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By Jaki Waggamon

The Rudrich family isn’t entirely unfamiliar with travel. Heather and her parents, Aleta and Horst, had to travel from their home in California to Xenia, OH in September of 2014 to meet her new service dog, Vonnie. Still, to say that this summer’s vacation took a bit of planning and coordinating, would be an understatement. The fabulous foursome spent three weeks in Europe, visiting France, Germany, Austria, and Hungary. In order to make sure they wouldn’t have any problems, planning for Vonnie going with them started about four months in advance. Aleta admits “it seems daunting, but once you do it, it isn’t that bad,” but starting early is the key to success. USDA APHIS has all of the documentation and paperwork needed for international travel with a service dog. If considering international travel, you need to check for specific requirements in each individual country. A pup, pet or

service dog, may need to be microchipped or have documentation of vaccines given prior to your trip. On this trip, Vonnie got to fly and cruise - and bathrooming became an interesting topic. Vonnie was resistant to pee pad training, so Aleta carefully monitored her food and water intake and Vonnie’s bladder of steel was able to make it through the long periods away from grass. Vonnie was the first service dog ever on her cruise, and the staff were wonderful and accommodating, even providing some gravel on her balcony - it’s our secret that she never used it. Vonnie was a star, and may well have been petted by every single person aboard. She also really enjoyed stretching her legs in the evening on the top deck playing a little ball. She worked a lot on the trip, and everyone around liked to see her just be a dog for a few minutes each night.

4PAWPRINTS4 Paws in Europe!

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Heather and her 4 Paws service dog, Vonnie, were this summer’s jet setters, putting their paws down all over Europe. Mom, Aleta, shares their adventures and some helpful tips for future service dog world travelers.

The Rudriches atop the Eiffel Tower and Vonnie in front of Notre Dame

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Inside 4PawPrints | Sept-Oct 2015

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Front cover ......... 4 Paws in EuropePage 3 ................ Europe, Cont Page 4 ................ Open House - Save the Date!Page 5 ................ Ben’s Corner Page 6 ................ September Class GraduatesPage 8 ................. The Adventures of Piper PapillonPage 12 ................ Hatton Foundation MatchPage 13 ................ Holiday Gift Giving Guide Page 15 ................ STAR Volunteer, Barbara KimmelPage 17 ................ October Class GraduatesPage 20 ................ New Associate DirectorPage 20 ................ Foster Homes NeededPage 21 ................ Check This Out!Page 22 ................ 4 Paws Staff StarsPage 22 ................ Community Hero HonorPage 23 ................ Puppy ProgramPage 25 ................ Additional SupportersPage 26 ................ Your 4 PawsPage 29 ................ Round of Appaws

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Traveling abroad w a s a g r e a t reminder that w h i l e t h e Americans with Disabilities Act isn’t perfect and people in the United States still struggle for equitable access, it sure does help p r o v i d e consistency and structure. Most i n t e r e s t i n g l y, Aleta estimates t h a t Vo n n i e

scared away about 4 in 5 taxis. A large, white dog screams “HAIR” as taxi drivers fly by looking for customers. “You just need to remember that our laws in the states are not their laws, so whatever they say goes” says Aleta. That meant being patient, while finding a taxi to accommodate a wheelchair and a dog and tipping extra when that perfect fit came around. Interestingly, they had less problems with car rentals and locating dog friendly hotels. Grocery stores and minimarts along their trip were absolutely off limits for dogs, even well trained service dogs like Vonnie. All in all, these exceptions weren’t too much of a damper on their trip. They started in Paris, taking in

landmarks like the Eiffel Tower. Vonnie was allowed up the tower, but perhaps for fear she wouldn’t put the toilet seat back down when she was done, she was not allowed inside the bathrooms at the top. Notre Dame was the only entirely s e r v i c e d o g unfriendly cultural location they went to

see. As you can see from the cover picture, their loss, Vonnie makes a beautiful thing, more beautiful. The Louvre, while harboring a confusing system of elevators that only open for certain floors, was a great place for Heather and Vonnie. There was a wheelchair section right in front of the Mona Lisa, allowing them to see the small and unassuming masterpiece amid the crowds. They saw castles, cathedrals, and museums all over and had similar, welcoming experiences. There are little differences from the United States to be aware of though, l ike locat ions that r e q u i r e v e s t s o r identification for the service dog. Vonnie always had her vest, but this summer was very warm and the group did approach a location without it strapped on and had to v e s t h e r b e f o r e entering. Re s t a u r a n t s were also very welcoming to them on their trip. “Some offered or had a bowl of water ready for her by the time we were seated at our table,” and just one location wouldn’t let them eat in their dining room, though they did allow them in the bar area, which seemed equally as nice. All in all, they found the people very accommodating to Vonnie and Heather. It’s the wheelchair that took the biggest hit - lots of cobblestone and very few curb cuts. It may sound overwhelming to all of us, but Aleta makes international travel with a service dog sound like an average day. There are some boxes to be sure you check off up front, and some planning for the dog like where he or she will bathroom, but overall, it was just a few weeks away from home with Vonnie. After a trip like that, we can only look forward to the future adventures of Vonnie, the wonder dog. Aleta doesn’t doubt that they will be traveling with Vonnie again, “she was the best behaved out of all of us,” and we hope that Vonnie continues to be a 4 Paws ambassador abroad.

