On Friday June 19, PAWS of CNY volunteers Kevin Campbell and his leonberger “Chase,” Anna Mayerhofer and her dachshund “Lumpi,” and Jessica Marabella and her chocolate labrador “Blue,” visited with participants at Hutchings Psychiatric Center’s Sunrise Recovery Center in Syracuse. The team was accompanied by a producer from WCNY as well as Dr. Rich O’Neill, a psychologist at Upstate University Hospital and the show’s host. During the visit, the team from WCNY interviewed volunteers from PAWS of CNY, as well as consumer at the Sunrise Recovery Center.

Follow the link below to watch the episode of Cycle of Health that aired on December 25. PAWS of CNY is featured in The third segment, beginning around minute 17:00.

Cycle of Health

On December 9, PAWS of CNY volunteer John Neuffer and his golden retriever Molly attended a de-stress event for students at SUNY ESF. Students were encouraged to take a break from studying, and re-charge their batteries with some pet assisted wellness services from PAWS of CNY.
[Read more…]

Anyone who has ever survived finals week in high school or college likely remembers all too well the anxiety that surrounds all night study sessions, late night cramming, and nights where sleep is replaced with project work and paper-writing. For students at Syracuse University, December mid-terms are filled with such late night workloads. To help students receive some much needed rest, relaxation and wellness, PAWS of CNY once again attended the University’s Pancake Breakfast at the Schine Student Center on December 5 from 10:00 pm to 1:00 am. Armed with a fluffy, tail-wagging team of therapy dogs ready to work, PAWS of CNY volunteers helped Syracuse University students to de-stress just in time for finals. [Read more…]

On November 10 PAWS of CNY celebrated their 15 year Anniversary with a volunteer appreciation event at Greenwood Winery in East Syracuse. Over 70 volunteers attended the event to celebrate the organization’s success with one another.

“Our mission since our founding has not changed,” said Danielle Basciano, president of PAWS of CNY. “Even though we have grown exponentially over the past fifteen years, we are still an organization committed to bringing warmth, friendship and companionship to those in need. The interest that we consistently see from facilities and organizations in our community looking to partner with PAWS of CNY reinforces how important it is for us to continue offering pet assisted wellness services to Central New York.”

Another aspect of the organization that has not changed since its founding is its operating methodology.

“Our organization is still managed today as it was fifteen years ago,” said Basciano. “We are 100 percent operated and managed by volunteers, and financed by donations. We have no paid, or full-time staff members. Everyone who volunteers for our organization does so because they believe in the healing benefits of the human-animal bond, and because they want to bring happiness to the lives of others. It has truly been an honor to be a part of this organization for the past fifteen years.”

During the event, continuous service awards were given to the following volunteers:

Five Years of Continuous Service:

Brenda Alkins
Carol Bertelli
Donna Coe
Debby Emlen
Pamela Getek
Linda & Jim LeMessurier
Jenn MacArthur
Lynne Philley
Ronna Richardson
Dawn & David Rodgers
Yvonne Rugg
Delores Vassallo
Dawn & Colin Wolff
Bill Wright

Ten Years of Service:

Beverly Lauricella

A distinguished service award was also given to Danielle Basciano for dedicating fifteen years of service to PAWS of CNY. In addition to fifteen years of participation in PAWS of CNY, Danielle has served on the Board of Directors for fourteen years, and has been President of the organization for over ten.

The annual Flo Peters Memorial Award for dedicated volunteer service was given this year to Jessica Marabella. The Flo Peters Memorial Award was created in honor of Flo Peters, a passionate, and dedicated PAWS of CNY volunteer who lost her battle to cancer.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for fifteen years of exceptional service and dedication!