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Gracie the Animal Assisted Therapy Dog

Please Note: The dog in the accompanying photograph is the subject of the story, but any persons shown are probably not those in the story.

Photograph of Gracie dog

For almost a year, Gracie and I have been fortunate to visit Widney, which is a special education high school in Los Angeles.

The kids have a wide range of abilities and Gracie has a great instinct when it comes to what each child wants from her. She gives lots (and lots) of kisses to those students who love that, and sits calmly by students who are hesitant and want to gain confidence. The kids also have a great time giving her treats!

Gracie has become a staple at Widney, with both teachers and students looking forward to her visits.

At one of our visits, the art teacher took a picture of Gracie. She assigned her students a project to create a portrait of Gracie. When we visited the next month, sure enough, there were 15 beautiful oil pastels on canvas of Gracie!

We were so happy and honored to receive such beautiful artwork.

As is always the case with volunteering, you get so much more than what you give.

Widney is one of our favorite places to visit and we are so grateful to get to be a part of their lives! They are truly one of the special locations and individuals we visit!