frankie the walk n roll therapy dog visits libby’s house

Encouraging Kids to Read

Posted by Barbara Techel

Encouraging Kids to Read

Last year I visited Fair Park Elementary school and talked with the students about empathy, compassion, writing and reading. The students were so enthusiastic to have me there, and the teachers were wonderful and supportive.

Renee, one of the teachers who I worked with last year planning the visit, contacted me last week asking if I’d do a short video for their students – to remind them about how important reading is, to encourage them to visit their library, and how important empathy and compassion is.

Of course, I was more than happy to do this for the school and I hope my thoughts will encourage the kids once again.  And this time I enlisted the help of Miss Gidget who appears on the video with me which I hope the kids will get a kick out of. I think they will as Gidget looked pretty spiffy (don’t you just love that word spiffy? I sure do!) in her pink sparking hat, and was giving me lots of kisses while I tried to record the video.  🙂

I took this photo of Gidget also with copies of my children’s books as a visual reminder for the kids the importance of reading. It really is a wonderful thing when schools find creative ways in which to continue to encourage kids to read and write – and I was tickled to help in this small way and it sure was a great way to kick off my week.

Hope the start of your week is a good one too!

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Remembering Fondly, Donna – Frankie’s Visits with Her

Posted by Barbara Techel

Remembering Fondly, Donna - Frankie's Visits with Her

Donna was one of the residents Frankie and I regularly visited once a month for three years while Frankie was alive and a therapy dog at Libby’s House, Senior Assisted Living Facility.

I was so inspired by our visits that I wrote my second children’s book about our time there and the friends Frankie made.

Donna loved to stroke Frankie’s ears. If it would have been possible she would have held Frankie for hours on end. She loved her time with Frankie.

I remember Donna as so kind, always a smile on her face with an upbeat attitude. She passed away this week.  I’m grateful for the sweet and wonderful memories of her and Frankie.

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Sally’s Impact on Me & Her Love of Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Therapy Dog

Posted by Barbara Techel

Frankies book2_v1c47Illustration from Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby’s House children’s book

In Saturdays blog post I shared with you that Sally, a resident at Libby’s House (senior assisted living facility), who I had come to adore, passed away at the age of 100 earlier in May. The adoration was mutual as she loved it when Frankie came to visit. She would become quite animated watching Frankie roll into the main living room.

I was so touched by the friendship that transpired between the two that I wrote about them in my second children’s book, Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby’s House. While all the residents were special, some just left an extra special mark on my heart that will always be there. Sally was absolutely one of those people.

As a tribute to her, I thought I’d share the part in my book where I wrote about her. To protect her privacy at the time, her name was changed to Lila. Her name after a dear friend (a therapy dog tester) who was pregnant with a little girl, who she would name Lila, while Frankie and I were training for her therapy dog certification.

Excerpt:

The following month flowers are blooming with every color in the rainbow and people are outside cutting their grass. Kids are playing in the park. The warm wind blows my ears back as we drive to Libby’s House.

It is hard to know I won’t see Daniel anymore when I visit. But, I hold my head high as I roll through the front doors once again.

Patty is waiting to for us. She bends down to stroke my fur. “Frankie, there is someone new waiting to meet you,” she says happily.

“Her name is Lila, and she loves dogs. I have told her all about you and she is eager to visit with you.” Patty leads the way as Mom and I walk side by side.

Lila is siting in the chair where Daniel used to wait for me. Her hair is short and silver and her walker is resting next to the chair.

Patty quietly says to my mom, “It is hard to understand Lila when she talks, but she tries to communicate.”

Mom picks me up and kneels down in front of Lila. She rests the front of my paws on the arm of the chair while she holds the back of my wheelchair in her hands. Lila’s hands are shaking as she reaches out to pet my head. She looks deep into my eyes and chatters up a storm. I am not sure what she is saying, but my heart feels all warm and fuzzy again. I have made another new friend.

As I revisit the writing of this book again, I wrote it because I wanted young kids to not be afraid to visit the elderly in nursing homes. It can sometimes feel scary, but I wanted to make it feel less scary. To help them understand that sometimes older people are going through things just like they did when they were little. Sometimes needing help with brushing their teeth or needing help to remember to take their medicine.

Sally, and so many others, certainly taught me to appreciate life so much more. For that, I’m so grateful to each of them. And Sally showed me that even though she couldn’t communicate in words, it was her infectious smile and enthusiasm that conveyed to me how happy she truly was. Her connection with Frankie was such a gift and I’ll remember it always.