WAYNESBORO, Pa. – Valerie Sunday wants to share her passion for an organization “that helps bring absolute joy to others.”
Sunday, of Fayetteville, is a volunteer with Kindly Canines, a group of therapy dogs and their owners who also provide comfort and emotional support to people in need when they visit various locations such as assisted living facilities and nursing homes, libraries, hospitals and rehab centers.
Sunday did just that when she visited a special needs class and senior students at Waynesboro Area Senior High School April 2.
“This is my second visit to the high school this year,” added Sunday, whose therapy dogs are Charm, an 11-year-old golden retriever who weighs 55 pounds, and six-pound Angel, a 10-year-old Biewer terrier.
“The experience allows kids to interact with the dogs, pet them and ask questions, and gives the handlers a chance to share different stories about their dogs – what they like or their favorite toy. This gives kiddos a chance to just be with them,” according to Sunday.
“The joy and smiles they bring to everyone is a treasure,” offered volunteer Judy Peck, who brought her 3-year-old bull mastiff to the school. “This is the best job the Lord has ever given me.”
“I want the community to be aware of Kindly Canines and what we do in the hope that we attract more members and junior handlers – this is a way for them to get involved and give back,” she added. Two of the organization’s junior handlers are both students at WASHS – Savannah Bolin, a senior, handles Angel, and her brother Jackson Bolin, a freshman, is certified to handle Charm, Sunday said. “This has been a wonderful journey to see them blossom the past two years.”
Savannah has been accepted at Wilson College in Chambersburg for its vet tech program, according to Sunday. “This service looks great on a resume or college or job application. It shows this young person is giving back to the community.”
Sunday and the Bolin siblings are members of the Kindly Canines Chambersburg chapter. “Our teams are certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, a national organization headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming,” she noted.
“I got involved with canine therapy in Arlington, Virginia, with my first golden retriever, Ginger. When I moved back to Pennsylvania seven years ago, I was looking for a place to volunteer and joined Kindly Canines. After Ginger passed, I adopted Charm, and later, Angel.”
Sunday said the national Kindly Canine organization holds insurance, and rules and regulations, and “we go by them. Acceptance is mostly about the temperament of the dogs, and most breeds are eligible. They have to be friendly and get along well with other dogs.
“We have dogs of all sizes. Most of our handlers are retired and we’re excited about the opportunity for young people to get involved as junior handlers (ages 12 to 17). There is a required bonding period for them to establish a relationship with the dog and then a three-part visit by a certified tester/observer before they are certified,” she added.
“It’s heartwarming,” said Sunday as she reflected on her experiences in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. “They can pet the dog and connect with the dog. They can’t have their animals there, so they will tell you stories about their pets and to see the expression on their faces …”
“The kids in the library sit on carpet mats and read to the dogs,” she explained. “It gives them confidence. The dog is not going to judge how they read.
“It’s like our website says, ‘We’re spreading smiles one therapy dog at a time.’”
For more information, readers may contact Sunday at 717-357-5334 or [email protected]
NANCY MACE/FOR LOCAL.NEWS1