Europe, Continued

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Save the Date4 Paws for Ability OPEN HOUSE

January 17, 20161-5 pm

Come see the new and improved headquarters, complete with training classroom, state of the art

dog kennels, and veterinary and staff spaces!ADMISSION: A donation item from our wish list, such as

Pup-peroni ®, Nylabones, or office supplies!http://bit.ly/4PawsWish

4 Paws for Ability: OPEN HOUSE

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We did it! Okay, so we almost did it and by the time anyone reads this we will be done and there. Yes, by there I mean operating fully and efficiently out of the new facility in its entirety. Everyone has their own space, the dogs are comfortably living in the new kennel and puppy area, the trainers are no longer in the garage, and soon we will have our 4 Paws families back in the building with us!! Believe me, it has been a long year without them.

So today when you arrive at 4 Paws, you walk into 4 Paws through the new entry way. The landscapers have finalized the memorial garden that is beside it and the day lilies, provided with love by Jean Palm, have been put into the ground. I can’t wait to see what this will look like in the spring! The walk into the building is breath taking for me. It is hard for me to believe it is real! You enter into a beautiful lobby. It is amazing! To the left of the entry is the client services and training area and to the right the administrative offices. Behind the lobby lies the

center and hearts of 4 Paws, the kennels and vet area – the dogs!

It’s been 17 years since I first started 4 Paws and though I dreamed big, I had no idea I would see this in my life time. You cannot believe the relief we here at 4 Paws

feel every time we pull up to this building. Knowing the dogs have runs to stay in rather than kennels, the awesome whelping rooms for the Moms, and the training space for the clients when they are here is just down right amazing. It is no doubt our dogs have always been loved but now we are able to give them a much better quality of life during the first year of their life that they spend with

us. This for me is a huge relief.

It’s a short and sweet Ben’s column this time around. Why? I am sitting in my office, fully experiencing and welcoming the total sense of RELIEF. I’m sure I’ll be able to work again soon :0)

In the meantime, make sure you attend the open house and share the relief with us!

Arriving at one goal is the starting point to

another.

~Dewey

Ben’s CornerFrom the Desk of 4 Paws Executive Director Karen Shirk

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DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

Relief* alleviation, ease, or deliverance through the removal of pain, distress, oppression, etc.

* a means or thing that relieves pain, distress, anxiety, etc.

* something affording a pleasing change, as from monotony

* Seeing an end to construction and operating 100% in the new 4 Paws for Ability Service Dog Training Center

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September 2015 Class

A true friend reaches out for your hand and touches your heart...

We’ve been home just a short while and I can’t believe already...

...Okuni is perfect. Pretty much sums it up-Lisa Cook

Carter & Okuni

...the

bond between Emma and Franco. The more time the two

of them spend together, the stronger the bond gets. These

two were meant to be together. Franco runs with Emma on

the good days and snuggles her on the hard days. He is a

gift to all of us. He is the light that we have been searching

for on this journey. Thank you 4 Paws!!!

-Jen TurnerEmma & Franco

Auto & Sara

Beyonce & Gabrielle

Okuni & Carter

Francesco & Emma

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September 2015 Class

A true friend reaches out for your hand and touches your heart...

We’ve been home just a short while and I can’t believe already...

...I want another pap! J'Lo is just too adorable! It is a challenge to not cuddle and spoil her; especially for my 10 yr. old daughter! I did tell Jeremy, that I am in awe of the bond J'Lo and Athan have and how well

