February 2018 Newsletter

Thank You for Allowing Us to Serve AZ for 10 Years!

Happy 10th Anniversary to the FSDS!  This month the FSDS celebrates it’s 10th year of service to Arizona, and we take time to reminisce about our beginnings and the remarkable journey we have taken thanks to the innumerable blessings and support from our community.

In Sept of 2007 two retired medical professionals, Miriam Peterman (Ret. nurse) and CJ Betancourt MD (Ret. physician) began feasibility studies to explore the creation of a SD foundation that would meet some critical needs of SD teams that had been unaddressed.  In Feb. of 2008, seated around the kitchen table of Miriam Peterman and joined by a small group of dedicated professionals, the proposed Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws were approved and mailed off to the AZ Corporation Commission.  These individuals reached into their own pockets to cover the costs of start-up.  The FSDS charter was granted by the Commission in Mid-February, and the FSDS was born.  In July of that year, the IRS granted the FSDS their 501c3 status.

Early on we charted a course for success, realizing that one of the greatest unmet needs in AZ was education and services to those teams living in any of the vast rural areas of AZ and lacking geographic proximity to a formal training program.  For this reason, outreach services were one of the first services put in place and we have made great progress in growing these services over the years.  From our initial Outreach Certification Network, to providing opportunities for independent trainers to join a network, to our recent initiative to start a SD Trainer Academy, we continue to work to ensure that our services are inclusive.

From these humble beginnings with nothing more than Articles of Incorporation and a dream, we have built a comprehensive set of policy and procedure, and have systematically added programs and services to include:

• Outreach Certification across the nation
• Canine Safety Training: Basic and Advanced Life Support
• AZ POST (CEU credited training) on SD issues for peace officers
• In-House Training Program
• SD Trainer Academy

Today, our network includes 114 qualified trainers across the nation and we have certified over 100 teams.  Along the way, we have also expanded our in-house training to include facility dogs, and devised the first exclusive certification testing means for these dogs.  In March of this year, we will award yet one more of these facility dogs, this one to the Peoria PD to help them start a vitally needed K9 Victim Assistance Program.

As we established our training program, we initially piloted the project on high school campuses, and today this program is run independent of any other school in order to open our doors to all youths and adults across AZ who wish to participate.  Many of our dogs are raised by local teens, who are seeking a way to make a large contribution to their community, and this program provides them with such an opportunity.  This reciprocal mentoring experience that pairs local teens / citizens with wounded military and first responders in need and helps to build bridges and increase sensitivity to the plight of those who serve is perhaps our proudest accomplishment.

As we continue to grow, we remind ourselves daily of our commitment to filling any identified gaps and creating workable strategies for those with disabilities who are in need of service dogs.  Our hopes for the near future include a dedicated facility space, expansion of our trainer academy and providing in-house training opportunities to individuals who reside outside of the Phoenix Metro area.  If you are interested in being a part of this incredible journey and growing with the FSDS, we are currently seeking individuals for:

• Board members- seeking individuals with backgrounds in business, accounting, law, IT
• Volunteers to help with a variety of tasks, including graphic design
• Student trainers interested in raising a SD for a deserving community hero

Interested individuals can contact Dr. B for further information.

Classroom News

CB7 Class – our advanced class is hard at work on advanced SD skills, and preparing for graduation next month.  This is a very exciting time, though it does provoke some anxiety as it means that the final program certification test is looming large.  We are confident in our teams, however, and are expecting great success from all.  Special Kudos to Det. Gretel Hopkins and her future Level II Facility Dog “Oliver” on outstanding team work this past month.  Det. Hopkins has been a superb role model for the young woman who are training the dog for the police dept..  Kudos to Abigail and Amanda Van Asdall as well for going above and beyond to help put this vital service in place and bring much needed relief to thousands of people in Peoria during the working life of this team.  and the staff of the Peoria PD on achieving their canine Safety Certification / Basic Life Support.  Special  thanks also to hard working FSDS student Daisy Saenz and her SDIT “Indy”.  Daisy is training her dog for a military veteran and has gone consistently above and beyond, proving that she is a role model for all teens in our community.

CB8 Class – this is our beginner class, and we are so pleased to report that they are making excellent progress.  All dogs are potty trained reliably, and are working to master their basic obedience skills.  Special praise to Lindsey Carlson and her SDIT “Bentley” for their hard work and progress during the month of January.  We also want to send a shout out to Brianna Espinosa who is raising her second SDIT “Eastwood”.  Brianna is a real asset to our program and we appreciate all her hard work.

Wellness Tip

Spider bites – every year dogs suffer from the bites of venomous spiders.  Of particular concern are bites from black widow and brown recluse spiders.  It is important for every dog owner to understand the signs and symptoms of a serious bite so that they can seek veterinary care without delay.

Black widow spider bites are painful, and your dog will likely communicate to you that they have been bitten immediately.  Signs and symptoms include but are not limited to abdominal cramping, excessive drooling and panting, muscle tremors and vomiting.

