FALL 2014
THE GOLDEN NEWS
The official newsletter for Birmingham’s nonprofit organization improving lives through Animal-Assisted Therapy
BELLA VISITS UAB ADDICTION RECOVERY UNIT A couple of months ago, a new Petscription program at UAB Addiction Recovery was developing. Bella and I, along with a few other Therapy Teams, were recruited to visit this program. I was a little nervous about being one of the first Therapy Teams due to us being fairly new to Hand in Paw with less than a year of service and a change from our routine Petscription visits with an experienced volunteer Team Leader. Nevertheless, I knew that Bella and I could be an effective Therapy Team for this program. I work in healthcare and was somewhat familiar with this recovery process. I also knew recovery is extremely challenging for these individuals. Bella is better suited for this program than I am! Bella is a prancy 37-pound black Goldendoodle with a heart of gold. She is very personable in her interactions with others. She’s also intuitive to the emotional state of the individuals she is around. She can be a ‘show girl’ that brings lighthearted giggles, or sit quietly as a comforting, accepting presence. The week before our first visit, I met with the coordinator of the UAB Addiction Recovery Program. I saw the environment where our visits would occur and inquired about the participants to help prepare for a comfortable visit. Our visits were going to be in the evening and the counselors would not be present. On the day of our first visit several hours before the visit, we did a quick stop-by to meet the counselors. This wasn’t necessary but I knew they would probably hear about Bella and I felt the counselors knowing her as well with lead to a more productive counseling session. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8...
Need a great holiday gift idea? Honor your friend, pet, or family member with a brick!
Give a gift that keeps giving by buying a brick through our “Barkin’ Brick Campaign.” We will create a walkway and patio out of the bricks that are ordered from the campaign. It is our goal to sell 1,000 bricks and raise $150,000 to help with the costs of purchasing and renovating our new home. 4x8 Brick $100
8x8 Brick $250
To order your brick today: 1. Visit fundraisingbrick.com/onlineorders/ 2. Click on “Hand in Paw’s Barkin’ Brick Campaign” 3. Complete all requested information