by Asher Comfort Dog
February continued to be an active month. I had 18 visits during the month. These visits always focused on the ministry’s goal: reaching out to many people to give them comfort and a smile.
For the community, I visited three senior residential facilities: Radford Green, Lake Forest Place, and Warren-Barr. At each place, I walk along the corridors, stopping at rooms where residents want to see me.
I returned to another very special place: the Reach Center for helping adults with severe disabilities. I met with a small group of about eight adults. There were two counselors in the group. Because I have visited so often, several adults are very anxious to see me. When I walk into the gym, where we always meet, their smiles are very big with very happy faces.
We visited the Lovell/VA Medical Center in North Chicago. I was happy to get back to the VA. We visited two wards, including a special care unit. The staff and patients, waiting for their doctor, were very happy to pet me. We walked over to the ICU unit in building 133. Again, the nurses in the unit were very happy to see me. I didn’t visit patients, but the staff spent lots of time petting me. Then, we continued to say hello to visitors at one of the main doors to the hospital. People were coming and going, but many stopped to pet me. They also had interesting conversations.
I returned to the Neal School and the Forrestal School, both in North Chicago. The Forrestal School near the Great Lakes Naval Training Center is always fun to visit. I made three visits to this school. One visit was special with the kindergarten class. We showed them pictures of comfort dogs and other kinds of dogs to explain my role as a comfort dog.
Then, I visited some new locations. I went to two high schools: a kindergarten school in Lake Villa, Magee Middle School in Lake Bluff, Elmhurst University, Round Lake High School, and Grant High School in Fox Lake. Each had a special program in which I participated. The new kindergarten school was Pleviak School. I visited six classrooms and was petted by many students. We had to go up and down many stairs to visit different classrooms. It was fun but very tiring; I had to have water and my sliced apples. The Lake Bluff Middle School had a reading program where I helped with the students. The visit to Elmhurst University was a de-stress program; I saw faculty and college students. This was fun.
I went back to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station to be at the CSO facility. I joined other comfort dogs to visit with military personnel.
Praise the Lord for all of these opportunities to serve people in His Name.
Be in touch. Peace.
Asher