they do as a team; especially in a Middle School setting.-Rachel Bunger

Athan & J’Lo

Woodstock (aka Shu) & Charlie

J’Lo & Athan

Jake (aka Nevada) & Sam

Xenia (aka Clara) & Mikayla

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Piper Papillon here hailing from, hailing from, hailing from….. Where am I? I have been traveling so much I have no idea where my feet are! Okay, so I am at 4 Paws for the moment but heading to Philadelphia in December for the American Epilepsy Convention. In the past two months I have been to Washington DC, Boston, and San Diego! This gal has been one busy Papillon. I think I heard talk at the airport about erecting a statue in my image as the most traveled Delta Skymiles Customer! I have literally been from coast to coast the past two months!! My first trip was an exciting new adventure. As 4 Paws gets more and more into perfecting their breeding program, they are always looking for sources of information on how to manage that. In her quest for knowledge, Karen came across a conference put on by Tufts University on Genetics and Breeding. So in September, accompanied by the Director of Socialization, Erin, we headed off to Boston! So, I have never been to Boston before but Karen lived there. She was talking about this giant subway system where hundreds of people gather together like sardines in a long train and travel at fast speeds under the ground. Okay, so let’s say I was less than impressed. However on arrival we found that we were actually going to Dedham, Massachusetts, outside of Boston. No subways there! We stayed at a beautiful facility called the Endicott House. WOW! It was so nice. I attended the conference every day, even the sessions on CATS! Some of these people are serious about their cats! Even though the subject matter was less than, shall I say interesting? Appealing? The topic of discussion in regards to breeding practices and genetics was mostly applicable to dogs as well. We learned about some genetic testing we did not know existed and the development of a new all-inclusive genetic testing where you send in the sample for your breed and get the results for all applicable genetic issues with one test. We were excited about that. As you know even we Papillons have some genetic issues we need to breed away from like PRA1, an eye disease which can cause blindness. Here at 4 Paws, we already test for this. Overall, it was a very informative conference and we look forward to next year already. One of the coolest parts of going to Boston was visiting with old friends each evening. On the first night we met with 4 Paws service dog, Yaffa (aka Angel) and her boy. Hunter and Angel were joined by Hunter’s Mom, Sarah and somehow our 4 Paws friend Kristin ended up in Boston and joined them. Why would anyone move away from 4 Paws???? Oh well, maybe she likes all those fishes in the seas out there or riding around like a sardine on a subway. The next night I thought I was having dinner with Leno and Paris but it turned out we were just having

Piper’s Travels: Coast to Coast

By Piper Papillon

It would have been perfectly acceptable for me to be the spokesdog for this event. Golden lug nut not necessary...

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dinner with their Mom’s which is fine as I simply do not like competition in public. Not that a Golden or Lab has anything over me, but I would hate to have one person miss my beauty because it was being blocked by some big lug head of a dog. It is always interesting and fun catching up with 4 Paws Families in our travels. I barely had time to recover from my trip to Boston when we were off to Washington DC. We were joining our friends from Eisai and Medikidz at the Child Neurology Society’s 44th Annual Convention in National Harbor, MD. Our main goal was to hang out at the booth and educate people on the value and life-saving abilities of medical alert dogs. As this conference focused on many different neurological diseases and not just epilepsy, they were quite interested in my ability to alert Karen to an upcoming myasthenic crisis. We got to meet Megan who is the newest Medikidz star explaining what it is like to live with Epilepsy in their newest comic book. As you recall my dear friend, Flame and her boy, Joel were featured in the comic book explaining Seizure Alert dogs. Of course Flame is a Papillon! That is because Papillons rock at medical alert! So we also got to hang out with Paula at the conference. Paula works for Eisai and is a lot of fun. On the first night we attended an Eisai dinner at the Mandarin restaurant across the street. They served some mighty interesting food but you know I am up to trying most anything and Paula shared her steak with me. We are now friends for life. We sort of messed up on the dates and did not have to be there until later in the day on the first day so we headed on a water Taxi

i n t o h i s t o r i c Alexandria. Karen and Er in were exc i t ed about a church that P r e s i d e n t G e o r g e Washington went to and seeing the pew that belonged to him. They kept saying this is his pew. Now I am not sure what they were talking about because there was just a bench in there and nothing

that smelled bad but I guess as long ago as he lived maybe the “Pew” had dissipated. On the other hand I was excited about the doggie boutique that we visited and bought fancy cookies and some great bling! You know I am all about the bling. We talked to hundreds of people that weekend and many of them left much smarter and more educated after visiting with me. You would be surprised how little some of the smartest physicians know about seizure and medical alert dogs. Well we educated all of them and of course many had their picture taken with me. I did have to share the limelight with a slug of a dog called Cider. Really this dog did not do much else but sleep. I think he could sleep anywhere, in any position. People seemed to find this charming. I will admit that his service dog skills were advanced for his age but I was able to teach him quite a bit that will help him in his future placement. I also had quite the discussion with him involving being in my space. Those Retrievers just have little concept of respecting a girl’s space. Paula also took us out to dinner at the Pier House for seafood! We started out on the deck overlooking the harbor but after the rain came sneaking in we had to run for cover! On the very last day we had some time off and went to visit George Washington’s house. I am pleased to announce it did not include any “pew.” I actually got to meet with the Lady Washington and she was a

