HAPPY NATIONAL ANIMAL THERAPY DAY!!!

       Pet Paretners is offering a discount to their National Conference in San Antonio on September 20th & 21st. The discounted price is $325.00. If you are interested in attending please let me know. I am considering attending this conference. I attended the last conference that took place in Seattle. I networked with other groups, learned a great deal and connected with new resources.

       We held our Semi-Annual Meeting on March 31st. Thank you Karen Martin for hosting this meeting the snacks and beverages were delicious and the hostess was awesome!       

       Rachel Dorough and I met with Robert Thomas on Sunday afternoon to work on the new website. We are in the process of finalizing and tweaking the new website. Some of you may continue to encounter some problems signing up on the calendar. If you do find that you are unable to signup, please contact me by phone, email or text and I will be happy to sign you up. Rachel has also volunteered to be a manager on our new website. She will help get team members on board and familiar with the website. We are planning on integrating the new website with FB. We would appreciate help if you are FB savvy and would like to help us.      

       We have added Phoebe facilities back to our calendar and we need as many teams as possible to signup and visit to fill the demand so, if you are available please signup. When we have multiple teams it allows us to split up in groups to go to different areas within the facility. This makes our visits have higher quality while fulfilling the needs of the facilitlies. If you or your dog are not comfortable in a certain area we will work with you and send you to an area of your comfort level. We do encourage new teams to ease into longer more challenging areas. Phoebe Sumter is a great facility to get your dog use to visiting a larger facility with fewer demands.

     I hope all Phoebe Volunteers have all completed their Annual Update Requirements due to be completed by today, for both Hospice and Phoebe. If you have not yet done so, please contact Volunteer Services for assistance. I would also like to have a copy of everyones Phoebe badge numbers to ease the process of filing our hours with Volunteer services.

     With schools approaching summer break, we will be changing the Library visits. We will be taking the Thursday evening visit to Dougherty County Library, the after school Redbone visit off and the Satuday visits to the Lee County Libraries will change. Please watch the Calendar for these changes.

      We have a special visit with a group of Autistic children added to our calendar on Saturday, May 11th. This event ought to be very enjoyable and will take place Turtle Park, I hope you will be able to make it.

     We have added Lee County Health Care to our calendar and will be visiting twice a month per members request. Please help where and when you are able. 

     We have always traditionally taken August off due to the high temeratures and we will do so this year as well. But, if you want to visit an approved faciity during the month of August with your animal, you are welcome to so as long as you verify it with the Acitivity Director at the facility.

     We will be placing an order with Pro One for some new shirts to be embroidered, please let me know if you would like a new shirt or a different color? 

     Thank you to everyone that participated in our Annual Bake Sale, either by baking or donating, it was a great success!! We had a lot of bakers and helpers, Betty and Bill, Beverly, Karen, Rachel, Vida Gross, Marilyn and Richard,and Donna. Betty and I began baking cakes before Easter and wow, were we busy! We get better every year and a big THANK YOU TO BETTY LIVINGSTON FOR GATHERING MANY OF THE CAKE ORDERS!!! TEAMWORK!!!!

      PLEASE GIVE A BIG WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST TEAM, RICHARD MORGAN AND BRADY!!!!

      Our next Workshop is scheduled for Sunday, May 19th from 12:30 - 5:00.