Not only did our Therapy Dogs love meeting Stonehill College students, so did we. Last Friday, Bright Spot volunteer Ern Damon and I spoke to a wonderful group of students interested in learning about the meaningful work our Therapy Dogs do to help people in need.
The students attending our talk are deeply committed to giving back to the community in which they live. Many of these students are members of Into the Streets, a community service group on campus. One look at the group’s webpage shows the many non-profits they are involved with.
Abby Schommer, the lovely student who arranged our visit to campus, was the perfect host. She met us at the parking lot and escorted us around campus. She graciously treated us to lunch and took over my camera as our official Bright Spot photographer so that we would have photos to document our trip. Abby has a special interest in animal rescue and is the co-ordinator of students interested in this area of community service.
We spoke with students about the types of facilities our Therapy Dogs visit and the qualifications of a good Therapy Dog. We explained our certification process and talked about the wonderful rescue dogs we have in Bright Spot Therapy Dogs. I told them that these rescue dogs seem to understand their good fortune in having a second chance at life – and they seem to take great joy in giving back to others. Ern Damon spoke to the group about our Bright Spot Reading Buddies Program which encourages young readers on all levels to love reading.
The talk was followed by Questions & Answers and the most fun – mingling with the dogs. Violet and Tucker were the models of Good Therapy Dogs. They showed how much they love their jobs by willingly accepting all the hugs and petting offered by the students.
I am asked to give many talks throughout the year about the meaningful work performed by Therapy Dogs. This was my first time on a college campus. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with these students, learning about their future plans, their aspirations. It was a truly heartwarming experience. I hope to be asked to visit again, and to visit other college campuses, as well. These students are the future of our country. It’s wonderful to see that so many are interested in community service.