Piper, Continued4P

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jolly, personable lady and looked REALLY good for as OLD as she is! She saw me and just had to comment on what a lovely lap dog I was. I know you all people hold good old George in high esteem, but his wife told me he had no use for small lap dogs who serve no purpose. WHAT??? No purpose? So, good old George may not have ever told a lie until he opened his mouth to speak about dogs. Okay, so maybe he was not lying but clearly the man was not very educated. I am sure even though they may not have called it service dog work back then that there were Papillons as admired

for their abilities as I am! The Lady Washington on the other hand knew the value and love of a small dog, in fact a cousin of mine, the King Charles Spaniel. Unlike Washington’s dogs who were kenneled outside, her wee dog lived

in the White House, just like I will in 2016 when I am elected President. Now I hate to speak ill of the man, after all he did share the White House with this wee dog, but have you noted the names of his hound dogs? Names like Drunkard and Tipsy? Did this not lead people to question his alcohol consumption? Anyway, I had a long conversation with the Lady Washington about the ant ics of her granddaughter’s beloved King Charles Spaniel, Frisk. Then later on I met up with one of the servants. What a kind woman. She came to discuss my presence with Karen. She asked if I was one of those wee lap dogs that sensed the ailing of the body and told people about it. She said Old George should have met me as it might have changed his opinion on the purposes of dogs. She thought I should meet with him and let him know of these purposes of special dogs for ailments. Like the Lady Washington she also shared his intolerance for any breed of dog who did not service a purpose. Unfortunately, he never showed himself. Perhaps he did not age as well as the Lady Washington?

SO we had a nice time overall in National Harbor and were able to take some time to look around when we were not working the booth. It was quite the fun and relaxing trip. Of course we absolutely love our Eisai friends so any time spent with them is good time! My final trip was to San Diego where we met some new friends. The fine folks of Allied Van Lines! Earlier they had contacted us about doing a fundraiser for us at their annual convention. Of course we are always honored when someone reaches out to us to support our work. Karen and I set off to sit at the booth where they were selling raffle tickets to educate the many staff and Allied Van line owners. They were raffling off a really cool go-cart truck with my paw print on it! Okay, so maybe it was too big to be mine exactly but we let everyone believe it was :0) I’m telling you we had such a good time. What an awesome group of people. They are lovely, funny, and the friendliest group I have met in a long time. North American Van lines was also represented at the conference and they were raffling off a cart for the Gary Sinese Foundation. These people really care about the world and helping others. At their conference they raised $30,000 to help five 4 Paws kids get dogs and also raised money to help Veterans get smart homes through the Gary Sinese Foundation! Another thing I learned about them is that they help a group called Move for Hunger. Their drivers around the country collect all the canned food people do not want to ship when moving and get it to Move for Hunger to distribute to families who do not have money for food. These people are now on my list of really good peoples! We really hope we get to meet them again.

Piper, Continued4P

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San Diego was a great place to visit as well. The weather was awesome. We had some free time one day and went for a walk. Down the street from the hotel was a wilderness preserve. We did not see any wilderness animals, but it was a beautiful place to visit. I took lots of Piper selfies for my fans. Now I have to tell you this about van lines people. In addition to being the friendliest people, they also really know how to do an annual conference. They fed us well all week. I even had a filet on the final day, though I am not sure how they knew that was my favorite food! There was so much food, drink, and fun to be had that it was really more like a mini vacation since sitting at the booth and talking to all those wonderful van line people did not feel much like work at all. We made many new friends and really value the time we got to spend with them. It was quite the honor! Well, that wraps up Piper’s Travels for now. Tips to remember, Eisai people are our friends. Give them a hug and a kiss if you ever meet up with them. They are doing great things through Magnolia Paws for Compassion and really care about our kids. Second, there is far more to breeding dogs than meets the eye and 4 Paws plans to do it to perfection. Finally, our new friends at Allied Van Lines are really great, caring people so if you see an Allied Van Line truck driver, give them a high five and if you need to move your bones and doggie toys make sure you hire Allied Van lines to get the job done. Oh and don’t forget, if you have any milkbones or kibble you don’t want to take with you they will take it to another dog in need. In December I head off to Philadelphia to ring the freedom bell and attend the American Epilepsy Society Annual meeting with our friends from Eisai. Then the first of the year, I will be off to the third annual Paws For A Cause Invitational with the great folks from Ultimate Gym. Stay tuned for more fun Piper tips and observations and to see where the next Piper sightings may be.

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Hatton Foundation Match Challenge

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What: $50,000 Match Challenge

Who: The Hatton Foundation

Why:The Hatton Foundation has pledged $50,000 to our buildling fund, if an

additional $50,000 is raised.

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU!

Thank you greatly to Ms. Dorothy! Her extremely generous donation

completed this campaign, and put us way over our $50,000 goal mark.

Again, to Dorothy we sincerely, say - THANK YOU!

