Welcome to the September 2018 Roxy Reporter Newsletter!
The dog days of summer are over and our Roxy Teams are eager to get Back To School in the Elementary School Reading Inspiration, Student Specialized Support and Secondary School Stress Relief programs!
Roxy Rocks By Going Paperless
Roxy Therapy Dogs now offers parent permission slips electronically on our website. If your classroom teacher requests a Roxy team, a parent permission slip for dog visits is required by Roxy and the Central Bucks School District. You will now be able to submit the permission form online. No more paper form to complete and send in with your student. You should be receiving all of the information from your child's teacher.
If you have any questions, please contact Phyllis Mikolaj, Director of Schools, at Phyllis@roxytherapydogs.org.
Teachers Share Their Love for Roxy Therapy Dogs
“Having Scarlett come visit was the highlight of my students’ week. They would wait anxiously to see when their turn was, gripping their books in anticipation. Reading aloud each week allowed all my students to grow in their stamina and fluency. They also felt more confident reading aloud by the end of the year.”
“In regards to Roxy, I have nothing but positive things to say about the program and the impact that it has had on my students over the years. Students love reading to the therapy dogs, because it removes any anxiety the students may feel about reading aloud. The dogs aren’t listening for fluency, correct pronunciation or even checking comprehension; rather, the dogs presence allows all readers to feel successful, regardless of level. I’ve been lucky enough to have Island, Bud and Scarlett join my students and I have observed the excitement that the dogs’ visits generate. The children are calmer and more relaxed when they read to the Roxy dogs and I truly believe the program helps to build lifelong readers!”
Special Equestrians Welcomes Roxy Therapy Dogs
Shay with a Special Equestrian
Special Equestrians in Warrington, PA welcomed 5 Roxy Therapy Dog teams on August 7. Young riders and dogs gathered in the large indoor arena off Street Road on a colorful tarp where the dogs could lay or sit while forging bonds and making new friends. Since 1982, Special Equestrians has been harnessing the healing power of horses, much like Roxy does with dogs, to improve the physical, mental, and emotional well being of individuals with disabilities.
These unique kids were happy to share their equine experiences – their triumphs and their challenges – with Roxy handlers and their dogs. Some even brought books to read to the dogs. Others showed the dogs the jumps scattered around the arena that they use in their training.
A big thank-you goes to Debbie Freedman Saffren for organizing this event. It’s a terrific partnership that Debbie has created between Roxy and Special Equestrians. Thanks go to the Roxy teams who helped make this a special day for the kids; Denise Cronin & Freya, Roni Henderson Dager & Shay, Cheryl Zimmer-Luginbuhl & Finnegan, Jim Murray & Gracie, and Nancy Schaetzke & Holly.
Learn how you (with or without a dog) can become a Roxy volunteer!
A Special Thank You Note
Grateful To Those Who Work Less To Donate More
Roxy received a very generous donation from Stacey deJoseph. Roxy Board Chair, Linda McCrillis, called Stacey to thank her and inquire about her Roxy connection. Linda heard this fun story from Stacey explaining the donation:
"My friends Rachel Reilly, Heidi Schimmelbush and I decided to give up overtime for Lent. To keep us on track, we planned to donate $2 every time we left work on time, and if we left early we would donate $4. If we got stuck working overtime we didn't donate anything. It was incentive for us to stop working overtime so that we could donate more. The person that worked the least amount of overtime, and therefore donated the most, got to pick where we our donation would go.
We are all 'dog people', so we knew we wanted to donate to something involving dogs. I won, but Rachel is a Roxy volunteer with her dog Elvis and she suggested Roxy. After she told me a little about Roxy, I totally agreed!"
Welcome Aboard to Our New Roxy Therapy Dogs Teams
Please join us in welcoming the new teams who support our mission of bringing comfort to children, enhancing the experience of learning, and enriching the lives of our canine and human volunteers:
Colleen Dey & Mac
Deborah Deeken & Chance
Jen deRichemond & Panda
Nancy Schaetzke & Maple
To learn more about all of Roxy's dogs, visit Meet Our Dogs.
Pat Fee
In Memoriam Of Pat Fee
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of one of our beloved Roxy volunteers. Pat Fee passed away peacefully on June 22, 2018. Those of us in Roxy will remember Patty for her amazing spirit and enthusiasm, both of which were only matched by her passion for the Roxy Therapy Dogs mission. She had a smile like no other and a laugh that could make you giggle on even your darkest day.
We are so grateful and honored to have had Patty in our Roxy family and we will miss her greatly. Rest in Peace, sweet Patty.
To view her obituary, visit scanlinfuneralhome.com/patricia-m-fee/
Upcoming Roxy Events
Bark for Life on September 15 at Neshaminy State Park, Bensalem. Bark for Life is a fun, noncompetitive walk event for dogs and their owners to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s fight against cancer.
Warminster Pet Expo & Food Truck Fun on October 13 from 9 - 1 at the Ben Wilson Senior Activity Center in Warminster, PA.
Bucks County Book Festival on October 14 in Doylestown. Roxy Therapy Dog teams will be celebrating the art of writing and the joy of reading. To learn more, visit Bucksbookfest.org.
Bucks County Free Library Author Expo on November 10 from 1 - 3pm.
Central Bucks South Holiday Shop on November 18 from 12 - 4pm.
Do You Have A Budding Reader In Your Family?
Make Sure To Fetch A Copy Of Our Favorite Canine Classic, Be Like Bud!
All of the Roxy Therapy Dogs look forward to a new school year with the children. The dogs love to hear the children read to them when they visit school, especially about all of their furry buddies in the Roxy Elementary School Reading Inspiration program.
Help your child get off to a fun start to a new school year by growing their reading skills with our Be Like Bud book. Available online today!
Children Depend On Your Donations To Continue Roxy Therapy Dog Visits
Roxy™ Therapy Dogs' programs provide an irreplaceable and dependable support system for children in our community. Make a tax-deductible donation online today!
If you prefer to donate by check, please make it out to "Roxy Therapy Dogs" and mail to: P.O. Box 136, Danboro, PA 18916.
© 2018 Roxy Therapy Dogs. All rights reserved.