Nope, not a new technique for hauling materials to the roof… this is a great program that Jim supports through his involvement on the CHKD Child Abuse Center’s Board of Directors. Thought you would be interested too.

The Buddy Brigade is a group of Therapy Dogs used at the Child Abuse Center at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. Therapy dogs are used in by forensic interviewers to help alleviate the anxiety and fear abused children feel during the interview process. Dogs are trained and complete a very stringent 10 step test established by the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Department that includes behavior like accepting a friendly stranger, sitting politely for petting to reacting to distractions and supervised separation. An additional test of “Say Hello” has been established by Therapy Dogs International, Inc. that ensures a dogs willingness to visit a person or make themselves available for petting.

For example, an 8 year old boy named Mark that had been sexually abused by his father was being interviewed and the individual therapist was not able to establish a relationship with the boy. After several weeks with no progress, the therapist decided to introduce a Therapy Dog into the sessions to see if the Mark would open up and relax. Keeper, a golden retriever, joined the sessions and Mark quickly established a bond the therapist had been unable to develop.

Over the course of just a few sessions, Mark began to talk about his family situation and his feelings. The therapist asked Mark if he could tell his “secrets” to Keeper. Mark laid next to Keeper, lifted his ear and proceeded to tell the dog about the abuse. When finished, Mark asked the therapist if Keeper would be scared by what he had told him. That gave the therapist the opportunity to discuss being scared about feelings in general with Mark. When Mark returned to therapy the following week, he asked if Keeper had experienced any bad dreams as a result of hearing the “secrets”. This gave the therapist an opportunity to discuss the bad dreams Mark was having. In the end, the introduction of the Therapy Dog enabled Mark to become comfortable expressing his feelings with the therapist and begin to deal with his abuse.

For more information about Therapy Dogs, visit www.tdi-dog.org

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We’re kicking off our 2010 Campaign for Better Beginnings! You may remember this effort from past years… we’re collecting items that give kids entering the foster care system a better start to a bad situation that is out of their control.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Over 3 million children each year are reported for child abuse.  Over 500,000 children are in the foster care system here in the United States – with the majority of them over the age of 4 years old.
• Children in foster care leave behind their neighborhoods, schools, and belongings.  Many feel anxious, uncertain, and helpless in controlling their lives.  Many feel angry, rejected, and pained by separation.  Peers often tease children about being in foster care, reinforcing perceptions that they are somehow different.
• Physical abuse represents 22% of confirmed cases, sexual abuse 8%, neglect 54%, emotional maltreatment 4% and other forms of maltreatment 12%.

Our focus has expanded this year. Donations will support both Northampton County’s Social Services and the CHKD Child Abuse Center.  

 WHEN:  All donations will be accepted through June 1 (Tuesday)

 WHERE:    In Cape Charles-

• Schneider Development Office
• Rayfield’s Pharmacy

 In Virginia Beach and Norfolk-

• Schneider Development Office
• Call for pick up!  Chris Schwab  757.339.9706  chris@schneiderdev.com

 WHAT: Contribution Suggestions-

• Personal hygiene totes for teenagers (Items may be placed in a tote or backpack)  such as: Bath Soap, Shampoo, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Hair Brush, Combs, deodorant, suntan lotion
• Dorm Bags (Items may be placed in a small overnight bag) such as: Set of Twin Sheets, Twin Sized Blanket, small mirror
• Gift Cards (may be used to purchase additional supplies as needed) from: Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS
• Monetary Donation- If you choose to make a monetary donation, please make the checks payable to either Northampton County Social Services or CHKD – Child Abuse Center
• Items to be used at CHKD Child Abuse Center during/after therapy- Boxes of crayons, Cartons of bubbles, finger paints, drawing tablets OR Items for teenagers after medical exams- School supplies, blank journals, backpacks, music CDs

 Thank you for your continued support!

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Community involvement is an important goal of ours. Giving back, with both money and time, makes our community a better place to live and work in. The staff at Schneider Development have diverse interests. Chris Schwab, our Business Development Director, is one of four women who have opened the Southside chapter of Beyond Boobs!, Inc. She’s also on the Board of Directors. (She’s become quite patient with the “boob jokes” from her construction-industry co-workers.)

Beyond Boobs! Inc. is a non-profit organization focused on breast health that began in Williamsburg. Co-founders, Mary Beth Gibson and Rene Bowditch, are breast cancer survivors who initially came together to support and encourage one another. Their vision is to take Beyond Boobs! nationwide, so women everywhere will know the life-saving importance of early detection, and so other young survivors can experience the benefits the group gained by traveling this “journey” together.

Beyond Boobs at the Neptune Festival

So far this year, we’ve participated in the Neptune Festival Parade and the Pink Heels Tour at Mt. Trashmore.  Our next invitation is for a fantastic event this Saturday 11/7:  Divas in Disguise. The annual Fashion Show and Silent Auction is presented by The Hague Center for Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery and will benefit Beyond Boobs! Contact Chris for tickets 757.339.9706 or here.

Friends! Follow along on FaceBook!

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