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4 Paws Holiday Gift Giving GuideCheck out all the ways you can give gifts that give back to 4 Paws this holiday season!

Hope’s First KissHope’s First Kiss

Connie Mae DesignsDonating 20% of all purchases https://www.etsy.com/shop/

ConnieMaeDesigns?ref=shop_name_search_sugg

Amazon SmileSelect 4 Paws for Ability as your charity and a portion of all your

purchases will benefit 4 Paws.https://smile.amazon.com

4 Paws for AbilityIn Memorandum/

In Honor Donations“Hope’s First Kiss” card sent to honoree for donations of $20+

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Monthly Bow RafflePurchase raffle tickets for

Compound Bow from Athens Archery

http://bit.ly/PawsBow

Aliyah’s EssentialsDonating 5% of all purchases

https://www.etsy.com/

shop/AliyahsEssentials

Cassy’s PlexusDonating 50% of December

commissionsCassysplexusnexus.myplexu

sproducts.com

Barking Bake SaleDonating 10% of sales

http://barkingbakesale.blogspot.c

om/

Schnoodleware Dog ToysDonating 10% of online sales

http://schnoodleware.com/

Scoggy Dog ScarvesDonating $0.50 from each purchase

http://www.thescoggy.com/

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4 Paws Holiday Gift Giving GuideCheck out all the ways you can give gifts that give back to 4 Paws this holiday season!

Party Animal SpeakersDonating $10.00 of each

purchase. Enter code 4PAWS1 at checkout.

http://www.dancingpartyanimals.

com/buydonate.html

You can also gift 4 Paws Puppy Sponsorships!

$200Care for a puppy for one month

$1,000Sponsor a service dog in training

$1,500Sponsor a placement class

$5,000Sponsor a litter of puppies

$10,000Name the theme for a litter of puppies

$25,000Service dog scholarship

Contact Kelly Camm at kellycamm4paws@aol.com for sponsorship opportunities!

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ShakleePortion of sales donated back(one time sign up fee required)

http://4pawsforability.myshaklee.c

om/us/en/

Disabled LiteratureDonating 5% of sales

http://bit.ly/

DisabledLiterature

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STARVOLUNTEERWe are fortunate here at 4 Paws to be

well supported by a variety of local groups, including the Dayton Kennel Club, who recently visited to tour the facility and see the puppy run they sponsored! While there, they mentioned that ‘Barbara Kimmel volunteers more than anyone we know!’ Our first thought? Tell us something we don’t know - Barbara does everything! Barbara says she’s also a member of Gem City Dog Obedience Club and volunteers in the library at the Beavercreek senior center. She adopted her own pup, Maddie, from the Ohio Labrador Retriever Rescue about 6 years ago. While she has long had German Shepherds, she decided it was time to look into a smaller pup that she could lift in case of an emergency. Maddie is either a very small lab lady, or a little labbie mix. But again, where all Barbara’s time comes from is a mystery, as she’s always stepping up to help a pup at 4 Paws.

Barbara found her love for 4 Paws in her least favorite place, at the mall. She’s not shy to tell all graduating classes that socializing puppies is about the only way you can get her into a store. As staff and pups were strolling through the food court, Barbara ventured over to ask what it was all about - and there started what has become a wonderful relationship. She started first in the puppy house, with everyone’s favorite - puppy play - and something that few would think to ask about helping with - washing dishes. Then she started going with staff to get her shopping and some puppy socializing done. She still does both of those things, plus she

accompanies staff once a month to visit a nursing home with puppies and to other events, as available. If you were holding your breath to get to the end of Barbara’s list - keep it in for another second. She also has taken a real liking to assisting the volunteer grooming wonder, Molly, with bathing and grooming pups. Whew. It seems like there’s nothing left for Barbara to do - other than maybe fold some warm towels, but given her help with puppy baths, I bet she’s done that to!

Barbara KimmelBy Jaki Waggamon

Barbara has one pup at home,

Maddie.

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Barbara at graduation in September!

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STARVOLUNTEER CONTBarbara and her husband are empty nesters, with kids and grandkids in Chicago. Her husband is

also a dog lover, though his schedule doesn’t allow him to get in to 4 Paws for very many puppy cuddles. Barbara won’t be deterred, she says she’s working to get him into orientation soon. While her husband is woodworking or working on plastic models, Barbara makes time for herself to read, crochet, and walk Maddie. “Maddie is my personal trainer and makes sure I get outside and walk.  I used to go  horseback riding, but I haven't found a good place to ride recently,” and so Maddie does the job of keeping her outside.

