LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry was honored to be invited to give a presentation on the outreach services the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry provides as well as send LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their handlers to greet, comfort and love the critical care nurses that attended the Annual Northern Illinois Chapter of American Association of Critical Care Nurses (NIAACN) Trauma Symposium for the Northern Illinois Chapter of American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Becky Kilvinger, who coordinates LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Charity and the team at Brookfield Lutheran Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin gave an informative and emotionally impactful presentation on how the ministry extends into the communities and nationally, specifically serving nurses, hospitals and other first responders. There was so much joy in the room as the critical care nurses spent their breaks between sessions, snuggled up in the warmth of LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield - Brookfield, Wisconsin) and Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dogs Brutus and Nigel (LCC Staff), and LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs in Training Abednego, Meshach, Olive, Saul, Shadrach, Zechariah, and Zion. Upon seeing the Comfort Dogs, the nurses lit up the room with their beautiful smiles. It was wonderful to see them relaxing as they spent time with our Comfort Dogs and their handlers. A small Heart of Mercy & Compassion from LCC was presented to each of the critical care nurses at the NIAACN Trauma Symposium as encouragement and thanks for all they do. We give thanks to God for these skilled, compassionate, and trained nurses who provide essential and immediate care to their patients. Their days are ever-changing, with extended hours and significant stress. We lift them up for God’s protection from the strain of their workload and to be comforted by His love, peace, and presence so they can continue forward with the much-needed care and assistance they provide to so many people. May 6 through May 12 is National Nurses’ Week, a moment to recognize, celebrate, encourage, and support all the nurses for their dedication to caring for others and improving the health of their patients. "May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands." (Psalm 90:17) LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Provide Solace to Families During National Crime Victims Rights Week in Chicago4/29/2024
Over the weekend, on Saturday, April 27, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs, Emma, Grace, and Hannah (LCC Staff) provided solace to families who have lost loved ones to gun violence in Chicago this year. The Chicago Police Department (CPD) organized a vigil for 45 families during National Crime Victims Rights Week, allowing them to share their stories and unite as a community to offer support and access resources provided by the CPD. The presence of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs, known for their ability to bring smiles in the midst of tears, particularly lifted the spirits of the children present at the event.
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry Recognized for Impactful Support Provided to Old Quarry Middle4/29/2024
On Wednesday April 24th, the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry was recognized at the District 113A Board Meeting for their impactful support provided to Old Quarry Middle School in Lemont, Illinois. The principal, Joe Sweeney, expressed deep appreciation for their presence following the loss of 7th grade student, Joey Fornero, in March. He remarked, "I couldn't thank this organization enough for bringing their dogs and bringing the comfort to our students." The LCC K-9 Ministry responded to the call for comfort, visiting the school for four consecutive days and even attending Joey Fornero's wake. The principal emphasized the significance of their presence, especially for students experiencing loss for the first time, particularly the loss of a peer, which can be incredibly difficult to navigate. The timing of the acknowledgment aligned perfectly with National Volunteer Week, a fitting tribute to our amazing LCC K-9 Comfort Dog handlers, who truly exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and compassion. Present at the meeting were LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Jael (Trinity - Hobart, Indiana), Jeremiah and Michael (LCC Staff) with their handlers, along with LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dogs Brutus and Nigel (LCC Staff) with their veteran handlers. The principal commended each handler for their exceptional qualities, stating, "each one of you handlers are truly amazing individuals," and recognizing their ability to interact with students, provide comfort, and demonstrate key attributes that he looks for in educators and people working with his students. We are so honored that Principal Joe Sweeney and the District 113A Board took time to express their gratitude to the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and give praise to God for this great partnership.
LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Devorah and Zacchaeus (Redeemer - Fort Collins, Colorado) were invited by Weld County’s Victim Assistance Coordinator to be present at a “Missing in Colorado” event this past Friday, April 19. It was a gathering to bring “options, services and hope for crime survivors” in honor of Victim’s Rights Week. Redeemer's team has been to “Missing in Colorado” events before in the state of Colorado and this is a new location for them in northern Colorado. They got invited due to the fact that they just started bringing Zacchaeus Comfort Dog to Greeley Police Department and the Weld County Sheriff’s office records department and they could see the impact he had to bring comfort and calmness to these agencies. Comfort Dogs Devorah and Zacchaeus and their team greeted the attendees and stayed for a short portion of their program. They also reunited with two FBI Agent Supervisors who invited them to be with the “Evidence Investigators” from the King Soopers mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado in 2021. "They remembered us and loved on the pups and thanked us so much for being there today for this important event," says Bonnie Fear, Comfort Dog Ministry Leader at Redeemer. "National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, or '911 Appreciation Week' as we call it, is one of our favorite weeks for the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Collins, Colorado," says Bonnie Fear, Comfort Dog Ministry Leader and handler for LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Devorah and Zacchaeus (Redeemer - Fort Collins, Colorado). Early in their ministry, Redeemer's team came up with an idea on how to connect with these special people. One of the things they have found is how difficult it is sometimes to describe the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry over the phone to someone unfamiliar with it because it is a unique ministry of presence. So, the team called local police departments and asked if they could drop off some items to show their love and support for their 911 dispatchers. "Oh, and we let them know that we have two Golden Retrievers who would also like to show their thanks. That got us in the door immediately," says Bonnie. Now, Devorah and Zacchaeus visit once a month, and local police departments and 911 dispatch are their regular visits. "We are branching out and adding two more police departments on our calendar by the end of May," adds Bonnie. To present day the Redeemer team calls their 911 “friends” at three of their local police departments and schedules three different “shift” times during the second week in April to spend time with all dispatchers and bring them a small token of their love and appreciation for what they do. "They told us, 'Gifts aren’t necessary; just bring Devorah and Zacchaeus.' That works for us!” says Bonnie. This year, they dropped off appreciation gifts without the dogs to one of their local 911 agencies, which are currently working on getting us approved to bring Devorah and Zacchaeus on regular monthly visits. "I think they found out we were serious about how thankful we are for them by not bringing the dogs! They said it won’t be long before we get them in the door," says Bonnie. As the years have passed, the Redeemer team developed trust and personal human relationships with this special group of people. They are “on call” to bring Devorah and Zacchaeus Comfort Dogs after critical incident situations to bring calmness and quiet to their hearts and minds. "We have a bond and understanding of each other and our passion for serving people. This is a very important part of what we do to bring comfort to first responders," says Bonnie. LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry was requested to be there for the students and staff at Slinger Middle School in Slinger, Wisconsin, on Monday after the loss of Evan, an 8th-grade student. The school family at Slinger Middle School is mourning Evan’s sudden loss and needs the support of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their handlers. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield - Brookfield, Wisconsin), Hagar (Faith Lutheran - Appleton, Wisconsin), Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), Rhoda (Prince of Peace - Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin), and Samaria (Shepherd of the Hills - Greenville, Wisconsin) were there, offering comfort and warm cuddles to the students and staff as the handlers listened with love and compassion. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry team walked alongside them in their grief. Near the end of the visit, a small group of kids from the special education class spent time with the Comfort Dogs and handlers. One young man was in a state of pure joy with LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Samaria! His speech was impaired, yet he tried to say “Samaria” as it meant so much to him to say her name. He got close as he struggled with the pronunciation; it was a beautiful moment! Another boy from the class came by twice and got so close but then just couldn’t touch Samaria. His teacher said he has never been able to touch a dog. The third time he came around to see her, he could touch Samaria on the head. The team loved how both these boys worked so hard to face their own challenges, and with love, patience, and support, they did! Those two boys made a memorable and emotional impact on Samaria’s team. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7) Last weekend was busy as new handlers spent long days training and learning more about the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry. Each handler worked with either their affiliate’s dog or an LCC K-9 Comfort Dog in training. LCC was blessed to have affiliates from Las Vegas, Nevada; Mequon, Wisconsin; Toledo, Ohio; Williamsburg, Virginia; and Oviedo, Florida, represented at the Replacement Handler training last weekend. LCC is happy to welcome these outstanding individuals who have been called to go out and serve their home communities to share the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those in need. LCC welcomes the following new handlers to the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry: Heidi Albrecht - King of Glory, Williamsburg, Virginia, with LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Solomon Cheri Baker - Good Shepherd, Las Vegas, Nevada, with LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Lois Abigail Bekx - Concordia University, Mequon, Wisconsin, with LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Sage Charles Fahncke - Trinity Toledo, Ohio, with LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Lazarus Chandra Lillemoen - St. Luke's, Oviedo, Florida, with LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Moriah Andrew Santibanez - Faith Community, Las Vegas, Nevada, with LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Salome Lutheran Church Charities is honored to welcome United States Navy veteran Chuck Fahncke and United States Air Force veteran Heidi Albrecht to the LCC Kare-9 Military Ministry. |
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