We want to thank ALL the KPETS' volunteers who so selflessly give to KPETS and our communities by visiting, staffing info booths, doing presentations and so much more. YOU are what make KPETS what it is today! THANK YOU!

In the Spotlight!

This month we'd like to feature the Lancaster Area Evaluators:

Jolene Newcomer and Sheree Dietz

Jolene with Gio and Monti

Sheree with Safrin, Skye and Solomon

This month's volunteer recognition is way over due! We'd like to recognize our Lancaster Workshop Evaluators. These kind ladies cover our Workshops at Mennonite Home every second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.

With the help of Suzanne Solodky, who we recognized in the December Keynotes, Sheree Dietz and Jolene Newcomer are the trainers who meet, educate and screen many of the teams who come through KPETS in Lancaster. That is a lot of people. KPETS Lancaster Orientations can sometimes be over 20 people. That is a lot of pooches to meet and evaluate.

But in addition to doing these workshops on Tuesday nights, they also do their own therapy visits AND volunteer their time doing on-site evaluations for new teams. These ladies are key to our representation in the Lancaster County area. We can't thank them enough!

Sheree Dietz has been with KPETS since 2009 and has two wonderful KPETS dogs: Solomon (American Stafford Terrier) and Skye (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). She also has Safrin, her adopted Pit Bull, who is a sweetheart, but gets stressed so is not KPETS material. But she's turned out to be a great pet.

Jolene Newcomer joined KPETS in 2007 and also has two registered KPETS pups: Gio (Giovanni) and Monti, both, Spinoni (that's plural for Spinone Italiano - I looked it up!)

Having two dogs, helps them practice what they preach. With the two pups, the dogs can share the 'workload', and so there is less chance of an over-worked dog.

Thank you ladies, for all you do for KPETS. You definitely go above and beyond, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

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A Thank You Note!

Dear KPETS,

My daughter has been in Hershey Children's Medical Center for two weeks, and the only time I've seen her face actually relax into a smile (without the benefit of medication) was during the twice-weekly KPETS visits. She slept so peacefully after your visits. What a blessing. Thank you!

Hershey Medical Center Christmas Eve 2013 Photo (KPETS Teams)

Back Row - Patty Jo Hibshman and SUZY Q, Melody Oligane and POEM, Colleen Haws and STORY, Sandy Wohlfeil and TEAGHAN, Lori McDaniel and ROXY

Front Row - Bob Gavurnik and TONKA, Ann-Louise Gilfoyle and DARCY, Jim Lambert and HENRY, Jan Faust and NELLIE, Cindy Miller and TESS

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Happy Birthday Grace McCoy!

101!!

KPETS' Volunteer

Cindy Marshall and Kirby

helped Grace

celebrate her 100th birthday

last February !

Grace still loves her visits with Kirby!

From Lancaster General Hospital: Spotlight On Our Volunteers

Meet Bob Sullivan and Mazi, LG Health's newest pet therapy team! Bob, a New Jersey native who currently resides in Coastesville, brings Mazi, his Border Collie, into LGH once a week to visit patients in the Mental Health Unit. When asked how he got started in pet therapy, Bob replied, "It was always my dream, when I retired, to utilize the therapeutic value of dogs to help other people. I know how much it helped me. Mazi is Bob's first therapy dog: they've been together 3 years. They went to school and registered with KPETS."

Click here to read this article.

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Happy Birthday Gewels!

Ed, Mr. Roland, Angie and Gewels

Hi! We are Angie Bixler & Ed Bohr, we have been with KPETS for almost a year now. I have wanted an Irish Wolfhound for fifteen plus years. After losing my Briard, Paris in 2011, I was so heartbroken I needed puppy therapy. Eddie said, get a puppy! I had been on a waiting list for 5 years for a female. I called the couple and they did not have puppies but referred me to Joe and Kathy Roland. That is how I got my Gewels.

Gewels was born Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2011 with 13 siblings. The litter was amazing. Gewels was the pup up on the hill chewing a stick with not a care in the world. I wanted her without a doubt. She was the most amazing puppy I have ever had. We had our ups and downs, learning steps and walking on lead was the biggest challenge to becoming an amazing therapy dog.

