A future raised from a pup
It was easy to feel drawn to Evie when I met her. Beautiful eyes, trim hair-do, affectionate. She’s a dog that most everyone would fall for. Evie and I met through Lilly Mitsui, the woman who is puppy-raising Evie for Canine Companions for Independence.
Actually, you, too, can meet Evie next week if you want to — on Tuesday, Nov. 13, between 2:30-4 p.m. at the Geezer Forum in Columbia Bank’s Community Room. We will focus on the power of canine companions in our lives, but with a specific therapeutic twist.
Canine Companions for Independence is a pretty incredible training program that provides highly-trained service dogs and ongoing support for persons who need special assistance from their new “best friend”. Literally. Lilly’s work as a volunteer puppy-raiser puts her near the beginning of the training process. She has raised Evie since the dog was 8 weeks old. Now Lilly expects that Evie will be with her another 6 months, then be taken to CCI’s training center in Santa Rosa, California, for approximately 6 months of specialized training.
This training will prepare Evie, and dogs like her (Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers or a cross of these breeds), to be service dogs to persons with a variety of physical and developmental disabilities. Those challenges are wide-ranging. Yet at CCI, about 400 people’s futures were raised from a pup last year. Plus another 400 on the waiting list, so more puppy-raisers are urgently needed.
Janie is in a wheelchair, and often needs her dog, Haven, to simply to pick up her cell phone or house keys when they fall on the floor. Haven is her constant companion as Janie works on her PhD studies at the University of Chicago.
Persons with strokes, brain trauma, cerebral palsy, hearing impairments and other disabilities receive daily assistance, plus unlimited licks and love. Some are even ready to return the favor in their own ways.
With the daily help of Pepe, Archer turned his own disability challenges into a challenge for his friends and others who step up — or actually sit down — for his fund-raising event to help CCI. Archer says that Pepe’s training cost about $50,000, so Archer’s funder is his way to pay the gift forward.
Each year, Archer invites people to spend 1-4 hours a day, over the week-long event, in a manual wheelchair completing everyday tasks. The participants learn more about disabilities’ challenges.
Plus their funding efforts help expand CCI’s efforts to train dogs, match them with appropriate “best friends”, and give strong financial support to this program.
When Lilly and Evie join the Geezer Forum on Nov. 13, 2:30-4 p.m., we will learn about how CCI selects puppies and puppy-raisers, how persons can apply for a service dog, and how the companionship of dogs can enhance the daily life of someone with a disability.
Additionally, Lilly will help us better understand the differences between service dogs, emotional support dogs and therapy dogs. Those differences are important, for these categories are not equal in a number of ways.
But you don’t need a service dog? You may know someone who might. Bring them along with you if you can. Also bring your own stories of how a pet has been a great companion. We just may have time to hear your story.
Paul Graves, M.Div., is lead geezer-in-training of Elder Advocates, a consulting ministry on aging issues. Contact Paul at 208-610-4971 or elderadvocates@nctv.com.