Many of our students will be walking during commencement with their 4 Paws foster dogs, who are service dogs in-training, who will eventually be placed with children with disabilities.

The University Program is a win-win for the students and the dogs.

“It’s great for the students because it really boosts their confidence, as they must take their dogs into public and answer questions as they are posed by onlookers. It also teaches them how to care for another individual. They have to be very responsible around the clock,” says Jessa Brown, University Program Coordinator and Trainer at 4 Paws for Ability.

“It’s good for the dogs because it gives them a lot of socialization, which makes them confident in public. This is vital for a 4 Paws for Ability service dog.”

“I cannot wait to meet her future family and see the smiles Mitzi brings to their faces,” says Moira Beebe, a graduating biology major at Wittenberg University. “She is such an amazing dog and I was a small part of that.  Mitzi is one of my favorite college memories and now she is going to a family where she will be valued, loved and cherished.” 

“I did some research on 4 Paws for Ability and discovered what a fantastic organization it is. I wanted to get to know families with these dogs, as well as the dogs themselves!” says Beth Kupferie, a special education graduate from Miami University.

“I will be graduating, but I would love to continue fostering and working with 4 Paws if I stay in the area.”

Graduates include:

Wright State University-

• Shannon Schraeder with Fievel
• Chelsea Crager with Skylark
• Victor Colon with Mister
• Erin Bittner with Kailani

Wittenberg University-

• Claire Shannon with Bippa
• Meredith Troy and Abby Debner with Mango
• Eric Werner and Rory Eustace with Aisling
• Kelly Brothers and Sean Williams with Beezus
• Moira Beebe and Jonna Sakowski with Mitzi

Cedarville University-

• Sandi Patton with Ramona

Miami University-

• Sarah Cesler and Kelsey Myrhofer with Boeing
• Olivia Kerrigan and Beth Kupferie with Banshee

CONGRATS TO ALL OUR GRAUDATES IN THE 4 PAWS CAMPUS PROGRAM*!

-By Jessica Noll-Korczyk

*To donate, helping us fund more campus training, click here.

So in honor of 15 years, we’re excited to announce our 1^st Annual 5K run/walk right here in Xenia, Ohio!

The 5K run/walk will take place along the scenic bike trail in Xenia, starting at the historic Xenia Station, on Saturday, June 29. It will also feature a 1-mile dog walk for those coming out with their service and non-service dogs, but who may not want to run 3.1 miles. Race-day registration and check-in will begin at 8 a.m. and the 5K starts at 9 a.m. The 1-mile walk will begin at 9:15 a.m.

Your 5K run/walk registration, $30, includes a limited-supply T-shirt, however, the 1-mile dog walk, $15, does not include a T-shirt. If there are T-shirts left at the time of the race, they can be purchased for $15. Please note, children under the age of 12, as well as all documented 4 Paws kids are free. Those children do not need to register and T-shirt not included.

The race will support non-profit, 4 Paws for Ability’s mission as well as raise money for our building fund—so that we can place even more service dogs with those who need them.

To register, visit: http://atomicracetiming.com/races/product/4-paws-for-ability-5k-runwalk/. Online registration closes on Friday, June 28, at 12 p.m. You can still register the day of the race prior to start time.

If you’re interested in sponsoring, volunteering or participating as a vendor to support 4 Paws, please contact Jessica Noll-Korczyk at Jessica@4PawsForAbility.org or Kelly Camm at Kelly@4PawsForAbility.org.

 For additional information, contact Jessica Noll-Korczyk at 937.768.9096 or email to Jessica4Paws@aol.com.

My name is Brook. I am 7 years old. For my birthday party, I asked my friends to donate to a charity. I picked you because I like dogs and I want to help other kids. I hope this little bit of money helps somebody.

Love, Brook

Thank you Brook for donating $80 to 4 Paws for Ability!! You’re amazing, happy birthday!

If you’re interested in giving like Brook did, or in your own special way, visit our DONATE NOW page, or ADDITIONAL WAYS TO HELP!

Introducing our newest Cause Marketing promotion: Cake Pops and other desserts from As You Wish Cake & Cookie Pop Shoppe for delivery or shipping in Ohio only.

XENIA, Ohio – Anna is an artistic, smiling, loving 10-year-old, but that’s not how she was when her adoptive mother Doris Dehm found her when she was just 10 days old in a Chinese orphanage. 

More than nine years ago, Doris, originally from Germany, was a volunteer at an orphanage in China. She was living there while her husband, Burkhard, worked. From the moment that she laid eyes on the tiny, malnourished baby, she knew that all she needed was “food and love.”

“I saw her—she looked at me and I thought she was gorgeous,” says Doris.

She remembers how the 10-day-old baby was in 000-sized clothing, refused solid food and was not developing the older she got. She wasn’t making any eye contact, nor was she making any attempt to speak.