When you meet Barbara, you can tell she has a deep love of 4 Paws and it’s clear that she wouldn’t do any of it if she didn’t enjoy it. Barbara says she’s learned so much about dog care by being a part of the organization, and that everyone should know that volunteering is flexible. You can come for a little bit or a long time, typically on short notice, the day before. “Come when you have time, every little bit helps.” Right now, with all the construction and hustle and bustle, it’s noisy, so Barbara likes the flexibility to come and go (and come again), but that should all get much better as our building becomes fully operational in 2016. She’s a constant fixture at class graduations, celebrating as each pup, many of whom she has crossed paths in some way with, get their official vest and depart with their new kiddo or veteran. She laughs when they’re silly and marvels when they grow so big. She’s everywhere, and for that, we absolutely cannot say thank you enough for, but we’ll try.

THANK YOU BARBARA, you are a Star Volunteer!

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Barbara giving her role as volunteer grooming assistant

and dog bather a go!

Barbara Kimmel

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October 2015 Class

In just two weeks at class...

...we became a close family. The time we spent with families,

trainers, and staff members will be a time we will never forget.

Our lives were changed just to be with others who understand and

never judge no matter what situations with our kids arise there are

others there to laugh and cry with you!! Our son's life has truly

changed for the better but I realize now so has mine!! Thank you

4 Paws for all you have done in our families life!!! Forever

blessed...

-The Delehanty Family

Ethan & Apple

...I feel like we went to service dog boot camp! We were fortunate

enough to to get to know the incredible families on the same

journey & the world class trainers those two weeks. We have

lifelong friends in all of them and the extended members of the

4 Paws family because of it. We will never forget or take for

granted our experience and our lives are forever changed by the

impact having Cricket the wonder dog a part of our family has

made. My son is making tremendous strides in development since

we've been home and its been miraculous to witness. Thank you

from the bottom of our hearts.

-Tianna Hall

Alexander & Cricket

At the ready, by your side, devoted in service, your loyal guide.

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Apple & Ethan

Belle & Fredrico

Cricket & Alexander

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October 2015 Class

In just two weeks at class...

We discovered a group of people who understand us in a way our closest friends and family can't; we laughed, cried, stressed, and questioned our way to wonderful new friendships; we saw instant bonds with our four legged friends and have since seen new bonds grow and celebrated them; we met foster families and trainers who share a piece of us through our pups...we met in a room in Ohio, but share a place in each other's hearts and will never be the same!

-Michele Sorg KernsGherig & Frodo

At the ready, by your side, devoted in service, your loyal guide.

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Dash & Tristan

Necco & Mark and Anthony

Frodo & Gherig

Skittles & Libby

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October 2015 Class

In just two weeks at class...

...what an amazing experience we had for two weeks in Ohio. We had the opportunity to meet Mark and AJ's new best friend and life changer, Necco. We met the awesome trainers, staff and fosters from 4 Paws and marveled at their knowledge, patience and dedication to the dogs and families. We have met and bonded with a wonderful group of parents from 3 different countries that were brought together by the love for their special children. We hope to stay in contact with these new friends to support them and watch them grow. The 2 weeks in Ohio has forever changed our lives for the better!

-Michelle EnwillerMark, Anthony & Necco

...we learned about other families with situations like our own. What a

wonderful experience to be in a room with people who understand

everything you go through daily without judgement or funny looks. Seeing

the bond your child forms with their new best friend is indescribable and to

see this new friend help your child in ways you can't. We are forever thankful

for this opportunity we have been given and that 4 Paws cares about our

children just as much as us. It's been exciting to see everyone's post over the

last few weeks on how their newest family members are changing their child's

life

-Lee Goss Little

Ethan & Avril

At the ready, by your side, devoted in service, your loyal guide.

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Matilda & Miles

M&M & Marshall

Avril & Ethan

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Foster Homes NeededBy Jaki Waggamon

4 Paws for Ability’s foster program is looking to expand! As 4  Paws’ building project comes to completion, 4 Paws is hoping to increase the number of dogs placed with children and veterans each year. This means we will need more puppies...and more puppies means more foster homes! If you are interested in volunteering in this way, and live within 3 hours of Xenia, OH, please check out our website - application available online!

Recent Litters available to foster soon!

Newfoundland Retrievers - Change and Hope Litter

Labradors - Hi Five Litter

Golden Labs - Soda Pop Litter

Goldendoodles - Wild West Litter

DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

4 Paws’ families and friends are l i ke ly we l l acquainted with Jennifer Lutes. She has been a part of 4 Paws for quite some time. She first met Karen in 2000, when she asked to foster her first puppy. She remained invo lved and after col lege, Jennifer joined the staf f full

time. In July, Jennifer completed her very last class as a senior trainer with 4 Paws. It was a fun class,

but also a huge change for the training team that Jennifer has been with for so long.

