Dear editor: A valuable service

Dear editor:

Congratulations to Diane Bank's retirement after nine years as president of Hot Springs Pet Therapy. Pet Therapy is a valuable volunteer service.

The Hot Springs Pet Therapy Program originated in the animal shelter in 1998. The program was started by an employee. After a time, it came under the leadership of Ted Ericson. Under Ted's guidance, it slowly started to increase in membership and importance. I eventually became its volunteer coordinator and it flourished. Director Dan Bugg provided continued assistance to the program. Dan provided the puppies and, on occasion, a kitten, for the volunteers. He temperament-tested the dogs to see if they had the temperament for this task. The shelter also provided a meeting place several times a year. Without all this assistance, continuous growth was impossible. Katie, our mascot, was a stray from the shelter. Scar II was our first certified Pet Therapy dog. Scar II was a pit bull of good lineage with special needed training by his owner, Lynn James. He was noted for carrying a basket of flowers to be distributed by Lynn to patients. Our second certified Pet Therapy dog was owned by Bette Volland.

The program was well-known through publicity and awards. It received two honorable mentions for Hot Springs in Make a Difference Day held nationwide in October. Tyler Freemen, of Hot Springs High School, led an honor group that served the program regularly. NPCC's Honor Society, under Barbara Briscoe's guidance, also volunteered its services.

Among the volunteers was Cheri Endicott, who owned a poodle. Alice Simcox had a golden retriever and was instrumental in creating exceptional stalls at affairs. Eventually, some won awards. Dwight, Chelsea, Katie and Carson Chandler were an active family. Today, Katie is in college, but still volunteers with an animal organization. Donna Leach was a terrific person for pet therapy, along with Peggy Scott. There are many others.

When I left in 2005, it was a well-known, active volunteer group. Besides visiting nursing homes, we visited schools in an area that encompassed Garland County and were active in shows in Hot Springs. Hot Springs Pet Therapy program was not a nonprofit organization.

With all the volunteers and Dan Bugg, of the shelter, it was an organization we were proud of and one with a valuable purpose.

Katie and I left in late 2005 when the program was active, had a good membership list and planned schedule. It was not a fledgling one of eight members. Katie and I devoted hundreds of hours, made a thousand-plus appearances and visited thousands of hospice patients in a span of years. When I became homebound in late 2005, Katie went to live with another loving family. We served Odyssey Hospice Home Care and Dierksen. I am proud to be part of Dierksen Hospice's prayer group and shortly will also volunteer with Dierksen on the Texarkana, Ark., side.

With the holidays coming, I would like to wish everyone a "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."

Luba Cook

Hot Springs

Editorial on 12/18/2014

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