses like Harry Barker Inc, Carolina Canines is able to continue to serve our community with programs like Carolina Canines for Veterans, Carolina Canines, Carolina Canines for Therapy and Paws for Reading.  Not one of these programs would be possible without our donors, supporters and volunteers.

Thank you.  Two simple words that can’t be said enough.  Because of your generous support, George has a smile in his voice and a bounce in his step with his new service dog Ruth.  Andy can balance better with Service Dog Manna to pick up items he drops or retrieve the telephone when he needs it.  After two years of sleepless nights, Donald has Service Dog Holly to ease his night terrors and help him deal with everyday life.  Brian is more confident in public because of the skills his Service Dog Jada knows to help with his post traumatic stress disorder.  People in nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities are smiling with a visit from Carolina Canines for Therapy teams.  Children are learning to read better because of the Paws for Reading teams.   Thank you for your continued support and belief in the people we serve and the mission we do.

The Need.  The need is great and it continues. Census data estimates there are 32 million disabled adults (aged 18 or over) in the United States, plus another 5 million children and youth (under age 18).    The number of disabled U.S. Veterans has increased by 25% since 2001; 2.9 million U.S. Veterans.

The Wait. People are waiting for the gift of independence.   More people in our communities want a visit from a pet therapy team and children need your help to learn to read. 

The Ask.  In this season of giving, ask yourself what you can do to help someone in need.  Foster a service dog in training, sponsor a dog with a monthly financial gift, give an end-of-year gift, train and become a certified Carolina Canines for Therapy team, or volunteer.   Get involved and experience the joy of giving in a whole new way.

Volunteerism, the Heart of A Non-Profit

This month has been a busy one for volunteer awareness. Many of the large local businesses graciously opened their doors and welcomed local non-profits in to showcase the work they do in the community and talk with their employees about volunteer opportunities. In the past few weeks Carolina Canines visited with Corning employees and enjoyed time at the PPD Charity Day; a job well done by the employees who coordinated these events.

This past weekend, Star News hosted the Conscience Fair, thanks to Si Cantwell and all his work organizing and recruiting non-profits. The Conscience Fair was well represented by many worthy groups offering volunteer opportunities. And, while I would love to say everyone wanted to be part of Carolina Canines, people are diverse and have many interests. If a person could not find a volunteer opportunity to be involved in, they were not really looking.

On February 18, 2010, Carolina Canines will be one of about 20 non-profits at the Have A Heart event hosted by the Wilmington Young Professionals. This is an opportunity to showcase our non-profit and build capacity of our volunteers with young professionals in our community.

If you are a volunteer still looking for an opportunity in our community, Carolina Canines has opportunities for you. But, first, let me tell, we do not have a kennel at our facility. All of our servic dogs in training are in foster homes where they need to be to learn to live with a family. To learn about our volunteer opportunities, please our website at http://www.carolinacanines.org/.

We are always in need of foster families to raise and train a service dog in Wilmington, NC or Myrtle Beach, SC, Carolina Canines for Therapy teams, fundraising /event volunteers and committee / board members.

There are many resource online to help find a volunteer opportunity. Here are just a few:
1-800-volunteer.org
Volunteermatch.org

Disney Give A Day.Get A Day.

Carolina Canines is pleased to be a part of the 2010 Disney Give A Day. Get A Day.

"Give a Day. Get a Disney Day." is a program that celebrates and inspires volunteerism.

Starting January 1, 2010, you may sign up for the program from http://www.disney.com/. As part of the sign up process, you will search and select from a list of eligible volunteer opportunities with participating organizations. After you sign up and complete your chosen volunteer activity, and the HandsOn Network has verified your service, you will receive an email from Disney prompting you to log in to your account and print a vouchers that may be redeemed for your free ticket to a Walt Disney World® or Disneyland® theme park.

