Where did you serve and what did you do?
Serving in 2 mental health hospitals; 4 libraries; 1 nursing home; 1 memory unit; 1 senior center, and university final exam periods. We also receive special requests from various schools and hospice facilities. Doc and I have served for 5 years together and my first therapy dog, Pepper, served for 9 years together. I have been serving for 5 years as our local group Coordinator.
Tell us how your dog is helping you continue #StillServing in your community.
HM1 Doc and I serve the community as a pet therapy team to bring comfort, joy, and stress relief to those who need it most. HM1 Doc is a Black English Lab, who loves people of all ages and seems to sense those who need it the most in group settings. This is a dog that people immediately fall in love with.
Why do you do it?
Visiting as a pet therapy team gives me a special joy and satisfaction to see hurting people enjoy Doc’s company. It also helps me better deal with my own issues. I find that as I give, I also receive. When visiting with the kids, I show myself that I can still get up off of the floor by myself.