In August, Jennifer met her new boss Aubrey Marie. As you can see, both mom and dad beam with pride over their little one. We are happy to say that after enjoying some time at home with the new lady of the house, Jennifer is back to work in her new capacity, Associate Director! As the Associate Director, Jennifer will continue working with the traditional foster and breeder dog homes, but she will also take on a new role with new clients and interviews! “I am excited to be back working with our amazing breeder homes and puppy raisers plus looking forward to the opportunity to become more involved with our wonderful clients! I will certainly miss the hands on training of the dogs, but truly love working with our volunteers and families. It is great being part of a team that can have such a huge impact on the world.”

Introducing 4 Paws’ New Associate Director...and her new boss!

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Reynolds & Reynolds Agency Fair - Kelly and 4 Paws Ambassador Dog, Lucy, and Wright State Intern, Gabby Clements, attended the Reynolds & Reynolds Agency Fair on  October 7. Employees from R&R have donated and volunteered at 4 Paws for many years. We are grateful for their past support and any future support they can offer. Thanks, R&R!

Frost Brown Todd in West Chester, OH - Kelly and 4 Paws Ambassador Dog, Lucy, visited the staff at Frost Brown Todd in West Chester, OH, on October 9 to pick up some Rusty Ball raffle tickets that Board Member, Charles Galvin, sold to his co-workers. We had a great time talking about dogs and how our training program works. Lucy even got a massage from one of the staffers! Thank you, Frost Brown Todd for your generosity in supporting us and for your warm welcome!

SHOUT OUT!

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4 Paws for Ability - Check This Out!4 Paws Wins Office

Technology Makeover

In October 4 Paws became the lucky Dayton-area recipient of a $10,000 office technology makeover from MOM (Modern Office Methods). After applying for the award, 4 Paws was chosen as one of ten nonprofits in the Dayton area to wage a voting battle against each other. After two weeks of website voting, 4 Paws won! Kelly Camm, development director, accepted the ceremonial check at The Rusty Ball (which 4 Paws was also one of the recipients of) and was treated like a VIP. We are so grateful to MOM for helping us get state-of-the-art office equipment so we can be more efficient and ultimately, reduce the time we spend manually collating and stapling and reduce the money we spend on ink! A big shout out to all of our supporters too who voted for us day after day. Our supporters are the best!

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4 Paws and the Combined Federal Campaign

4 Paws for Ability is once again participating as a CFC (Combined Federal Campaign) charity! It is a program where federal employees and the military can allocate a certain dollar amount from their paychecks to give to charities that are thoroughly reviewed and approved by the government. The campaign officially runs through Dec. 15. If you are a federal employee or in the military, please consider designating 4 Paws. Also, please forward this information to your friends and family who work for the federal government or are in the military to please consider designating 4 Paws in the CFC campaign this year. For those of you fundraising for a service dog, we can allocate CFC pledges to your child's goal. Email Kelly at kelly@4pawsforability.org for details on how to do this. Our CFC # is 59894. We are listed under “Animal Charities of America.”

Grab a Chair on the new Front Porch

A big shout out to Natalee Mossing, mom to service dog team, Madison and Viva, and the company she works for, CESO, a civil engineering firm in Dayton. They were kind enough to fund and assemble together two Cracker Barrel rocking chairs for our new porch! The kids really enjoyed rocking in the chairs during the Trunk or Treat held on October 26. Thank you, CESO. You rock!

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4 Paws Staff StarsFoster, Puppy House Manager and socializer, came to 4 Paws because she needed a job. She loved dogs and thought it would be a good fit, but “I didn’t realize at the time what an amazing organization I was getting into.” Outside of work, Foster focuses her time on her own pups, a hound mix and a pit bull, and her very active kiddos. At work she feels just as blessed. As she says, she’s able to work with amazing, cute, and cuddly puppies all day. Surely, it doesn’t get much better than that. She also says being employed by 4 Paws has changed her life - she has a different outlook on the world and where most people get a job and gain coworkers, Foster says, she’s gained lifelong friends and family. When asked what people should know about 4 Paws - she’s very adamant about the “4 Paws Magic”. It doesn’t just happen in Xenia, OH. It’s happening across the country and globe everyday, everywhere that there is a 4 Paws pup. And without a doubt, that is something to work hard for.

Allie, dog care technician, saw an ad in the newspaper for a job opening at 4 Paws. She was familiar with the organization because her cousin had fostered a few pups, and she thought it might just be the opportunity she was looking for. Allie stays very active outside of work. She loves art, drawing and painting, and if the weather is good she loves to take a good long walk outside just enjoying nature. At work, as one would expect, she loves working with the puppies. She says they teach you the most - especially patience. You turn around for one second and your freshly cleaned puppy can be an absolute mess! But it’s still mostly fun - I overheard Allie discussing with a puppy just how hard their little life must be as he tried with all his might to get picked up. She gave in and they both enjoyed a little cuddle. Finally, Allie hopes that everyone knows just how many lives each puppy touches,

even before graduation. So many people love each pup, they cheer for them and are excited to watch their journey!Congratulations Foster & Allie!

