Front Page News

OK, so it's not the Washington Post and it's not even the Big Rapids Pioneer (which featured a front-page story about my mom in January as she was out here during Obama's inauguration), but Shergar and I are the featured story for the summer publication of the Fairfax Pets on Wheels (where we volunteer) newsletter!

Here's the text of the story:

Collins Pays It Forward

FPOW volunteer Kelly Collins considers her visits to the Powhatan Nursing Center to be her form of "paying it forward." Kelly explains, "There have always been people around to support my family and me when we've gone through tough times. I have often wondered how I could adequately thank those people for their acts of kindness. I realized that the best possible thing I could do was to pay it forward... and I think volunteering with FPOW allows me to do that."

Kelly and her chocolate lab mixed breed, Shergar, try to visit Powhatan at least once per week. But Kelly is a new mom (to one-year-old Jack), so trying to find time to volunteer can be a challenge. "Even on nights when I'm tired and think of not going, I still go. And on every single night that happens, I drive home after our visit with a smile on my face - and I'm thankful I decided to go."

Oftentimes, Kelly finds herself on the phone with her mom after her visits, "telling her about an especially rewarding experience or conversation I had. The residents who remind me of my grandma have a particularly special effect on me."

Kelly was very close to her grandmother, who died at the age of 91, and "considered her a friend. So part of my desire to volunteer was selfish because I wanted to spend time with people who could make me smile, lend their wisdom, and share their experiences."

"I also knew of the benefits of pet therapy, especially as related to people with Alzheimer's. I knew Shergar had a great temperament and loved being loved, so I figured the pairing with the nursing home would be a perfect match."

Kelly has volunteered since 2006 and has served on the Speaker's Bureau as well as the FPOW Board of Directors.

"When I first started visiting, I wondered if it would last. Shergar was a bit scared and seemed to enjoy visiting the other dogs more than visiting the residents. But after one extended period when we couldn't visit because we were out of town, Shergar whined in the car as soon as she figured out we were going back to Powhatan. She couldn't wait to get out of the car and into the activities room to visit the residents... and no doubt to look for dinner leftovers on the floor. That was a wonderful turning point."

Kelly says "the best part of volunteering is, hands down, the look on the residents' faces when they realize it's Tuesday night and 'the dogs are here!'". I love fulfilling their requests when they ask me to send in certain dogs to see them. To know that we've brightened their day is priceless."