Gewels became a registered therapy dog with KPETS in March of 2013. She visits our local nursing home, attends functions for children, and attends fundraising functions.

We received a call from our breeder Joe asking for a visit from Gewels at the Reading Hospital to visit his father. We made that trip on August 12th Monday night. We walked in to find it was Mr Roland's 84th birthday. Gewels was his "surprise" and I believe it made his birthday a bit brighter. He was very happy and surprised to see an Irish Wolfhound walk in to his hospital room on his special day.

Mr Roland has since passed away so this picture is very special for both our families. My Gewels brings smiles to faces wherever she goes and to all she visits. She is my sunshine! I thank Joe and Kathy everyday for allowing me to have such an amazing dog!

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Joann Kline's Kappy

encourages a fourth grade student

to read to her at

Riverview Elementary School

in Donegal School District.

Thanks for the kisses Sophye!

Sharon Mclaughlins'

Sophie

visiting at

S June Smith Center

Women's York College Basket Ball Games Update

Support York College women's basketball team on their quest to an undefeated record on Saturday, Feb.8th at 1:00 pm. They have declared this "Pink Day" to raise awareness for breast cancer. Show your support by you and your KPETS's dog wearing something pink!!

Don't Let Your Pet Have Surgery for Scary Lumps

Until Your Vet Does This

by Dr. Becker

Today, I'm filming at my practice, Natural Pet. I decided to include my newsletter readers in how I go about determining when to remove lumps and bumps on a pet. As it turns out, my dog Violet needs to have two masses removed, so I'm going to walk through the process of determining how, why, when and what to do about lumps and bumps when you find them on your pet.

Click here to finish reading the article.

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To Hug or Not?

If you spend any time on Facebook you're going to see the pictures - people hugging their dogs, kissing their dogs, lounging on their dogs, even kids riding dogs. The human faces are all aglow with rapturous bliss. More often than not, however, the dog looks like he just wants to get the heck out of there. Of course, most of us are oblivious. Let's not forget that ignorance is part of what makes the bliss so wonderful. I mean that in the nice way. We love our dogs. We just don't seem to know what they like and don't like.

Click here to finish this article

Visit Requests

There are so many open requests

and we need our teams
to fill them.

Here's where you can find them...

1. Weekly Request Update email every Wednesday

2. The KPETS Konnections Page

On kpets.org, scroll over "Konnect w/KPETS" menu
Click on the Konnecting Page and
Type in your email address and click "FOLLOW"

3.
KPETS' Kalendar

Thank you Cindy Marshall, Angie Bixler, Joann Kline, Sharon Mclaughlin and Sandy Wohlfeil for sharing photos and stories this month!

Do you have...

* a story about a recent or memorable KPETS visit

* a photo

* a fabulous treat or toy that your KPETS partner loves

* a great pet related book you'd like to recommend
* a memorial to a beloved KPETS partner who has recently passed

If you have something you'd like to share with our Newsletter readers, please send details and any photos to us at info@kpets.org

Info for New Volunteers and VIP's (Volunteers in Process)

* Space may be limited. Registration Required / Dates subject to change!

Upcoming Orientations: Click here to register.

* York - Saturday, March 22, 2014 - date changed due to the St. Patrick's Day parade in York. (3rd Sat of odd months) @ 9 am

* Lancaster - Saturday, February 8, 2014 (2nd Sat of even months) @ 9 am

* Mohnton - Saturday, March 8, 2014, Godfrey's Dogdom

* Westminster, MD - April 7 & Aug 18 @ 7 pm

* Hanover - March 12 & Sept 24 @ 7 pm

Workshops: Click here to register.

* Lancaster - 2nd & 4th Tuesday of every month @ 6:30 pm

* York - 1st Monday of every month @ 6:00 pm

* Hanover - March 19 & October 1 @ 7 pm

* Westminster, MD - April 14 & August 25 & 7 pm

* Therapy Dog Training Classes: York, Lancaster and Westminster

Click here
for more info.

(optional class offered for those who would like additional guidance)

Thank you all for making KPETS what it is and taking us to where we are today!

Let's continue Touching Lives * Warming Hearts in our local communities! ! !

Karen Gerth
KPETS - Keystone Pet Enhanced Therapy Services