A growing interest in Therapy Dogs has prompted requests for Bright Spot presentations from a wide variety of organizations. In 2012, we had 14 speaking engagements, a jump from a usual 2 or 3 in a given year. This year, to date, we have booked 11 talks. People are eager to learn about the healing power of the human-canine bond as seen through visits from Therapy Dogs.
This past Monday, Bright Spot volunteers Patti Tibbetts with her therapy dog Velvet, Ned Polan with his therapy dog Brinkley, and I with Violet, traveled to Worthington, Massachusetts, where we first spoke with the Council on Aging at their monthly luncheon meeting. Then, we headed to the Russell H. Conwell School (children in grades Kindergarten through 6th). Although the talks were very different, the message was the same: Therapy Dogs help make people feel better.
Patti told both groups about her visits with Velvet to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Massachusetts. Ned spoke with the seniors about the visits he and Brinkley make to two psychiatric facilities in Westfield, Massachusetts, and I talked about our Bright Spot Reading Buddies Program in elementary schools, explaining Violet’s role as a good listener for children at the Hilltown Charter School as they read one-on-one to her to build fluency and develop a love of reading.
For the school children, Brinkley entertained the group with his amazing tricks. This is very serious stuff for the team. Ned comes equipped with a duffle bag filled with props for Brinkley’s show – a set of large Leggos used for the Hide the Treat trick, a set of pins and a ball for Brinkley’s Bowling Game, and a set of cards. On each of the cards is printed a command which Brinkley performs when Ned shows him the card. Needless to say, Brinkley steals the show every time. Kids and adults, alike, love it.