If you plan to celebrate at the Disneyland® Resort, you can choose to redeem the voucher for a 1-day ticket to either Disneyland® Park or Disney's California Adventure® Park. If you plan to celebrate at Walt Disney World® Resort, you can redeem the voucher for a 1-day ticket to any of the following 4 theme parks: Magic Kingdom® theme park, Disney's Animal Kingdom® theme park, Epcot® or Disney's Hollywood Studios™ theme park. Tickets are not valid for admission to a Disney Water Park admission, DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park or Disney's World Wide of Sports®Complex.

See FAQ and rules on http://www.disney.com/

Things to Remember:
· You may pre-register at http://www.disney.com/ and receive an email from Disney reminding you of this opportunity. Before January 1, 2010, you can provide Disney with your contact information so that you can be reminded of when sign up begins and receive fun downloads in the meantime.
· Starting January 1, 2010, you may search for volunteer opportunities from this site and—once you've selected one, of course for Carolina Canines for Service, —sign up to volunteer and complete your service.
· You must sign up for an eligible volunteer opportunity through http://www.disney.com/. Only volunteer opportunities signed up through the http://www.disney.com/ are eligible.
· Volunteer time beginning January 1, 2010 will be counted towards the Give A Day. Get A Day ONLY if you have registered on http://www.disney.com/.
· Your volunteer time will be verified by the organization you volunteer for. All guests who participate in the program will be notified by Disney by email when their volunteer project has been verified.

What Will You Celebrate?

2009 Volunteer Appreciation Picnic

The 11th annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic was held on September 19, 2009 at Castle Hayne Park. Sponsored by our Board of Directors, over 70 volunteers and their families including service dogs, service dogs in training and Carolina Canines for Therapy team attended the celebration. Volunteers were recognized for their contributions to the organization, from visiting local hospices, nursing homes or schools through our Carolina Canines for Therapy program or raising and training a service dog for someone with a disability through our Foster Puppy Parent program. In 2009 alone, CCFS volunteers have logged over 30,000 hours of volunteer time!

This year’s picnic was especially exciting as we were joined by our two newest clients, Leslie Smith and Kathy Ormsby. Also in attendance was Georgette & Jim Lynn from Serendipity Dry Pond Kennels in Snow’s Cut, NC. Georgette has generously donated 5 labradoodle’s to the service dog program and brought two new puppies’ with her to meet their new foster puppy parents, Deb Jendrasek and the Brinkley Family. With a beaming smile, executive assistant, Pat Hairston told the new service dogs in training their mission in life; to assist those with a mobile disability. Also joining us in celebration was CWO2 John Nolan and other members of the Camp Lejeune Marine Corp Base Brig Program that have helped make it such a success.

With beautiful weather and delicious food, the 2009 Volunteer Appreciation Picnic turned out to be a great success and a wonderful way for Carolina Canines for Service to show the many volunteers just how much they mean to us! Keep up the great work!

Carolina Canines Kicks Off 100 Days Fundraising Campaign

Carolina Canines for Service, Inc. launched the Power of 10 fundraising campaign on Monday, August 3. The goal of the 100-day initiative is to raise $60,000 – the cost to complete advanced training and place three service dogs.

The Power of 10 fundraising concept starts with 10 supporters donating 10 dollars each to Carolina Canines. They, in turn, ask ten of their friends to do the same, who in turn ask ten more friends ……… creating a powerful wave of support and fundraising dollars.

A kick-off for the campaign was held at Carolina Canines for volunteers, friends and supporters on Saturday, August 1. People gathered to enjoy complimentary hotdogs and drinks provided by the Board of Directors. Along with the Board Members, staff, clients and volunteers were on hand to get the wave of going. “This is an easy opportunity for our communities to help support the programs and services offered by Carolina Canines”, states Paula Zabkar, Board Secretary. “Power of 10 is easy, you donate $10 and ask 10 friends to do the same, and they ask 10 friends creating that powerful wave of support. You can do this in person or send an email. But, everyone already knows 10 friends they can ask. Include a personal story of your own about how your life has been touched by Carolina Canines or how you have touched others. By asking just 10 friends and those friends asking 10 friends anyone can easily raise $1,000 and reach our goal of $60,000.”