Doris and Burkhard decided to adopt the fragile child, however, it wouldn’t be so easy—not if the Chinese government had anything to do with it, she says. Doris says that while fostering Anna, she wrote over 200 letters.

And although Anna wasn’t a planned child for the older couple with two grown daughters (28 and 30), when the little girl was 2 ½ years old, still only weighing 14 lbs., she was finally an official Dehm. And even then, she was only eating three bottles of powdered milk.

She was diagnosed with PTSD, institutionalized autism, anxiety, expressive language disorder, sensory degradation disorder and extreme far-sidedness. 

When Anna was 3 ½ they left China and moved to Australia. However, four years ago, they ended up in the United States.

Doris says she wasn’t going to give up on the little girl who had stolen her heart in that orphanage. Many doctors told her, “there’s nothing more” she could do, not much hope. But she refused to let those words be the end all to her daughter’s thirst for survival and for life.

“She’s doing amazing things now,” says Doris in a thick accent, a mix between German and Australian. In fact, the youngster is learning to talk, thanks to neurological reorganization therapy that she’s been receiving in Bend, Ore. 

In therapy, she learns music, speech, and movement and basically allows Anna to relearn everything in stages from the age of newborn, since she missed a lot of that as an infant, says Doris.

Now they don’t just celebrate birthdays, they celebrate every milestone for Anna, like brushing her teeth or tying her shoe… or saying her first word, “momma.”

After trying to give her everything that she needed for years and still being shut down to them, Doris remembers that moment when she spoke and says, it was “just amazing for the first time she opened up.”

But the first time that Anna kissed Doris, was an even more of a momentous occasion than even hearing the word, “momma.” She was 9 years old and Doris had put a blanket over her daughter… and Anna kissed her. 

“That was her starting to care,” says Doris. “She had no empathy from infancy [so it took her longer.]”

They have lived in Oregon for the past four years for Anna’s therapy and will be moving back to Australia in July 2013 for Burkhard’s work.

Now, when they move back to Australia, they’ll have Dalma, a rambunctious Goldendoodle, in tow as well.

“Dalma makes her calmer,” says Doris of their brand new service dog from 4 Paws for Ability. However, during their first meeting on Day 1 of class, Anna pushed away Dalma—but by Day 11, she was laying next to the cottony pup, with her hand out, gently lying on her soft fur.

After her traumatic childhood, Anna tends to harm herself with hitting and scratching her own skin. She is very sensitive, because she was not only malnourished but also mal-nurtured at a very young age. She easily has meltdowns and sleeping problems.

“If there’s anything not right, she thinks it’s her fault.”

She is also very sensory-oriented. As a baby, she didn’t have soft things around her, nor did she have anything to cuddle, or hold onto, says Doris. But now, with Dalma, she has her soft fur to touch and it truly seems to soothe the young, slowly maturing girl. Dalma, they hope, will pull Anna out of her own isolation.

Having a child with a disability, the 57-year-old mother says, is “all-consuming.” Nothing compares to having a child who doesn’t sleep, is needy and the worry is exhausting, she admits.

But there’s a lot inside of Anna, her mom says—including her artistic nature. She loves to draw and paint and Doris carries pictures of her artwork on her phone to pull out and show off, the proud mother that she is. Plus, she says, Anna is very funny, has a great sense of humor.

“She has a giggle that lightens up a room… just gorgeous.”

“There’s a lot inside of Anna that the anxiety doesn’t allow it to come out. There’s a lot there and I want to foster that,” says Doris, who believes that Dalma will draw more of Anna’s spirit and creativity out into the open for everyone to enjoy.

The duo is like two peas in a pod, says Doris. 

“When they walk together at the mall, she’s more grounded and calmer. She give us a little of freedom too. And she’s free with the dog.”

“It gives us hope for the future—we want her to be as independent as possible. We want her to be as much as she can be.” 

And Dalma is allowing her to have the freedom and some fun as well.

“Dalma’s bringing her out of her cocoon,” says Doris about Anna who played ball with her new dog this week. 

With soft, shiny, black hair and purple, square-framed glasses resting upon her nose, she smiles, as she looks down at her new four-legged BFF.  

“Dalma’s a friend,” says the shy, soft-spoken girl, who, on graduation day at 4 Paws for Ability, wore matching red, jeweled bows as her new furry, fluffy friend—a friend that will give her a brand new life, says her mom.

Read her story about adoption: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/09/19/1126982001940.html

Story & photos: by Jessica Noll-Korczyk

It was a long and chilly 11 days for the group who called themselves the “Pupsicles.”

“I don’t think we were ready at all. It’s been a hard, wonderful experience,” said Kim, Cole and Chip’s mom.

From the moment that Cole set eyes on Chip during first-day introductions at 4 Paws for Ability, he wanted nothing more than to touch him, pet him, love him. His arms stretched outward to the max, as he saw his black Labrador Retriever being led to him. His eyes filled with excitement and utter joy as Chip trotted right up to him. Sitting atop his mom’s lap, Chip gave Cole a quick lick on his hand, as if to say, “Hello buddy!” 

