July 31, 2003
YIPPEE!!! We won!! Here is beginning of the letter we received regarding Polar's recent nomination for the 2003 G.R.A.C.E. Award in the category of Animal-Assisted Therapy and Activities:

CONGRATULATIONS! On behalf of Rescue A Golden of Arizona and the Judges' Committee, it is my pleasure to inform you that your Rescued Golden, Polar, has been chosen as a WINNER of one of the 2003 G.R.A.C.E. Awards! Polar will be honored in a special ceremony following the Parade of Rescue at the Golden Retriever Club of America's 2003 National Specialty in Cleveland, OH. The date of the presentation is Friday, September 19, 2003.

Polar has a date on Friday at Lancaster Generations, a senior daycare facility. I was contacted by Tina Eshelman as a result of the wonderful newspaper article that detailed Polar's work (see letter below). He and I are certainly looking forward to meeting some new friends.

Dearest Pam,
       I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed reading about you and Polar in the Sunday News!!! I am always seeking out the "Positive" things in life and you two exemplify my daily search. I am so-o-o-o-o glad Marty Crisp thought he had a story to tell and did put you IN THE SPOTLIGHT!
       I am the Activity Director at Lancaster Generations (an Intergenerational Day Care Provider for Senior Citizens and others with Special Needs) and we are located just down the street from you, to the rear of the Lancaster Labs. I would LOVE to have you and Polar visit us,as I believe you and Polar have a story to tell our clients and children that attend the Heildebrandt Learning Center that is attached to us. We often do activities with the children and even have a S. June Smith Center class that spends Tuesday mornings singing and learning with us.  
       Please contact me if you think a visit from you and Polar would be possible. I would be delighted to have you two visit our Center and become acquainted with our Senior friends and possibly the "little ones"(schedule permitting). I believe we have a lot to learn from our animal friends and I can't help wondering if Polar isn't here to teach we humans a life lesson!
       Blessings to you this day and always. From one animal lover to another, I Thank-You for the applaudable service you do for our Animal Friends. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
                                    Sincerely,
                                    Tina Eshelman, Lancaster Generations

Also, next week our boy has two engagements at some additional facilities, which his grandma is going to take him too! Polar is surely going to be a very busy boy in August.

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August 3, 2003

Here is the letter I got from Tina after our visit on Friday to the senior daycare facility, Lancaster Generations: 

Hi Pam and Polar,
    It was so nice to hear from you and to meet you BOTH in real life. I can't begin to tell you how much it meant to the clients at Lancaster Generations and me to meet Polar (and his Mom). Quite a few talked about Polar and how they felt sorry for him but those comments led to how full of JOY he was. My point to them was that life can be cruel and hard sometimes (diagnoses of Parkinsons, Cancer, Strokes, etc.) but that there is still joy in living if you look for it!! Maybe a smile or a hug!!
   

 Thank you so much for bringing smiles, thoughts and love to our Center . . . that's what we are all here for . . . to share our gifts. Polar and you are a Prime example of that philosophy in action. My heartfelt Gratitude.
    Looking forward to seeing you in the future.
    Blessings to you and your family,
                          Tina

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September 14, 2003
On Wednesday, August 13, 2003, Polar and Mary Alice High visited the Mennonite home, Meadow View activities room for a Polar presentation. Mary Alice is actually Polar's Grandma. Here is what she had to say about the visit:

We arrived at 9:45 A.M. and it was a typical hot and humid August day. Polar was in his wheels leading the way through the doors into a building where neither of us had been before. The room had about fifteen residents arranged in a circle and we thought they were ready for us. Some of them called to Polar to come to them but George, the activities director, came rushing to me and said there were more residents being brought from the three buildings. I asked where to get some
water for Polar and he immediately made a huge mess. He was so thirsty so then
I asked for paper towels. The residents were watching him the entire time.

We waited for about twenty minutes while George asked the residents many questions about dogs. Seems they had been celebrating the dog days of summer and we were the final activity. More and more residents were escorted into the room. What had been one circle had grown to three circles with the walls lined with more. My guess was there were about 60 to 70 residents in the room when George turned the program over to Cora to introduce Polar and me.

I told the Polar story and how excited he was to be here visiting them and how he just loves to be able to run around in his wheels chasing the cats and running with the other dogs. I told the residents about his home with the four other furry friends and about his daily trip to the barn to feed the horses. I also told them about his three wheels and how he just kept growing out of them. But, I said that these were his least favorite because they wiggle when he walks.

The residents then asked more questions, such as . . . "How old is he?" "Was he born that way?" I thought I had covered all of the but I guess not. Then we made our way around the room four times to give a smiling lap hug to everyone who wanted one. It was during this time that the residents would tell me about their favorite dog. Although Polar kept smiling the entire time, I knew he was really getting tired. He usually isn't in his wheels this long and it was well over an hour. We took time for one final question and then thanked everyone for being such a wonderful audience before bidding the folks goodbye.

Polar got a bag of doggie cookies to eat at home since he had already wolfed down about half of the bag of treats as we were greeting all of the folks. It was a rewarding treat to see the twinkle in the eyes of the residents as they told stories about their favorite dogs. Polar is such a good listener.

Here's some special news about Polar. He is actually walking now, and has been for about three months. My good friend Chandler, Dad to Therapy Golden Lucy, is going to make Polar a stroller like Lucy has, and ship it to me. Polar recently borrowed Lucy's stroller for the Goldstock Parade of Rescue as he was just so pooped out from all the activities going on.

Guess what?? Polar earned his CGC and TDI titles at Goldstock! Here are some photos of him being pretty, slumming at the lake, and taking his CGC exam.

So handsome!

Hey, how deep is it out there guys?

Mom, am I doing okay?

Mom, why is that lady writing down stuff about me?

Boy, there sure is a lot going on all around me!

Hey, this TDI testing is a cinch!

Now, aren't we something?

Hey, look at all our title ribbons!

Now that vacation time is over, Polar has gone back to his job at Brechnock Elementary. His first day back was Friday, September 12th. There are four new students, and this year should be just as much fun as last year!! All the new students had already heard all about Polar and were very anxious to meet him. Anna was there and she is always in charge of getting Polar his water, which she does very well. She watches out for Polar and makes sure he is okay! Chanse was a little shy and didn't want to play with Polar just yet. Rosa has grown so much over the summer and was smiled from ear to ear when she saw Polar.  Carlia was also excited to see Polar and was at the office when we arrived. So she got to walk Polar down the hall to class. What a treat for her! Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Harsh, of course, were happy to see Polar, and I was also very happy to see all the children as well.

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