At our Feb. 2 Club Meeting, Inspiration was provided by Pam, who shared " For the Garden of Your Daily Living." See Read More for details.
Sabrina Hill, one of our Youth Engaged in Service (YES)- sponsored students, told us she has until March 1 to sell $1,500 worth of Raffle Tickets for $10 each. She offered our club members an opportunity to support her mission.
Program from Carlin Padgett from Summit Assistance Dogs with support and demonstration from Heather Anderson, advanced trainer, and Sherry, a yellow labrador retriever.
Summitt Assistance breeds dogs (yellow, black, or chocolate labs and golden retrievers, or a mix of those) to assist people with mobility issues. In their ten years of existence, they have placed 132 dogs. Dogs learn how to retrieve dropped items, open doors and drawers, and be of service to people with mobility issues. Puppies begin at the 40 room Canine Condo at Summit Assistance, then go to a foster family to live and be socialized, then to the Prison Program at Monroe Correctional Institution. Currently, there are 8 dogs in the prison program. The dogs live in the cell with the training inmate. The men work in pairs, attend classes twice a week, and train their assigned dogs. This program is good for both the men and the dogs. Then, the dogs return to Summit for advanced training. Throughout all the training, only positive reinforcement is used. We saw this demonstrated. Male dogs develop a bit slower than female dogs, just like people, so they are placed a couple of months later than females.
The average wait for a dog is 2-5 years, and at about 2 years of age, dogs are carefully matched with clients. They work together for 6 to 8 years. Then the dog retires from working but can remains as a pet for the client or becomes a pet for someone else. The client is qualified to get a new service dog when their first one retires. While dogs are in service, Summit still owns them and can take them back if they don’t receive proper care. Each dog cost about $50,000 but are provided to clients free so no one ever has to go without a needed mobility service dog because they can’t pay. Summit Assistance gladly accepts individual and service club donations. Our club will plan a visit to the Oak Harbor site.
Calendar
Feb 7 6-8: Skagit Valley Historical Museum Valentine Soiree
February 10 10-12: Helping Hands volunteering
Feb. 20 9-3: Blood Drive at La Conner High School
Feb 28 10-1: Shred-a-thon and the fire department will also take old flags to be retired.
March 7: Luck of the Irish at Maple Hall, buy tickets online
March 7 or March 28: Grant Seminar online - Dennis and Lori are registered.
March 30: Farmers and Merchants Dinner
Our guest Carlin Padgett won the raffle receiving $285!
Next meeting: February 9 Bill Reynolds La Conner Community News
For the Garden of Your Daily Living.
PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be patient
Lettuce really love one another
NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNiPS:
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another
TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:
Thyme for each other
Thyme for family
Thyme for friends
Water freely with patience and cultivate with love.
There is much fruit in you garden because you reap what you sow.
~Unknown