Once upon a time, in a place far away (well, in New York), a precious black Labrador puppy was whelped in a guide dog facility. At eight weeks old he was placed with a loving family, his puppy raisers. He spent the next year and a half with his puppy raisers, where he mastered house training and the ins and outs of being obedient. He continued his education at the Guide Dog Foundation/America's VetDogs, with the goal of becoming a guide dog for the blind.
His guide dog training started off well. He learned to rest (put his head on a person's lap), settle (lay on his side), shake, fetch, and more. But alas, he did not pass the final exam. He was unable to "do his business" on a schedule. We won't go into details about this here.
Meanwhile, back at The Tree House, the staff, knowing the benefits of having a therapy dog available for clients, was working hard trying to acquire a dedicated facility/therapy dog. They contacted National Capital Therapy Dogs who arranged to have dogs visit the children in the waiting room periodically. When the dogs were present the entire feeling in the waiting room transformed. Calm surrounded the children as they interacted with the dogs. Our Mental Health Director, Stephanie Wolf, was so touched by this experiment that she decided to adopt a therapy dog. Through National Capital Therapy Dogs, The Tree House was guided through the process of adopting a guide dog in need of a career change. They also connected us with representatives at the Guide Dog Foundation and within a short time The Tree House was fortunate enough to be given Lego.
So, Lego, the almost 2-year old career changed guide-dog-for-the-blind is now The Tree House's official therapy/facility dog. He even has the vest to prove it! He is still getting used to his new home, but we expect that in a week or two he will be comforting children in our waiting room, forensic interview room, and therapy rooms every day. He is a sweet, calm, beautiful dog, and we are very excited to welcome him into The Tree House family!
Huge thanks go out to Sandy Gill, of the National Capital Therapy Dogs, Melissa Harrington, of the Guide Dog Foundation, and Hallie Wells, also of the Guide Dog Foundation, for making this happen for us so quickly!
Our Delicious Ride Will be Here Before You Know it!
Choose from three great routes to ride! So many cookies to enjoy!
-------------- Here are some of our latest cookie stands, without them the ride would be just the "Tree House Tour de." Not nearly as fun.
-------------- Be sure to check out our Family Expo!
We'll have food, vendors, exhibitors, and activities waiting for you after your ride. Enjoy the music and relax before you leave us. Be sure to bring your children to our kids' area, new this year!
It's not too late to reserve a spot in our expo if you want to sell something or promote your organization. Find out all you need to know here.
If you are a talented student and would like to perform at our event (yes, for SSL hours!) send us an email at tourdecookie@treehousemd.org.
-------------- We are currently recruiting volunteers for our event. Click here to sign up as a volunteer.
Don't forget to join us on April 29th from 5-8 pm atDawson's Market for Cheers for Charity! We ask for a donation of $5 per person (or more...we'd never turn you down!). This entitles you to a tasting of perfectly paired wines and cheeses. 100% of the proceeds go to The Tree House CAC of Montgomery County Maryland! You can make your donation by cash or check at the door, or donate online prior to the eventhere. We look forward to seeing you there!
We are so happy to announce that the Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation has granted The Tree House CAC $7,500 in support of our mission! We are incredibly grateful to have their continued support as we strive to heal Montgomery County's abused children.
Help us spread the word about The Tree House. Forward this newsletter to a few friends!
Support The Tree House
You can help us provide mental health, medical, victim advocacy and other services to abused and neglected children in Montgomery County. All it takes is a small donation.