Anna, who wasn’t so sure of her new dog, Dalma, the day they met, was wearing matching red, jeweled bows, with Dalma on graduation day. Calm and relaxed the young Asian girl with shiny black hair will be returning back to Australia in July with her parents and Dalma. (Read about Anna and Dalma, in March’s Paw of the Class feature.)

“We think she’s the most gorgeous girl,” said Doris of Dalma, her family’s newest, white and fluffy addition. 

Another beauty, Calypso, aka Maxie, was a beautiful white-furred cottony Goldendoodle who welcomed William, his new boy to 4 Paws for Ability, with what can only be described as a smile, and a tremendous tail-wagging. As William sat on his mom’s lap, he held his hands up and away from the large dog sitting patiently at his feet. As Karen, William’s mom, hand-fed the eager assistance dog treats, William too, slowly put his hand into the baggie full of Calypso’s favorite food, and doled out one piece at a time for his new partner—letting out small, quiet giggles as her tongue lapped his fingers while feeding her.

“’Thank you’ just doesn’t cut it. It’s been wonderful… you’re a whole new family to us,” said William’s mom.

Beautiful Golden Retriever and Miami University “student” Champagne, was well-loved from the beginning by her tiny, blonde boy Jacob. As they greeted each other, Jacob stood next to his new girl, who stood at face level to him. His tiny hands reached out and touched her soft, golden fur, as she looked over her shoulder at him, her brown eyes seemed to sparkle.

Not all first meetings were so quick to bond. 

Sam was a bit leery of this bubbly, black Labrador Retriever, Chili. He reached down to pet his new dog, only to be licked and slobbered on, which resulted in a disgusted, puckered-up face. But that disgust soon turned to a special bond by graduation, and apparently a new fondness for all black dogs.

“Every black dog is ‘Chili’ to Sam,” said mom Nancy, to a room full of graduates, who immediately began to chuckle. 

There was absolutely no hesitation for Joseph when meeting his black Labrador Retriever, Parfait. As soon as the spunky, sleek dog was led to his boy, the petting, licking and treat nibbling commenced. Joseph wrapped his arms around Parfait’s neck, who, in turn, leaned in to lick his nose, mouth, cheek, ear, or whatever he could reach to reciprocate the love he was getting from his new human BFF.

Navin, a Golden Retriever, was greeted by, not only his new boy Ryan, but also his entire family, including a little sister. Everyone was overjoyed to meet him for the first time and he became so relaxed that he laid belly-up on the floor, mouth open, tongue hanging out, getting lots of love from his boy.

The most common word from Cayden was, “Cheese!” He posed a lot for the camera, especially with his new best friend, Neo, a Golden Retriever. On the first day of class, the small blonde literally, took the reigns and led his new four-legged friend around the training floor. It was the moment that allowed his mom to let out a much-needed sigh of relief.

“They mean everything to the kids—but mean a lot to [us] parents too… peace of mind,” said Angela, Cayden and Neo’s mom.

Gabe was quiet on his first day, and at first didn’t seem to enjoy the company of his new furry pal, Poppers, a black Labrador Retriever. Although Popper enjoyed the many treats he was receiving from the remainder of his new family. But about 20 minutes into the first day, Gabe was sitting crossed-legged on the floor, leaning down and kissing Popper’s head, which was in his lap.

Arielle and Israel graduated with Slider, a black Labrador Retriever, and were like two kids in a candy store, getting their certificates with their dog on graduation day—a sight too sweet for words.

Alyssa and Pinoy, also known as Elmo, graduated with smiles. As Alyssa stood next to her mom, she leaned up, giving her mom a kiss on the cheek, with one hand on her new best friend.

It was a day full of kisses, tears and hugs—hugs from the children to the dogs and from parent to parent. The nervousness of the first day of class had left their expressions and was replaced with laughter and many, many smiles from ear to ear, from one side of the classroom to the other.

-Photos & story by Jessica Noll-Korczyk

For its second year running, ReelAbilities plans to increase its reach with a fervor that emphasizes the shared human experience. The festival brings community members together to view award-winning films by and about people with disabilities, all while creating a dialogue and providing a platform for storytelling and educational panels that promote understanding and inclusion.

Karen and Piper were invited to the premiere event on March 9, at the Freedom Center in Cincinnati as VIPs, along with Matthew Cook, Service Dog, Potter, and mom, Mary (September 2008 class). Jeremy also attended the premiere event.

Then, on March 14, Kelly Camm, Carol Burke and Service Dog, Pumpkin (December 2010 class) and the Cook family attended the free screening called, “Praying with Lior,” about a child with Down Syndrome held at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The Cooks were also part of the panel after the film, and Matthew proudly introduced and spoke of Potter.

Special thanks to the Cook and Burke families for representing 4 Paws so well.