General Meeting January 8th: Minutes

We had a great meeting at Baptist on January 8th. Sorry some of you did not make it. You missed the opportunity to meet some really excited folks--excited about beginning their adventures in pet therapy--and in make some decisions regarding the direction of our program for the next year. But here are the minutes. Hope all will be able to attend the upcoming events. YOU are an important part of this organization whether you have been a member for 4 years of 4 days--YOU are important!!!!!!

Meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m. in the Magnolia/Cypress room of Baptist Hospital.
Those Attending: Kathy Smartt, Brian Knight, Seawillow Edwards, Tana Perricone, Amanda Leifeste, Gina Longoria, Sherri Thibodeaux (Secret and Sidney) , Cathy Lempa, Rachael Harper, Niesy Bevilacqua, Denice Romero (Mae--the TV star), Perry Higginbotham, Janice Bodenhamer, James Sheperd and Jasmine, Sara Gubala (Kennedy), Carolyn S. (LiLi--hearing service), Jo Ann Russell (Holly), and Vicki Holcombe.

After individual introductions, each person was given the name of another in the group. Each person is to make contact with their assigned member at least once a month in the next quarter.

Decision was made to hold quarterly meeting of the group; two will be for handler training/education, one with the dogs for training, and one general business. Sherri will be preparing to make a presentation on autism and pet therapy.

Jo Ann empowered all members to research and make contact with those facilities or programs they are interested in serving. She stated she will be a resource to help in the development and will be glad to meet with the member and facility personnel. She also encouraged members to continue to be aware of ways to bring in funds/donations to be used by the group to serve our residents, clients, and children.

Two members, Rhonda and Perry, will be going to the February Delta Society Practicum in Waco. Five members indicated interest in being READ registered and beginning READ programs.

Kathy Klotz, ITA Executive Director, and Connie Sharkey, Idaho Area Coordinator, will be making a trip to Texas in early April specifically to visit with HPHP and Paws members. For the benefit of all of us, they will be doing a READ workshop, on the Saturday of their visit. The finally arrangemenets will be announced shortly.

Jo Ann reviewed the membership handbook. Members were encouraged to look for ways to share the Safety Around Dogs program. The steps for beginning the READ program were outlined and those who are interested in being in the READ program were asked to let her know so READ home study manuals could be ordered. Members were encouraged to look at the videos on www.YouTube.com/ita4me. There is a video to use to introduce READ to the school personnel, one to introduce READ to the librarian, and three READ training videos.

Jo Ann thanked Vicki Holcombe for the use of the room and the continuing support of the members of Paws as they serve the patients of Baptist hospital.

Meeting adjourned at 11:30/

The visit by ITA executive team: Kathy and Connie has been set for the first weekend in March. On Saturday there will be a READ workshop for everyone to participate in. You are welcome if you are interested in READ, think you might be interested someday, just want to know more about READ, or just want to be with the group!!! How is that for being inclusive?

I am working on a site in Cleveland, TX (on highway 105) as this would be halfway or near abouts halfway, between Huntsville and Beaumont. This means everyone will have to travel some. The other option is to have it in either Huntsville or Beaumont, then one group will have to travel all the way and the other group responsible for hosting. HPHP is willing to host and make all the arrangements, if we are willing to carpool and drive up there for the day. If it is in Cleveland, we in the Liberty area will propbably be doing most of the "arranging".

I'll do what you want to do. I will need help if we do it in Cleveland from all the Paws folk.

If it is in Huntsville we will have to carpool; but I think we could have a lot of fun doing so. Then you newbies would get to meet a lot of the HPHP folk and they will have to do all the work.

The main thing is I want us to have an OUTSTANDING TURN OUT. We may be new, but we are enthused, interested, and excited. And folks, this is an exciting opportunity because the national Executive Director of ITA is coming here to meet YOU (she knows me) and to do a READ workshop as well as discuss anything about ITA that crosses your mind.

I need to hear from you, each of you, now. As I have to tell Diane Carpenter what our decision is. Speak your opinion NOW. PLAN TO ATTEND NOW

Either would be good ,but i think going to Huntsville would be fun and less work for JoAnn and us.

If I get to vote, I'm with Lyvone---I'm for less work as janice and I usually have the responsibility for the workshops and evaluations. And fun too