Month: November 2011

Dogs Finding Their Purposes

Every dog needs a purpose in life.  Dogs are not called man’s best friend for no reason. Sometimes the dog has a very unique purpose in life and other times, it takes a while to reveal that purpose.  For example, it took Tequila three years to find her reason for being. 

Timid Tequila Delights Patients

Having been taken along by her owner to a mental health hospital ward in Canberra, Australia, the usually timid dog approached all the patients with her ears back and body slightly lowered.  She did that so as not to frighten anyone but clearly what she was doing made her happy as her tail was wagging crazily in a circle.  Her owner was quite shocked as she said that Tequila is usually somewhat frightened of most people.  But it was clear that she was a delight to all the people in the ward, turning scared faces into smiling ones. 

Indeed, as soon as Tequila began “her rounds,” the mood in the ward totally changed.  At one point she was found in one of the rooms of the patients.  A little girl who had been crying – on setting eyes on Tequila – exclaimed gleefully, “puppy” and crouched down with a huge smile on her face to pat her.  Tequila reveled in the attention.

Following this surprising turn of events, Tequila’s owner is wondering how she can get Tequila to formally become a therapy dog for various homes in the area. 

All dogs have a purpose – sometimes it just takes the proper setting to discover what it is, like was the case with Tequila.

Touched by Angels

Brandon Foundation’s Angel Program

Many individuals have been helped by the Brandon Foundation’s Angels Program – people who have gone through hugely difficult challenges, from kids with cancer, to single moms’ daily struggles, and adults with long-term debilitating illnesses.  These strong individuals stood up at the Evening of Hope and Charity Check Presentation to tell their stories and express their gratitude to the foundation. There was hardly a dry eye in the room as they got up, one-by-one, with pride, to say “thank you.”

Fundraising Events

Held at the Florida State Fairgrounds, this event was a true money-giver.  A staggering $160,000 was distributed to 17 of the foundation’s charities (it has 53 in all).  According to daytime talk show host (and foundation board member) Cyndi Edwards, the Foundation seeks to improve life for the community through its substantial fundraising efforts.  Thereafter, these monies are sent to various charitable organizations in the area.

Since 2003, the Foundation has hosted six annual major fundraisers, distributing more than $1m to worthy charitable organizations.  Their reason for existence is to facilitate the work of these hard-working organizations to help the community at large.  All the work it does is conducted through love.  And clearly the individuals receiving this help, feel the love, and thereafter express their deep thanks.

Strength in Recovery

 

It’s not easy to recover from some of the most severe army wounds.  But that is exactly what Sam Cila – an American army veteran – did.  And not only did he work hard on his tremendous recovery, he decided to inspire kids in his son Evan’s school with his tale as well. 

After the attacks on 9/11, Cila joined the NY National Guard and was sent out to Iraq the following month with the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment.  Towards the end of his time there however, he was badly injured while on patrol outside the Green Zone, Baghdad, from an IED blast.  His entire left side was blown out and it took him three years to fight – and win – the hardest battle of his life; the recovery.  He worked extremely hard to guard against not having an amputation, that, at the time, seemed like the only option.  He did however, ultimately loss his left arm from the elbow down but even that didn’t deter him.

He had a prosthetic hand and arm put in and then started working with Operation Rebound – an organization operated by the Challenged Athletes Foundation which “raises money to help people with physical disabilities pursue an active lifestyle through physical fitness and competitive athletics.”

Inspiring Kids

Cila wanted to inspire the children in his son’s school at Aquebogue.  He wanted them to know about all the new technologies and scientific developments available, showing them that even in the midst of apparent despair, there is always room for hope.  As well, this Veteran’s Day he ran in the Riverfront24 endurance run, raising money for a local veteran’s services organization.

Celebrities Just Being Dads

 

David Beckham – Best Dad

Or at least, that’s what his kids might have said on their way home from their fun day out with daddy Beckham to a pottery painting workshop.  Indeed, he probably feels his kids are the best too, because  no matter how many trophies are in this famous footballer’s cabinet, his favorite cup has to be the one painted by his six-year-old son Cruz at Color Me Mine in Los Angeles.  

Cruz was really focused on his work of art, and was given some guidance by a helpful assistant. But it seemed his older brother Brooklyn was doing pretty well on his own – beaming with pride as he presented his father a very colorful mug that he had decorated.  He hugged him as he handed it to him.  And to make the mugs even more cheerful, Beckham himself decided to have some input and grabbed a paintbrush to add a little something to his sons’ works of art. That showed he was truly into the whole thing, which obviously made his kids even happier.

He may be one of the greatest football superstars in the world, but, at the end of the day, this was just another story to prove once again that David Beckham is a super dad first and foremost.

Animals Rescue People and Vice Versa

Gentle Barn Activities Beneficial to All

It seems that it is not just animals in distress who benefit from being cared for by humans.  In fact, one could argue that it is the oft-abused humans who are gaining more benefit from their care for animals.  Gentle Barn – a Santa Clarita farm spanning six acres – has seen many of these miracles.  Indeed, people have healed themselves by working or volunteering at the farm that houses abused cows, goats, horses and pigs.

Perhaps the abused adults and youngsters relate to these animals because they were also once threatened in some very disturbing way.  Or perhaps the unconditional love given by the animals to the people who have more often than not been the victim of terrible abuse, gives them hope again.  Either way, both are doing well.

One example is the goat named Sophie who enjoys being read to by Solana Mejia-Schnaufer.  She believes she likes the book ‘The Hunger Games’ but not ‘Animal Liberation,’ as she tried to eat the latter but not the former.  Regardless of the goat’s taste in books, she has definitely helped Mejia-Schnaufer with various issues, to such an extent that the volunteer described her bonding experience with the goat as “a life-changing experience.” She had been struggling with eating disorders and depression for a long time which had even resulted in a suicide attempt.  She believes it was Sophie who enabled her recovery as she gave her hope that “life was worth living,” due to the goat’s “incredible calm and open energy.”

If one goat can do that for one person, just think how many other animals can help people.  Those individuals who suffer from any kind of mental trauma, or abuse, where no care facility can help them and even special drugs start to fail after some time, need a place like Gentle Barn to really get their spirit back.  Mejia-Schnaufer is one case in  many at the Gentle Barn that shows just how much animals can give to people who are struggling when there is no hope left and they feel like everyone else has given up on them and life is no longer worth living.  Keep it simple: let the animals do their jobs.