I can't say enough good things about this organization, or about the incredible journey we are on to get a service dog/companion for Jonathan. The March class recently finished their two-week training in Xenia, OH and put a video together of their children meeting their dogs for the first time. Here's the link...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHgFcBXRsII If this doesn't work, go to You Tube and enter 4 Paws March Madness in the search area.
As far as fund raising for our dog goes...I had a very positive meeting with my pastor (who is completely on board and wishes we could have 4-5 dogs at church!) We are in the process of putting together a 'dream team' to organize an event. The KidStuf group (from church) is sponsoring an auction for us, and Jonathan's school is going to do a couple of fund raisers after Spring Break. We feel very blessed to have such supportive and caring friends!
Heather
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting our blog for Jonathan! This is my first attempt at blogging...so I'm sure I'll learn a lot as I go.
First of all, I want to thank everyone who has prayed for Jonathan and for our family. God alone continues to provide strength, peace and encouragement as we navigate the world of autism. I am learning that it's okay to let others know we need help. For so long I have seen that as a sign of weakness, but the truth is...we can't do this alone. We need our friends and family.
To catch you up...we found an organization called 4 Paws for Ability that trains autism assistance service dogs for children. We were accepted into their program in February, and are now in the process of raising $13,000 to qualify for a dog for Jonathan. The whole process could take up to a year or more to complete. Once we've reached our total, 4 Paws will train a dog specifically for Jonathan's needs. This dog will accompany Jonathan everywhere, acting as a safety feature. Attached by a special tethered-harness, Jonathan would be unable to run into traffic or get lost. The dog would be trained to comfort Jonathan and interrupt his repetitive autistic behaviors. It would also act as a 'social magnet,' making it easier for other children to approach Jonathan and make friends. Our dog will also be trained in search and rescue to be able to track Jonathan if he gets lost.
We are in the planning stages of several fund raisers. I am looking for items to put in an auction. If you have something to donate, or ideas to share please let me know in the comment section, or e-mail me at noble@mchsi.com. I will post the details as they become available.
Please feel free to ask if you have any questions!
Thank you for taking this journey with us!
Heather
First of all, I want to thank everyone who has prayed for Jonathan and for our family. God alone continues to provide strength, peace and encouragement as we navigate the world of autism. I am learning that it's okay to let others know we need help. For so long I have seen that as a sign of weakness, but the truth is...we can't do this alone. We need our friends and family.
To catch you up...we found an organization called 4 Paws for Ability that trains autism assistance service dogs for children. We were accepted into their program in February, and are now in the process of raising $13,000 to qualify for a dog for Jonathan. The whole process could take up to a year or more to complete. Once we've reached our total, 4 Paws will train a dog specifically for Jonathan's needs. This dog will accompany Jonathan everywhere, acting as a safety feature. Attached by a special tethered-harness, Jonathan would be unable to run into traffic or get lost. The dog would be trained to comfort Jonathan and interrupt his repetitive autistic behaviors. It would also act as a 'social magnet,' making it easier for other children to approach Jonathan and make friends. Our dog will also be trained in search and rescue to be able to track Jonathan if he gets lost.
We are in the planning stages of several fund raisers. I am looking for items to put in an auction. If you have something to donate, or ideas to share please let me know in the comment section, or e-mail me at noble@mchsi.com. I will post the details as they become available.
Please feel free to ask if you have any questions!
Thank you for taking this journey with us!
Heather
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