Out in the field – fulfilling our Education and Outreach mission
Jim Hodgdon
Each month, depending on the season, we make any number of presentations about Pawsitive Teams and the varied roles of dogs that help people. During these events, our volunteer teams bring their dogs and demonstrate the skills they have for the role they play.
On September 24,2023, we participated in Bark in the Park held at Turner Field on the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, CA. Bark in the Park was an event sponsored by the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Office at the Amphibious Base. Sailors and dependents were invited to bring their dogs to the Park for some fun, dog related activities. We had a booth where we talked with participants and passed out literature about Pawsitive Teams and Service, Facility, and Therapy Dogs. Four teams participated and we interacted with more than 30 people.
On October 25, 2023, we gave a presentation at the San Diego Public Library for the I CAN Center which provides Library Services for Persons with Accessibility Needs. The library presentation was for a group of about 35 adults, most with some handicap. We gave a presentation covering the role and training of Service, Therapy and Facility dogs. We had presenters from each of those programs and the presentation was well received.
On February 4th and 5th 2024, we staffed at booth at the American Traffic Safety Services convention. The booth was registered to SimiFast a manufacturer of automotive and traffic related fasteners. We were at the booth to encourage dog visits, but also to provide opportunities to donate to Pawsitive Teams. Eight teams participated. We had many good conversations about Pawsitive Teams and our dogs. An attendee recently made a donation, thanking us for having the dogs at the convention and indicating that he really needed to hug a dog that day.
February 11th, 2 teams traveled to High Country West Recreation Club to provide a demonstration for a Girl Scout troop. Attending were 10 scouts and 10 parents. Again, the presentation was well received, and they were appreciative of the opportunity to learn about Pawsitive Teams.
On the next day, February 12th, we gave a presentation for 70 middle school students at the Nativity Prep Academy. Three teams provided an overview of Pawsitive Teams and showed off their dogs’ skills.
On February 25th, 2 teams gave a presentation about Pawsitive Teams to a Girl Scout troop, whose membership included the daughter of one of our facility dog teams. Seven Scouts and 5 parents came to our Center to get a very thorough description of our organization and programs.
We thank all of the Pawsitive Teams volunteers and their wonderful dogs for participating in our education and outreach mission.