Brown recluse spider bites, in contrast, are painless.  Most often a dog will not feel the bite and you will not be aware there is a problem until a skin lesion begins to develop.  These lesions may initially blister, then ulcerate.  Your dog may develop a widespread skin infection known as cellulitis, and may have an elevated temperature and appear lethargic.

If your dog is licking or pulling at their fur, it is important that you separate the hairs carefully and get a good look at their underlying skin.  Prevention is always the best option.  In certain parts of the US warm weather arrives as early as February, so this is a good time to clean up any piles of wood, rocks or other debris in your yard, as these are areas where spiders may hide.

Remember to supervise your dogs outdoors play at all times.

Thank You!

We wish to thank the following groups and individuals for their generosity this past month:

• Del E. Webb Foundation
• Desert Diamond Casino
• Sundt Foundation
• Dr. Margaret Brown
• Barry MacKean
• Richard and Brenda Elder
• Valerie Schluter
• Sue Vereb
• Wendy Lawson
• Lisa Sefranka

We appreciate the support of these individuals, and our community, for it is this type of support that allows us to continue to serve Arizona’s SD needs.

Essay Contest: SD Trainer Academy Scholarship to be Awarded to Winner

We are pleased to announce that the FSDS will hold it’s first ever essay writing contest, with the prize to be a full scholarship to the SD Trainer Academy.  This scholarship is valued at $3,000.  The scholarship monies were a generous donation from Dr. Margaret Brown, in loving memory of her husbands first SD “Dorjee”.

Applicants must submit an essay that is between 2,000-2,500 words and answers the following questions:

• Why do you wish to become a SD trainer?
• Why do you wish to work with the disability community?
• What qualities do you possess that make you a good candidate for this program?
• In what type of setting do you see yourself working in 5 years?  10 years?
• What type of personal connection, if any, do you have to the military and first response community?

Applicants must:

• be a U.S. citizen
• be a permanent resident of AZ for at least one year
• be at least 18 years of age
• be interested in SD training as a career path
• have no history of felony conviction or pending charges
• have no history of illicit substance abuse
• be willing to obtain a fingerprint clearance card
• be willing to remain with the FSDS for at least 2 years after graduation

Applications will be accepted between Feb. 1 and April 30th.  The winner will be announced in late May.  Essays must be:

• neatly typed
• 12 point font
• standard 1″ margins
• fall within the word count ranges specified above; those that fall below or above the word count requirements will not be considered.

Please include a cover page with your essay with the following information:

• Name and contact information (email and phone)
• Mailing address
• DOB
• Place of birth

You Are Cordially Invited…

This year, in recognition of our 10th anniversary of service to AZ, the FSDS will hold graduation as a free event, open to the public.  In past years, we had held graduation at a lovely venue, with a catered meal to celebrate the success of our teams.  This year, we have opted for a different approach.  We much prefer to hold this very special occasion, a combined graduation and birthday party, as an outdoor free event open to the public.  Our rationale is that we would much prefer to each cake from a paper plate with all of our friends and supporters at our side, than to eat a catered meal with a select few in attendance.  10 years of service is a milestone not only for the FSDS, but for the entire community without whose support this day would never have arrived.

We are pleased to announce that the keynote speaker will be an officer of the Peoria PD, and once again we are honored to have Donna Rossi, from Channel 5 News, return as our Emcee.  Many thanks to Michael and Priscilla at the Silver Rose Bakery in Peoria AZ for offering to donate a very special custom cake for the event.

A few other surprises have been planned for the event.  The Event will be held:

Date:  Saturday, April (TBD) at 11:00 a.m.

Location: Centennial Plaza, 9875 N 85th Ave in Peoria, Arizona

We look forward to seeing all of our friends there.

Upcoming Events

Feb. 25th– Westbrook Village Veterans Support Club Old Car Show. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m..  This fun and family friendly event is held in Westbrook Village at the Vistas Recreation Center, 18825 Country Club Parkway, Peoria, AZ, and proceeds help support the FSDS mission to provide service dogs to wounded veterans.

March 17th – Armed Forces Support Group Golf Tournament.  10 a.m. at the Granite Falls South and Desert Springs Golf Courses in Sun City Grand.  A portion of the proceeds each year go to help support our mission to provide SDs to military veterans in need.  This year, we are honored to be recognized as their showcased program.  If you are interested in participating in this event please download their brochure.  AFSG Brochure 2018

April (TBD) – FSDS Graduation and Anniversary Party – 11:00 a.m. at Centennial Plaza, located at 9875N. 85th Ave, Peoria AZ.  The event is free and open to the public.  Please note that this event was originally scheduled for March 24th and has been rescheduled to allow for participation by some key recipients.

Thank You to Our Newest Supporter

Many thanks to our friends at chewy.com for their desire to help the FSDS grow.  They have set up a landing page for the FSDS, and for each first time customer who shops via this page chewy.com will donate $20 to the FSDS to help support our mission.  Check out the discounts on all your pet needs and help support the FSDS mission simultaneously!

Photo Gallery

As February is our 10th anniversary of service to AZ, we thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane and share some of our favorite photos from the past 10 years.