Time to Live…………

      Life grants us the opportunity to write our own destiny. Our fate is not a matter of chance; it is how we decide to spend our lives. Let us choose to give our lives to something that will outlast us.

In my office at International Headquarters is this beautiful framed print titled ‘Time to Live’. The picture is one of a gorgeous mountain scene where your thoughts can just rest and seem to wash away without a worry in the world. Every John Denver concert I ever attended, and there were several, brought back many songs I still listen to this day. The mountains hold magic to me, many incredible vacations throughout the years, memories that are lasting a lifetime.

The simple phrase ‘time to live’ says it all. I admire this phrase and find it to be true for me. To all of our Members who unconditionally share their precious angels this is also true. They define the word Volunteer in its truest sense. To say I am grateful to know them can’t even scratch the surface of how grateful I am. Please know, I am, more than words can ever convey.

 Being a Volunteer is the most wonderful way of spending your life. Teamed with a loving, caring and faithful four legged friend the lives you have touched have forever been changed.

   To everyone who has faithfully followed us throughout these 17 years, thank you. My life is full of many blessings and I count you as one of them. I will forever thank you and be grateful. Some people turn back their ‘odometers’, not me, I want everyone to know I’ve traveled a long way and many of the roads weren’t paved.

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Blessings Abound

 This Season finds us with many blessings. A simple email sent from Seoul Korea inquired about our program.  An article written about us appears in the 2009 Friendship issue of Ostium Magazine. The pictures are beautiful and the entire story is in Korean. Our program has unlimited boundaries as everyone knows. We were honored to be part of this beautiful publication. The article will be framed and added to our walls at International Headquarters. It was incredible answering questions about Paws For Friendship Incorporated. The questions ranged from why we visit those in need, why there is such demand and why our program is able reach around the world. Thanks to our incredible Members many lives have been touched and will continue to be long after I’m gone. We were founded by the love, caring and compassion of Jennie and will never go ‘out of style’ Thank you so much to the Ostium Magazine’s Interviewer and Publisher; we were honored to be part of your beautiful Magazine.

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PLEASE REPORT IT

We are lucky to share our precious angels with those in need all around the World; this is something everyone should be incredibly proud of. I know I sure am. Unfortunately, we also are ‘lucky’ enough to bear witness to Elder Abuse from one occasion to another, often in the very facilities we visit. This is something everyone associated with Paws For Friendship Incorporated takes very seriously and will not tolerate. If at any time YOU witness any abuse to anyone please report it immediately. If you don’t speak up the abuse will quite possibly continue. As the world has changed the ‘almighty dollar’ seems more important than how we treat people many times? How did WE let this happen? One possible reason? Not speaking up when we had the chance. Please know we are extremely grateful to visit facilities of all types, we have increased our visits into critical areas once ‘off limits’ to an animal. And found friendships within these facilities from those often forgotten about or ‘disregarded’ by society’s mainstream that will stay in our hearts forever. Included in our visits is also the watchful eye from our dedicated Members and listening to a story told of neglect by one of the residents. Mind you we will be forever watching and forever listening. Thank you

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What we’ve been doingJ

       Our Membership grows continually with new additions of ‘unusual’ Therapy Pets from Horses, Ferrets, Parrots and most recently an exceptionally loving Opossum? No, that isn’t a ‘type- o’Jwe are welcoming many new additions to our organization and are very grateful to have them join our Mission. While continuing with our regular visits we have also made appearances at Health and Wellness Expos, School Graduation Events, Camps for Children with Disabilities and Camps for Children with Terminal Illnesses. We have been present at Adopt-A-Thons, Halfway Houses for those who have temporarily lost their way, and Libraries while children read to our precious Pets. The Great American Teach In throughout many schools nationwide, we are heavily involved in our Communities throughout the World.

Thanks to Jazzy’s Mom, Jana, in Tampa, Florida we are now involved in the Hillsborough County Schools!!  Jana has introduced a program she wrote and it has been approved!  This program is called ‘Paws To Read’ and we are thrilled to be part of this ground breaking news!! Thanks Jazzy’s Mom!!

