The therapy pets of PAWS of CNY were back on campus at SUNY Oswego on Saturday, September 9 for Lakerfest to enjoy the festivities. Lakerfest is an event SUNY Oswego puts on to welcome freshman and to relieve their early semester stress. As the new freshmen were beginning their college careers, PAWS of CNY’s therapy pets were there to help them settle into the start of the new semester, and ease their homesickness. The therapy pets were there from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The certified therapy teams in attendance included Joanne Arndt Coe and Bill Coe and their Mixed Breeds Webber and Allie, Holly Besaw and her Siamese Cat Hector, Joy Hawksby and her Golden Retriever Keno, Chisty Nappi and her Pomeranian Mix Charlie, Dianne Restuccio and her Golden Retriever Enzo, Dianne Rogers and Mary Berger and their Shi Tzu Sammy, Martha Sturtz and her Golden Retriever Flyer, and Sue Vaughn and her Labrador Retriever Mix Bert.
There was a wide range of fun activities at Lakerfest. There was food, music, games, cotton candy, a DJ, an inflatable obstacle course, and tarot readings. Jessie Schafer, PAWS of CNY’s newest student intern and SUNY Oswego student, was at Lakerfest and got to witness the joy that the therapy pets brought to the students.
“The students absolutely love having the therapy dogs there because a lot of them miss their dogs they had to leave at home,” said Schaefer.
PAWS of CNY has brought much joy to college students over the years, between helping them relieve their stress over finals, midterms, and the stress of transitioning from high school to college. These therapy pets made the lives of the students at SUNY Oswego that Saturday both memorable and fun.
Check out the gallery below to see photos from the event.
-By Kyle Andrake
