Changing Paths

Most of you know that we have been working towards getting my daughter a service dog for quite a while. She was even matched with a dog (Bella) from an un-named organization. Things have not been feeling quite right to us for some time, so after much soul searching and talking we withdrew our daughter from the program.

The organization had stopped sending us any updates. No pictures, nor any real training updates. When we would ask, they said they were too busy, but maybe later...

As I began to get more frustrated with the lack of communication, we began looking deeper. We couldn't find any previous "matches" to talk with. It turns out we would be their very first attempt at a service animal, even though their website portrays them as having done this many times. 

I then contacted Siberian Husky breeders in several midwest states to see if they were even legitimate and found out that other breeders had not heard of them. However every single breeder and rescue organization who wrote me back, expressed serious concern about a very young husky being a service dog for a child. That got me looking even further, so I contacted several long standing service dog organizations and they all expressed concern about the breed choice and age of Bella also. One SD organization here in WA even found out after looking at the organizations website, that they had violated their copyrights by copying information word for word from them. At that point, the red flags were just too much for us. 

I no longer felt comfortable that this was the right match for us. That left us in a quandary.

There were two different paths we could follow to our goal, one was to get back on wait lists for a fully trained service dog and hope for a better match (and at a cost of $13,500), or the second option was to find a suitable dog with the help of the Humane Society and take the dog ourselves through basic/advanced/CGC training, then to Seattle Service Dog Academy (cost of approx $5000). 

We spent Tuesday at the Kitsap Humane Society, interacting with a 2 year chocolate lab they thought was the right blend of smart, eager to learn and right temperament. After playing for 30 minutes, Faith looked at her and said "You are my dog. You are Daisy. You will be mine." So the route we will be going is basic/advanced obedience training, followed by CGC then over to Seattle Service Dog Academy. This is not the "easy" route, since it puts much more stress on us as a family to begin with, but it is the right one. Thank you to the Kitsap Humane Society for for helping, and understanding. You are amazing.

Without further ado.....Meet Daisy!

Tomorrow!!!!

Raise the Woof Fundraiser this Sunday the 17th in our parking lot from 11-5

Hot Dogs and Drinks

Cupcake Decorating Station

Live Music by Chris Switzer 12-3

Kitsap County Fire Dept Truck 11 & 3

Bella Cupcake Couture Wrapper Design Station

Balloon Animals

Magic Show

Silent Auction

Cupcake Walk

$5.00 donated for every Dozen Sold

FLAMINGO FLOCKING

 

Here at Bella Bella Cupcakes as we have grown as a local business it happens to be the custom that our local fans and customers have generally become wonderful friends and part of our family. Over the months as our fan base has grown, we have began putting names to faces as fans let us know who they were when they venture our way at the local farmer’s market and store.

We have been honored in being a part of so many celebrations in our new friend’s lives. The joy of celebrating that final mortgage payment, a family party, a retirement, a wedding, or just coming in and getting a treat, we have enjoyed meeting and serving so many of our friends and family.

You should have seen our excitement when we first launched our Facebook page and we were notified we had our first fan! James Creighton?!?

With James Creighton as our first Facebook fan we didn't just get our first fan, we got a family! James, Allison, Andrea, Jon, Seth and Faith Creighton. Our friendship began to grow as we would ambush James in front of Target with cupcakes on a random day (Allison let us know). We soon started to learn more about what purpose we served for James and Allison, a treat. Treats come in all shapes and forms....A bubble bath, motorcycle ride, walk with a friend and even in the form of Bella Bella Cupcakes!

On any given day they would steal some time for themselves and join us for a treat and a smile. Soon we began meeting the kids and even Faith began to look forward to us as a treat. Inevitably the Creighton Family began to be a visit that we at Bella Bella looked forward to.

When we first heard of the desire to match Faith with a service dog we thought what a wonderful idea. Our second thought, how can we help? After a meeting of the minds we came up with this amazing plan:

 

Raise the Woof Fundraiser this Sunday the 17th in our parking lot from 11-5

Hot Dogs and Drinks

Cupcake Decorating Station

Live Music by Chris Switzer 12-3

Kitsap County Fire Dept Truck 11 & 3

Bella Cupcake Couture Wrapper Design Station

Balloon Animals

Magic Show

Silent Auction

Cupcake Walk

$5.00 donated for every Dozen Sold

FLAMINGO FLOCKING

 

What will we be doing with the money raised you might ask.  Our friend and loyal fan Faith, has been recently matched with a very special  service dog that is being trained by Animals for Autism of Tulula, Illinois.  Her service dog, Bella, has recently begun an intensive training program to give her the skills necessary of both a mobility assistance and an allergy dog.  Her training will be completed early in the summer of 2012.  The cost of Bella and her training itself have both been paid for with a portion of a grant from the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project which was just recently awarded to Animals for Autism.  Among the last of our uncovered costs is our travel expenses when we head to Illinois for the final phase of Bella’s training.  We will need to be in Illinois for 7 – 10 days before we would return home to Silverdale.

