Sarah Frank, PK4 teacher, getting a hug!
Thanksgiving: family, fun, food, and a nice break from school! But then it’s Monday and the students head back to their routine. But at Our Redeemer Lutheran School, they were welcomed with open…paws! Phoebe the Comfort Dog surprised ORLS students with her trademark calm and loving acceptance. Each child, from PK2 through the 6th graders, got to have special visit time petting, hugging and loving this specially bred friend to all. The teachers even got special hugs! Even the smallest of children warmed to her, some moving from hesitant touches to resting their heads on her as she lay on the rug with them.
Phoebe is a golden retriever. She is a friend who brings a calming influence, allowing people to open up their hearts and receive help for what is affecting them. Phoebe, along with her brother, Pax, is a vested Comfort Dog for Lutheran Church Charities working through St. Paul Lutheran Church/The Summit in Fort Worth, Texas. She interacts with people at churches, schools, nursing homes, hospitals, events, and in disaster response situations. Besides their more local visits, some of Phoebe’s friends visited a school in Chattanooga, TN where children and families were trying to cope with grief following the bus crash last week. Earlier this year, they went to Orlando after the shootings there.
The multiple handlers and all who work for this ministry are volunteers. They told the stories of how these sweet dogs are lovingly raised and cared for—even noting that they brush their teeth each morning with special peanut butter flavored toothpaste to keep their breath fresh for their new friends!
Our Redeemer has chosen to support this very special outreach program for their school chapel offerings this quarter. Phoebe’s visit was a wonderful way for them to see first-hand the help their giving can bring to others and to get a little extra love themselves.
For more information on Phoebe, visit http://www.comfortdogsfortworth.com
For admissions for PK2 – 6th at Our Redeemer Lutheran School of Dallas, please go to https://www.ORDallas.org or contact Carol Blackwood at carolb@orlcs.com for an individual tour.
Facebook: @PhoebeComfortDog @OurRedeemerLutheranSchoolofDallas