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A Matter of Fact

     We have always taken pride in the fact we take the ‘individual’ Pet into consideration. We don’t look at the ‘mean, vicious’, Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, etc, we focus on who they are and how that Pet is cared for. The fact of the matter is it is the PERSON who makes an animal aggressive. We have incredible four footed members who simply do not fit into the ‘stereo types’ PEOPLE put on them. We found that out by being well read,       attentive, and determined to meet each Pet as an individual we have welcomed many of these breeds with open arms. Many residents and patients have been grateful to have them share in their lives all over the World, ask them and they will tell you.

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Don’t forget……………………………

Thoughts for those who know………………………….

    Why do you have so many animals? This question is asked many times to many/most of us. This question is asked from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.

 Explain it to them this way and they should understand.

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Incredibly Sad News

       One of the dearest people in the whole world has passed away in 2009.  Carl Rossitto was a Husband, Dad, Grandparent, Brother, Veteran, Friend, and Member of Paws For Friendship Incorporated for many years. Carl had the kindness to place a plastic glass with juice in it away from the corner of a table so it would not fall onto a Residents lap. The Resident had fallen asleep and Carl didn’t want him to wake suddenly and spill the glass and embarrass himself. Now Carl didn’t think anyone saw him do this and would never have given this gesture a single thought because he was always such an incredibly kind and generous man. But I saw him from around a corner. When I came around that corner I didn’t say anything to him. He would have been embarrassed if I would have thanked him. That was just Carl, never giving less than 1,000 % anytime to anyone in need. I was honored to call him a friend, and anyone who knew him was also very lucky. People like Carl pass through your life if you are lucky, they leave dear memories in your heart and then they are gone.  He leaves an incredible Legacy. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family.

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  Well deserved Retirement J

     We wish the happiest of retirements to our beloved Mack!!! His Mom and Dad, Marion and George have faithfully been his ‘designated driver’ for Paws For Friendship Incorporated since 2002!!! Mack is nothing but a love sponge and everyone enjoyed his visits and his ‘additional service hours’ GIFT WRAPPING through many Christmas Seasons!! I shared many a morning shift with his Mom and Mack greeted everyone who came through the door as if he had known them for years!! You could always count on Mack to be there, regardless of weather or sudden notice!! He is just an incredible guy, a  very handsome Golden Retriever, who always met everyone with an unending wagging tail and we sincerely thank him and his Family for many incredible years of service to those in need!! We wish you a long and enjoyable retirement, and with such loving Parents, Mack has not and will not want for anything!!

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Website News!!

 
Wish List 

Events, Events, Events!!!!

Welcome NEW Chapters!!!

Please Let Us Know J

Blessings

     I can say I certainly was glad to see last year come to a close. I, as well as so many others, looked forward to the New Year. On a personal note I want to thank everyone for their concern, thoughts and prayers while I went through some personal changes. I learned many lessons in the process, and even said a final ‘good-bye’ to a few people. Words and deeds said and done with hatred and deliberate means can never be taken back or in my case forgiven.Life is certainly all about change. One thing for certain is my faith has only deepened; this is a constant for me.

Paws For Friendship Incorporated has been so blessed throughout these last 17 years because of our wonderful Members and friends.  From every Care Center we visit all around the world to opening up our front doors to be greeted by our loving Pets, we are indeed truly blessed. Thank you for letting us into your lives.

Creighton University Health and Wellness Expo!!

Again a tremendous way for us to share our precious babies with others!! Many of the people sharing their time with us are future Doctors of a grand variety. They welcomed the opportunity to visit with our Members about alternative ways of healing instead of simply prescribing a pill. One of our dearest friends is Michael Braunstein, who is Founder and Editor of the Heartland Healing Magazine that has always been proactive on alternative ways of healing. Thanks to Creighton University inviting us, many heard about our mission of caring and were greeted by many of our precious four footed Members and their ‘designated drivers’ Thanks everyone who shared in this special day!

