Weekly Bulletin - July 21st Meeting
Posted by Richard Garcia on Jul 31, 2016
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Our first morning meeting of the new Rotary year featured Lisa Delle Donne of K-9 Unleashed Potential as our speaker
Guests:
- Lisa Delle Donne, speaker
Announcements:
- Rotary Foundation: It’s now possible to choose a target for contributions. Brian and Chris are working to develop metrics for donations.
- Wine Fellowship: The Wine Fellowship addresses barriers to young people joining Rotary, and how to involve Rotaract in Rotary activities. Upcoming activities include a wine tasting involving districts 7930 (Boston area), 7950 (Rhode Island), and 7910.
- A formal presentation of a check will be given next week to the RFK Children’s Action Corps, to provide kits for kids leaving the program. More donations are welcome, to make the money go further.
- Wings and Wheels: Next week will be hosted by Acton-Boxborough and feature German cars. Our turns to host are August 4 and 25.
- On August 2, we’re invited to a Games Night by the Hudson Rotary Club at the Hudson Elks Club. Cost is $18. RSVP to Cheryl Rosen at cherylr@tiac.net.
- Hudson Brewfest: lots of volunteers are needed this year, because of an extra tent. Lawn signs will be given out soon. Last year we grossed $75,000, which was split between our club and Hudson, but this year we need to pay the microbreweries for their participation. Sign up for shifts.
- The next Bolton Repair Café will be September 24; Westborough will have one in October.
- The Healing Garden will have its Ride to Thrive event; see their page on the web.
- Habitat for Humanity will host a golf tournament at Shaker Hills, to raise money for their next build.
Happy/sad fines
- Carolyn: happy that Habitat for Humanity families moving into their new homes in Ayer.
- Laura: Her son drove a stick shift car from Massachusetts to California, and made it safely; her daughter goes to Germany on Tuesday for graduate school.
- Brian: has three clients as Wings and Wheels sponsors; and has hired a ninth staff person.
- Mary: happy to have had a beautiful European trip, celebrating the 43rd anniversary.
- Richard; happy that Fatima joined 256 people from 56 countries to be sworn in as citizens; and is happy for the time visiting his grandchildren.
- Alina: had a good time with her mother.
- Carl: having Lasik surgery.
- Chris: grateful to Jacky for his installation party; and is going on a trip to Montana.
Speaker:
Lisa Delle Donne of K-9 Unleashed Potential was our speaker. K-9 helps owners properly communicate with their dogs and obtain measurable results. They specialize in new adoptions and foster dogs.
36 percent of households have pet dogs (as distinct from service dogs). People spend about $5 billion a year on pet services. Being around animals helps with blood pressure, anxiety, and feelings of well-being. Children who have been abused and need to testify against their abusers find calm when a dog can be present with them in court.
Selecting a pet dog requires consideration of the size of the family, the home environment (apartment, city, country), allergies (there are no hypoallergenic dogs), age of the dog (puppy, mature; it takes two years for a puppy to become acclimated to family life), family life style, natural dog behavior (some need stimulation, others are content to guard the couch), what the dog’s job will be (providing companionship may not be enough for some dogs). A dog from a shelter is in a very different environment, noisy, with strangers coming and going; a dog may seem unsuitable for a home, but a calm, quiet home may be exactly what the dog needs.
How to communicate with dogs is a major focus of K-9’s work. It may seem obvious, but owners need to understand that dogs communicate differently from people. Every dog is an individual. “Aggression” is a term thrown around a lot, but aggressive behavior may be the result of pain or disease, but the dog can’t tell us that.