Meeting a Service Dog in Training

Hi, it's me, William. I am so excited because on Sunday after church I meet a service dog in training. A beautiful yellow, soft, fluffy dog named Maestro. I got so many kisses from Maestro and gave so many hugs, it was neat. We got to be together for only a few minutes since we both had to go home. Some kid is really going to be lucky to get Maestro as their very own special dog.

Mom and Dad say a lot of people are helping me get my own special dog. I can't wait 'cause I love dogs. Mom and Dad can't wait either because my own dog will help keep me safe.

If you know me, you know I don't say a whole lot. But thanks to everyone who is helping.

Bye for now!

How to donate

We are celebrating that our fundraising total is $4,962 - almost halfway to our goal of $13,000.00 to unite William and his service dog. The excitement is mounting with every donation.

People are asking how they can donate. There are two primary ways to particpate:

1. Go to: http://4pawsforability.org/donation.html. Once there, you'll see a PayPal logo. Click on it to make your donation. Under "special instructions" please include: "In honor of William Burke".

2. Send a check directly to: 4 Paws for Ability, Inc.
235 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, OH 45385

In the memo line of your check, please write: "In honor of William Burke".

We are in the process of scheduling several fundraising events. Please keep checking back for details.

Thanks!

Adopting a Service dog

Our homeschooling morning started off with reading about different types of dogs that live in various parts of the word. Our 7 year old daughter asks: "So what will we call our new dog?"

"The dog will already come with a name just like you came to our family with a name."

"Does that mean we'll adopt the dog like you adopted us?"

"Yes, we'll adopt the dog into our family."

"Oh good. That means he'll be part of our forever family"

And William says: "Yes, me" while signing dog!

Sometimes kids get it quicker than we do.

New Fundraising Total

We are so grateful that our fundraising total to 4 Paws in William's honor is now up to $2,680. That puts us a tail wag closer to having William's new furry best friend come home to him.

The other day we stopped in at some friends' house. They have several dogs. William walked into the house, sat down on the floor and just played with the dogs. One of the dogs came and sat on William's lap - snuggling with him. I think dogs have a way of knowing which people or kids are dog people. William bent down and gave the dog a kiss. The dog looked at William and gave him a sloppy dog kiss. He just giggled giving the dog a big hug. William was in 7th heaven with all these dogs. William has always had a special bond with dogs.

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who has donated to 4 paws in honor of William. We've reached our first milestone of $1,180 donated towards our goal of $13,000. (We count each $1,000 given counts as a milestone in our journey.) That brings us 1 paw step closer to uniting William and his furry best friend! Thank you to everyone who reached into their hearts (and their wallets) to give.

We are in the process of setting up several fundraisers after the New Year. Please keep checking for details.

Giving thanks...

We've been given permission to share this message from Zachary's mom, Kristy. They are so excited to be part of the December training class at 4 Paws for Ability, Inc. in Xenia, Ohio. We celebrate with them!


Giving thanks...


Well, we leave for Ohio exactly one week from today! I can't even believe it. Where did the past 8 weeks go since we found out that we'd be part of the December training class?? It seems like we just sent out our letter to family and friends explaining Zachary's unique needs and asking for their support. This has been a humbling and emotional experience for Joe and I to say the very least. So many people have opened their hearts to us; the outpouring of support is still mind boggling. At the risk of sounding cliche, I have always liked giving more than receiving. Yes, it's always fun to get a surprise or open a gift that you've always wanted, but there's still nothing quite like feeling of knowing you did something to make someone happy...you made a difference in someone's life. With every donation made, kind word spoken and hug that was given, each and every person has made a tremendous difference in our day, but most importantly, Zachary's life. And, for that we will be forever grateful.

When you experience the triumphs and challenges of raising a child with special needs, you live in a world that is much different from the norm. You celebrate the little things in life that you would have otherwise taken for granted. You notice things in the world around you that you otherwise would have never seen or heard. You live a sometimes unpredictable life that would otherwise be mundane. You find an inner-strength and resolve that would have otherwise never risen from you. For as much heartache as we feel some days when we see Zachary struggle, he has given us a gift so precious and one that no other person could have ever given to us....perspective. When you experience the triumphs and challenges of raising a child with special needs, you have an entirely different perspective on life that you otherwise would have never had. Zachary has given us the gift of understanding the need to slow down and appreciate the truly important things in life like family, happiness and true love. God knows it's not always easy, but it really is a wonderful, simple way to live your life. And, for that we will be forever grateful to him.

Happy Thanksgiving! xoxo

~~Kristy
Mommy to Zachary (6 1/2) and his new best-girl, Aubrey.

http://zachsdog.blogspot.com

Lesson We've Learned from William

William is one of our heroes. Here are some of the many things he has taught us:

Kisses still heal.

A "William" hug will bring a smile to anyone's face. He gives the best-est hugs.

As our Canadian friends say: "No worries". William lives in the moment and is not stressed out by the calendar or the clock.

Love is a gift to be shared. And William is the best at sharing his love. Unconditional love is the greatest gift to give.

A good game of peek-a-boo will make you laugh.

If at first you don't succeed, keep trying. William simply signs "again."

Snuggling is great exercise anytime of the day or night.

Blowing bubbles can be done inside and outside. William's prescription to everyone is to do it at least twice a day. It will make you giggle.

Exploring is great exercise. It also keeps your parents on their toes!

Everything has more than one function. Mattresses can become slides. Chairs and blankets can become tents. Stairs are simply ski moguls without the snow. However, going down them in a laundry basket gives you too much speed. And one more stair lesson - doing somersaults down the stairs is best left to professional stunt people.

You have to laugh everyday. It makes everyone feel better.

Books are better when you share them with your friends especially when dad reads them to you.

All play dough should be edible. Ask my mom for her recipe. Mmmmmm.......