You can read more about our journey at the following websites:

http://raisethewoof4faith.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/RaisetheWoof4Faith

A Brief History of Faith

Faith was born at Trident Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina.  She was a much anticipated, most welcome addition to our family of five.  Her brothers and sister anxiously waited with friends while Mom and Dad went to the hospital.  All was well, with everything right on schedule as we checked into the hospital.  I could say that everything else went without a hitch but that wouldn’t be entirely true – shortly after her birth Faith stopped breathing and was resuscitated by our delivery nurse.  We still vividly recall her call for help into the intercom.  During the first several weeks we noticed that Faith wasn’t nursing and was developing a full body rash that would not go away.  We switched from one formula to the next, trying everything we could but with no luck.  Allergy testing revealed life-threatening allergies to dairy, soy, egg, wheat, corn, oat, peanut and all tree nuts.  And through it all she fought on.  Just when we thought we had a handle on our daughter’s medical issues we were given the news that she had suffered a stroke just prior to birth as the developmental and physical delays became more and more evident.

She began a rigorous therapy program to include Early Intervention services and private Physical and Occupational Therapy. Each developmental step achieved, each milestone gained, was a blessing.  We truly did not know what the future held for our little girl.  Our daughter is still a medical mystery.  She has many diagnoses, among them Autism, mild hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy, hemi facial micro soma, global developmental delay, Familial Mediterranean Fever Syndrome, left ventricle hardening of her heart, reduced kidney function and kidney scarring and Sensory Integration Dysfunction.  She has recently graduated from being G-tube fed.  It has been quite the journey so far, a scant 7 years and yet through it all she has brought so much joy and happiness to our world.  During hospitalizations she was known to bring her nurses to tears with her thank you’s.  Her heart goes out to those she feels are hurt or abandoned.

We recently visited her grandparents.  During our visit the inevitable meltdown occurred.  The complete change in routine was just too much for her to handle.  Within moments Grandma’s dog, a sweet little Corgi, is over by Faith.  A few nuzzles, some nudges and the meltdown begins to subside almost as quickly as it had started.  Watching the interaction between animal and child made us realize how important it could be to Faith.

Here we are, with this loving child who wants nothing more than to be part of the world as best as she can.  She becomes easily tired, wants constant contact with her Mom or Dad (mostly Mom – Dad is an active duty Navy Submariner) who becomes overwhelmed if presented with too much unknown all at once.  She is a creature of habit, with a strict adherence to the plan as it is laid in her mind.  A buffer, in the form of someone familiar, helps to ease her fears.  And this is where the service dog would begin to make the greatest impact.  Allowing her the security to transition between the familiar and that which is new, giving her the additional support to keep moving forward, the extra hands to recover those things that she could not hold.

You might be wondering what a service dog would do for a person.  For many disabled people, service dogs bridge the gap of disability and ability.  Service dogs help their human partners become more independent by providing assistance walking and navigating their environment, retrieving dropped items and returning them, helping to open doors, providing a sense of security by acting as a barrier between their partner and the rest of the world.  They also provide emotional support when needed most; interrupting self-harming behavior, alerting others of wandering, and easing transitions by providing a constant calming presence. A service dog will undergo many months of training in the general area of need for their disabled human partner, followed by many more months of training that is specialized for their partner’s specific needs.  This extensive specialized training results in not only high cost (as much as $20,000 in some cases) but also long wait times as the dog progresses through the initial phases and into its specialized training.  The simple reality of our situation is even though we love our daughter immeasurably, we cannot be with her 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but a service dog can.

With your help this is possible.
 

Donna WhartonBella Bella Cupcakes
10726 Silverdale Way, Suite 107
Silverdale, WA 98383
360-908-8096
WWW.BellaBellaCupcakes.com

Music and Kitsap Cards!

Our local Kitsap Card has come through for Raise the Woof! 

The first 40 people who purchase Flamingo Flocks of 20 or more will get a Kitsap Card FREE!!!!!

AND>>>>>>

Chris Switzer playing in Silverdale for "Raise the Woof" Fundraiser

Share · Public Event

Time	Sunday, July 17 · 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Location	Bella Bella Cupcakes 10726 NW Silverdale Way Silverdale, WA
Created By	Chris Switzer
More Info	Chris Switzer from the Acoustic duo "Shattered Image" will be playing an OUTDOOR fundraising benefit in Silverdale, Sunday 17 July at Noon. If you live locally, swing by Bella Bella Cupcakes in Silverdale between 11 and 5… this Sunday, July 17th! The Central Kitsap Fire Department will have the trucks out at 11am and again at 3pm. Outdoor BBQ!!!!! http://www.jennyonthespot.​com/community/raise-the-wo​of-a-service-dog-for-7-yea​r-old-faith/

Ever seen a flamingo up close?