4 Paws Honored As Community Hero 4 Paws was contacted by leadership at Coy Middle School and invited to participate in their Community Hero pep rally event, after being suggested by long time 4 Paws supporters from Wrestle Against Autism. This year the education theme within the Beavercreek School District is “Unity in our commUNITY”. Additionally,

they initiated a positive reinforcement program, referred to as Hero and decided that a pep rally to match those together would be perfect! Community heroes were invited to the pep rally and honored for their positive contributions to the local community. Student examples of community heroes and participants demonstrated how the students themselves can be heroes in the community. 4 Paws was joined by local military, emergency responders, and other leaders. We are honored to have been selected for this program and excited to share it with the students of Coy Middle School!

Thank you Coy Middle School!

DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

September & October4P

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Shelby Bottger and SDIT, Baggins!

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4 Paws Puppy ProgramFall Puppy Harvest

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Golden LabsJarka x Nome

10/16/2015

GoldendoodlesRochelle x Padre

09/07/2015

Golden LabsFlora x Caepor

10/27/2015

Golden LabsDomino x Nome

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4 Paws Puppy Program2015 Puppy Count

Papillon

Boys Girls

Golden

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Golden

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Labrador

Retriever

Goldendoodle

Newfoundland

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German

Retriever

Collie

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4 Paws for Ability - Additional SupportersDayton Kennel Club Sponsors

Puppy Run

Almost 20 members from the Dayton Kennel Club

were greeted by SDIT, Cider, when the group visited 4 Paws

on Tuesday evening, October 20 to see their funded Puppy

Run (donated in 2014 for $2,500). The Club's president,

Sharon Zakar, and development director, Kelly Camm, were

all smiles holding the plaque that will be placed on their

Puppy Run outside.

The Club got a tour of the new building and asked

many great questions. President, Sharon Zakar, also

presented a check to sponsor the January 2016 class. This

sponsorship covers class materials, training supplies (mutt

matts, etc.), and refreshments. Hopefully, they will all be able

to attend the graduation to meet the children and their

service dogs.

For those Greater Dayton families fundraising, don't

be surprised if they show up to support your fundraisers.

They asked to be kept up-to-date on the various fundraisers

going on in the area so they can support 4 Paws even more.

Aren't dog lovers the best!

Thank you, Dayton Kennel Club, for your

continuing support over the years. We are humbled by your

support!

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4 Paws to Benefit from online Trip Auction

TripShock, a online site for booking attractions and

hotels online, contacted 4 Paws to let them know that

they would be making a donation based on the results

of an upcoming online trip auction! They hope to

donate $5,000 when it is complete. You have until

December 15 to check it out and plan your next

vacation!

https://www.32auctions.com/tripshock-4paws

Norwood Police Association’sPigs & Pins Fundraiser

Kelly and 4 Paws Ambassador Dog, Lucy, paid a

visit to the Norwood Police Department in Norwood, OH on

September 30 to accept a $3,500 check from their Pigs and

Pins Bowling Tournament held earlier this year. A special

shout out to Kate Stein, formerly of the Miami

University Foster Program. 4 Paws was chosen to honor

Kate's dad who recently retired from the Police

Department. Kate would stop in periodically with her foster

dogs to visit her dad while at work so 4 Paws has been well

known for some time there. Thank you, Officers. We salute

you! 

Thank you Norwood Police Association!

Send us your 4 Paws Pix! Email us! Media4Paws@gmail.com

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Send us your 4 Paws Pix! Email us! Media4Paws@gmail.com

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Send us your 4 Paws Pix! Email us! Media4Paws@gmail.com

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Thanks to all our donors! (Over $5,000, September - October 2015)Round of Appaws!

• PTT LLC D/B/A HIGH 5 GAMES - $5,140• Anonymous Trust - $100,000• Anonymous Foundation - $10,000• Alton Research LLC - $15,000• Ultimate Sports Gym - $10,000• Southland Christian Church, Missions - $10,000• The Arc of Washington State - $7,000• Friendship Trust - $6,000• Jay Burkett - $7,759.24• The E. Kenneth & Esther Marie Hatton Foundation - $50,000• Make-A-Wish Foundation - $15,000• Schwab Charitable - $5,000

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4PAWPRINTS4 Paws For Ability253 Dayton Ave.Xenia, OH 45385

Did you know that

a $40 donation

feeds 1 dog for 1

month?

DO YOU HAVE A STORY OR PHOTOS TO SHARE WITH 4PAWPRINTS?

SEND THEM TO JAKI WAGGAMON AT MEDIA4PAWS@GMAIL.COM!