Pete the Service Dog

Summer is over and everyone is back in the swing of school, but not Pete. This past summer, Pete the service dog came to Easter Seals Camp Challenge to make a difference in the lives of children and adults with disabilities and/or special needs. He is the sweetest, kindest two-year-old puppy you’ll ever meet, and is now a permanent part of the Easter Seals Camp Challenge family.

Maggie Denk, Camp Director at Easter Seals Camp Challenge, took Pete in through Pawsitive Action Foundation, an organization that provides affordable veterinary services, behavioral training, and relocation for abandoned dogs and cats. During The Family Café exhibit, Peggy Hoyt, a puppy trainer, saw the connection Pete and Maggie had and knew they would be a good fit for each other.

Before Pete came to Camp Challenge, he served as a therapy and emotional assistance dog. The skills he learned have already been put to good use several times. Maggie says, 

“My son Jay has severe asthma and when he and Pete are playing, Pete will come get me before I've even realized Jay is having a problem and needs his inhaler. It's such a relief knowing Pete keeps an eye on Jay. They are truly best friends.”  

Easter Seals Florida takes in an array of animals with disabilities and abilities and they in turn provide therapy for our children and adults with special needs and/or disabilities. Pete is an addition to our camp that makes it that much better. #EasterSeals  #Summer2013   

Our Turn To Care For You

Over the 22 years of my life, I had never had to truly care for someone else other than myself it sounds selfish but it’s true. That all changed as the years flew by and I recently started to realize the aging and memory loss of my grandma. Even though she lives with my parents, she has always taken care of me and practically raised my brother and me when we were kids. It is our turn to care for her as she cared for us.

But what qualifies someone to be a caregiver and how do new caregivers learn what to do? Do they learn their skills from someone else or do they learn as they go?  Well it’s a little of both. Caregivers come in all different shapes and sizes, whether you are a spouse caring for a spouse or a sibling caring for another sibling.

I recently read in a Disability Scoop article that stated, “For those who are the primary caregiver for their brother or sister, three-quarters said the role is a full-time job.” The realistic expectation is that 75% of current caregivers believe this to be true and 55% of future caregivers believe it is a full-time job. Being a caregiver may limit your full potential and attention  or make you feel spread too thin at times, but there are services and resources that help you jump those hurdles…Easter Seals is one of them.

We try to help keep families together and take some of that stress off of caregivers. We give you the time to do the simple tasks you need to get done, like laundry, groceries, house cleaning, etc. It is our turn to care for you because you care for others. #SiblingsMatter #Care4Others +Easter Seals Florida Facebook