Under the cover of darkness, our secret operative(s) from our group will visit a member of the community's front yard and proceed to fill it with 20+ Pink Flamingos! In order to have the obnoxious pink birds removed, the "victim" is then encouraged to make a donation to the our cause. Once a donation is made, the "victim" gets to choose who will be the next recipient of the Flamingo Flock. Then the Flamingos begin their migration to the next selected recipient after dark. If the "victim" chooses not to make a donation the flamingos will roost in the yard until early evening when they will be removed by members of our team, brought in for a checkup and then sent back out with our secret operative(s). This cycle continues until the fund raiser is over.  Keep in mind that the flocking is done in good spirits and is not meant to be mean.  

A few twists to help keep things interesting.  You may purchase FLOCKING INSURANCE which will insure that the Flamingos will never visit your yard by paying the "insurance premium" up front.  If you have been flocked and would like to know then you may ask us to SNITCH on the person who ordered the visit unless they purchased ANTI-SNITCH INSURANCE when they placed the order (At this point we would be obligated to politely decline your request to know who sent our friends to visit you).

And now since I know it is on your mind, here is our Flamingo Flocking Menu:

Small Flock (10 birds) - $10

Medium Flock (20 birds) - $15

Large Flock (30 birds) - $20

Flocking Insurance  - $30

Snitch - $5

Anti-Snitch Insurance - $10

Flamingo Removal -  FREE *will occur in the evening*

All orders for can be placed at here in our store in Silverdale.  We are at 10726 Silverdale Way, Suite 107, Silverdale, WA 98383.  If you have questions please feel free to stop in, or call us at 360-908-8096.

Again, we would like to thank you for your help and your sense of humor!

See anything you want?

It's almost time for the Raise the Woof Silent Auction and Fun Day! It will be July 17th between 11am and 5pm. We have now posted all items that will be available and the starting bids on our Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.245648212111930.77913.211688165507935

We hope to see you there!

Dogs need stuff, naturally!

Do you remember a couple weeks ago when we were asking you to stop by Naturally 4 Paws 5th Birthday Bash?

The tally is in....

With your help, Naturally 4 Paws was able to raise $850!! How awesome are you???

Naturally 4 Paws is presenting Raise The Woof with a gift card in that amount to use to purchase food and supplies for Bella once she is home. We are so blessed!

Are you local to the Kitsap area? Do you shop at Naturally 4 Paws? You should!

Have a PEPSI and a smile.

We were blessed with a grant from Animal for Autism and the Pepsi Refresh Project to cover the cost of Bella!!! We are soooo gateful!! We still need to raise the funds to get Bella home and have funds set aside for her future medical care though so the silent auction is still on!

Breaking News: Autism Service Animals To Be Placed Free Of Charge

By LM Kaydus Dated: Jun 30, 2011

Thanks to a grant from Pepsi's Refresh Everything Program, Animals for Autism will place 10 autism service animals.

During May, LM Kaydus, founder of Animals for Autism, competed for a $50,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Everything Program. The funding attempt was successful, and, as a result, ten families will receive autism service animals for their children living with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD.)

While not appropriate in every case, Autism Service Animals are a wonderful addition to the treatment programs of many individuals on the autism spectrum. According to USA Today, "A 2004 study showed

assistance dogs could help autistic children learn about living beings, feelings and needs..." animals can:

*Help save lives by preventing wandering. *Provide opportunities for positive social interaction in the community. *Disrupt undesirable behaviors. *Redirect their owners. *Provide structure to daily living. *Help teach respect and responsibility. *Prevent meltdowns. *Calm their owners with pressure therapy. *Provide sensory awareness. *Increase self-esteem. -and- *Provide constant companionship.

The official recipient announcement was just made this afternoon at http://

Service

www.facebook.com/AnimalsforAutism As of July, 2011, the recipients being funded by the Pepsi Refresh Everything Program Grant are:

~Gabby Williams, daughter of Candice and Robert Williams of Springfield, Missouri ~Tommy Schatzman, son of Robert and Alyona Schatzman of Cedarburg, Wisconsin ~Chase Podkowka, son of Kim and Todd Podkowka of Lee Center, New York ~Lanie Schram, daughter of Brenda and David Schram of Williamsburg, Ohio ~Caleb Pooser, son of Ashley and Jacob Pooser of Tallahassee, Florida

~Samuel DeWitt, son of Elizabeth and David DeWitt of Mt. Orab, Ohio ~Faith Creighton, daughter of Jimmy and Allison Creighton of Silverdale, Washington ~Jake Andrade, son of Tom and Stephanie Andrade of Clovis, California ~Terrell Brown, son of Jeff and Linda Brown of LaVergne, Tennessee -and- ~Aidan Ristau, son of Kenneth and Melissa Ristau of Howard, Ohio

The recipients, all of whom have an autism spectrum disorder and are at risk of wandering, range in age from 4 to 16 years. The animals are undergoing an intensive training program and will be placed in Spring, 2012.

Animals for Autism service both children and adults across the United States. To qualify as a recipient of an autism service animal, an individual must have a diagnosis of an ASD and be at least 5 years old at the time of placement. There is no upper age limit. Program information and applications for participation can be found at http://www.siberiansnowbabies.com/animals_for_autism. Donations to help other families offset training fees are also accepted on the website.

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Training and placement of Autism Service Animals with both adults and children with autism spectrum disorders in the United States.