In May, I graduated North Carolina State University and chose to take a gap year to further my life experience before entering a committed relationship with veterinary school. (Which I have recently been accepted into. Thank you to all my family, friends, and mentors who have supported me through my pre-veterinary career!) I wanted to do something BIG with my gap year. Make a difference. Live my year and life by the theme song "I Was Here" by Lady Antebellum. For those unfamiliar with it, here is the song/video:
I have been so blessed to be given the most amazing gift- the opportunity to rescue dogs and train them to become service dogs for special needs children and disabled war veterans. I intern for Merlin's Kids, a non-profit organization who provides free service dogs to those in need. I facilitate periodic training classes for therapy and service dogs. I care for several dogs and livestock who will be used for therapy and service. I have met some of the most amazing volunteers and children in the short two months I have been serving this organization.
Let me tell you a little bit about Shawn. Shawn is six-years-old and has autism. He loves helping me feed the livestock. In fact, he's much better at throwing the hay over the fence than I am. I seem to get hay everywhere, down my shirt, in my hair, up my nose. He seems to get it perfectly every time. He is also great at math and makes it difficult for this college graduate to keep up with him. The other day, we were eating Cheese-itz. Not only did he improve his counting skills, but also learned how to share, as he generously gave me some of the Cheese-itz. Next time he comes on the farm, I will make sure to have Cheese-itz with me.
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| Shawn feeding the alpaca. |
Let me tell you about Leo. Leo is seven-years-old and has cerebral palsy. Most of his life, he is confined to his wheelchair. A couple weeks ago, we worked with Leo to see if we could find the right service dog for him. Leo has such a gentle spirit and kind soul. He was more concerned with making sure his wheelchair did not accidentally bump Chaca than worrying about his own needs. What a good kid!
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| Chaca is checking in. She instinctually wrapped around Leo every time that he stopped in order to make sure he was safe. Chaca has not yet been trained to do this, but she has been remarkably quick with figuring out Leo's needs. |
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| The real miracle was at the end of Leo's evaluation. Thanks to Chaca, Leo was able to brace himself and mom was able to let go, knowing that Chaca was there for her baby boy. She arched her back, again, something she was not yet trained to do, and instinctually supported his weight. |
For kids like Leo and Shawn, and for dogs like Chaca, this is why I do what I do. For more information on how to help us help animals help children, please visit www.merlinskids.org. If you would like to make a donation or make a difference, please email me or Janice Wolfe. All donations are 100% tax deductible. What better way to show your holiday spirit than by making a donation in honor of a loved one or in sponsorship of a child.