Did you know…..…

• 34 service dogs placed, valued at $1,292,000, but hundreds have been in training to achieve this



• 76% of placements are in North Carolina



• Service dogs are valued close to $40,000 each, know over 70 tasks and are provided at no cost to the person receiving the dog



• Carolina Canines for Veterans was started in January 2008 at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Brig and already five Wounded Warriors have received their service dogs



• Carolina Canines for Therapy has registered over 200 teams with over 90 active teams



• Paws for Reading helps children improve their reading skills in a fun, non-judgmental way by reading to the dogs



• We are over 200 Volunteers strong and our volunteers have donated 119,811 or an average of 2500 hours each month

Carolina Canines for Service is a non-profit corporation dedicated to empowering people with disabilities to achieve greater independence. For more information, call (866) 910-3647 or visit www.carolinacanines.org.

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!

The Many Benefits of Volunteering!

You may find yourself in a tough situation due to the current economy and out of a job. So what do with the free time you have when you're not job hunting? Have you considered volunteer? Volunteering in your community is a great way to help out while reaping many benefits yourself.

Learn or develop a new skill

It is never too late to learn new skills and no reason why you should stop adding to your knowledge just because you are in employment or have finished education. Planning and implementing a major fundraising event can develop goal setting, planning and budgeting skills. Supervising and training other volunteers helps to develop supervisory and training skills. For example; chairing a committee for the annual Carolina Canines' Walk For Those Who Can't.

Take part in YOUR community

Volunteering is about helping others and having a positive impact on other people. What better way is there to connect with your commmunity and give a little back? As a volunteer, you return to society some of the benefits that society gives you.

Boost your career options

A survey carried out by TimeBank through Reed Executive showed that among 200 of the UK’s leading businesses
73% of employers would recruit a candidate with volunteering experience over one without.
94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills.
94% of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving their salary, or being promoted.

Volunteering makes the heart grow stronger

Research suggests that volunteering is particularly beneficial to the health of older adults and those serving 100 hours annually. According to the report:
A study of adults age 65 and older found that the positive effect of volunteering on physical and mental health is due to the personal sense of accomplishment an individual gains from his or her volunteer activities.

Everyday Heroes

America was captivated by the incredible demonstration of heroism by Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, first officer and co-pilot Jeff Skiles of the USAir jet that were challenged to complete an awe inspiring feat to land the jet in the Hudson River after a bird strike took out the engines. All the passengers and crew made it out alive; a miracle in itself. The pilot, co-pilot and crew, and emergency responders all were everyday heroes, called into action when least expected and achieved an extraordinary result; saving the lives of 155 people. People you and I don’t know, but who are mothers, fathers, wives or husbands, children or grandchildren, friends of someone that does know and love them.

Everyday heroes are found right here in our community; just look around. They may not be faced with the challenge of saving the lives of 155 people but each day they are working to change the life of just one person. How? By raising a service dog for a person with a disability, training to become a therapy team and visiting at a local facility bringing a smile to brighten someone’s day, forming a team for the upcoming Walk for Those Who Can’t to raise the funds needed to continue our work in the community.

Everyday heroes, who are our heroes every day.

Come be a hero with Carolina Canines for Service!

For more information visit http://www.carolinacanines.org/foster-trainers.html, email volunteer.services@carolincanines.org or call 866-910-3647.

Volunteerism – The Cornerstone of Our Organization

Carolina Canines would not be who we are today without our volunteers. One special volunteer, Stephen LeQuire has been featured recently in the Wilmington Start News for his volunteer work with the Carolina Canines for Veterans program at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Brig (www.starnewsonline.com/article/20081220/ARTICLES/812202989), but there are many volunteers that make our mission possible.

At this time of year for giving thanks, we would like to thank the many volunteers that give every day to help others in need. From our foster families committing to raising and training the service dogs, to the advanced trainers working to ready a dog for their partner, the 63 active therapy teams that visit people in our community’s facilities, our office helpers, and Board of Director and Advisory Council, we cannot do the work we do and provide the services we do without each and every one of you.

Thank you to all the volunteers that make our organization what it is. Merry Christmas!

Won’t you be a part of the work we do in our community in 2009?