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The economy affects us……………..

                                     Always Remember………………………………..

     4 things you can’t recover: the stone after you throw, the word after it’s said, the occasion after the loss, the time after it’s gone…………………..

Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow, please treat people with the respect you wish to be treated with.

St Patrick’s Day Parade in Omaha!!!

                                             We’re in the news!!

  
                                              So very sad

  Paws For Friendship Incorporated met Buddy in 1998. This is his story and how we came to meet him. This little Boston Terrier just happened to own two of the dearest people in the world, Diane and Mick. He had his ‘designated drivers’ take him from visit to visit for 11 years faithfully and gave everything he had to each person he met. Buddy was a very popular little guy! I would make a visit or two with him, and even join him while he was our Ambassador at Borders gift wrapping many, many times. He never had a ‘bad day’ thanks to his loving family, his love for everyone shone brightly in every Care Center he ever entered. He set the standard for what a Therapy Pet should be and we were tremendously lucky to have him in our lives. Paws For Friendship Incorporated is a better Organization for having him share his paw prints for those who will come after him. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family. To every little Boston Terrier that will ever follow through generations to come we hope for a little bit of Buddy in them.

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How does this happen??

                                           Another Angel to watch over us

  This is very personal to me and I would like you to share in this story as well.  A dear friend, Carla Rasmussen, has passed away.  I’m sure most of you have never heard of her. But you would have liked her anyway; you would have liked her very much. I won’t go into how wonderful a person she was, and I won’t bore you about how many strangers she befriended, or how she would always be there for a friend.  What I will tell you about is her Legacy, ‘No Pets Left Behind’ Carla would help any animal, anytime, regardless of the situation.  I was one of the lucky ones to call her my friend.  I encourage you to find in your heart the compassion Carla had towards animals.  If you know of an abusive situation where an animal is being abused in anyway, REPORT IT, HELP THEM. They cannot help themselves.  Carla‘s heart opened for any animal in need, won’t yours to? When we are lucky enough to have a friend like Carla in our lifetime, we know what is important to them. We watch them live their life and realize what made them so special. Personally I know what made Carla so special and I strive to be as good as person as she was. I have heard some really sad news lately concerning Carla’s beloved “No Pets Left Behind’

    I know for a fact Carla would have hated any arguments about who is more important in a Rescue Organization, or who is ‘in charge’ or ‘who does the most’, ‘who keeps score of how much everyone does’ ….why does this matter?  Who is keeping score? I sure am glad Carla didn’t keep score; she was way too busy saving the poor little animals that needed help. To anyone who is stupid enough to think a ‘title ’matters to a rescue animal, they have my sympathy and I really don’t think we could ever be friends. No, as a matter of fact I’m certain of it, I have no time or energy to waste on them. I also think, if my opinion matters, Carla is not wasting anytime on it either. Not a snowballs chance in hell, Carla is way too busy surrounded by all the little angels she helped in her lifetime. I am blessed to have known her and if you knew her to, you know exactly what I mean.

                            Best Wishes to Katie, Max & Tia’s Mom

Did you get to meet Ariel?

Wonderful News!!

 
Welcome New Members!

Celebrate with us in thanking………..

Paws For Friendship Incorporated is very proud to introduce the ‘Jennie’s Award’, the Volunteer of the Year for 2009 to Deuce and Tyson’s Mom, Linda Kelsey of Papillion, Nebraska!!! Linda and Deuce have been Members since 2004 and Tyson joined them in 2006! This team is incredible and well deserving of our highest award our Organization can bestow. Linda and her husband are active Adventurers on hiking excursions, triathlons, even taking them to faraway lands to experience different cultures. Their loveable French Bulldogs are adored by all who meet them. We are incredibly blessed to have Linda as a Member. She not only visits those in need, she is also an Evaluator for our program welcoming in many new Members! CONGRATULATIONS Linda, thank you for all you do for us and those in need and many, many hugs to your precious babies!!