Jack's Quest for Pongo
Donation protected
The House O'Hickey is embarking (!) on a new adventure on behalf of our oldest son, Jack. Please consider supporting Jack & our family in our Quest for Pongo, a service dog (currently in-training) we would like to adopt as soon as possible and continue training with Jack.
Jack is 19 and has autism. Communication & processing challenges are part of the autism baggage he carries every day. This baggage is further weighted by increasing anxiety that doctors cannot pinpoint nor effectively contain with medication. Jack's increasing anxiety further affects his ability to communicate and process information effectively in the present moment. His low levels of frustration and high levels of anxiety find Jack spending time elsewhere in his head or loudly monologuing about his past or his future. There are glimmers of light, too, though: Like some typical teenage boys, he's a little (okay, a LOT) girl-crazy and has big dreams about his future (particularly to visit California and have Ellen Degeneres and a long list of his favorite musicians sing "Happy Birthday" to him). His long-term memory is amazing when it comes to meeting people and listening to music. He is gifted with radar-like hearing. He is ironically adventurous for a person who finds change so difficult. I don't think he has ever met a cookie he doesn't like. If you meet him on the dance floor, the memory of his enthusiastic dance moves and infectious smile will last a lifetime.
In January 2016, our family started attending service dog training classes offered at VIP Service Dog Foundation in Oswego, Illinois. Jack was recently matched with Pongo, a six and a half month old standard poodle...with spots! Pongo met Sister Sammie, (our 12-year-old lab mix), Sadie Sue (our 6-year-old redbone coonhound) and Jack's 11-year-old human brother Connor -- they all approve!
We've already noticed that Jack & Pongo are quite a pair: they both have a special lift in their steps when they walk together.
Jack loves to run his fingers through Pongo's silky, curly coat. Pongo enjoys pretending to be a "lap dog" -- the deep pressure of Pongo's weight on Jack's legs or stomach or chest actually helps reduce Jack's anxiety. Pongo loves to put his head on Jack's lap when they are in the car together.
We plan to use the funds we raise for Pongo to cover his adoption (which includes lifetime training classes) & eventual certification along with initial expenses (crate, bed, toys, training leads, pet insurance, microchipping, county license, etc.). We are already grateful for a couple of opportunities through VIP Service Dog Foundation from families who have been able to complete their fund raising and decided to "pay it forward" with donations in Jack & Pongo's name. We are very happy to have found this outstanding opportunity to train Pongo with Jack NOW. This provides Jack & Pongo the direction, bonding and interactions they both need to create a wonderfully meaningful, successful working relationship. We feel that relationship will open doors toward a more independent life for Jack in reducing his anxiety and increasing his communication and ability to process (and enjoy!) his life in the present moment.
We can transition Pongo to live with our family once we reach around $1,000. We will have a few more months to finalize our adoption fees. Although this depends on our training regimen, we would like to try for Pongo's Service Dog Certification on November 4, 2016 (Jack's birthday) and working toward three certification commands instead of the required two. Might be a lofty goal, but Jack wants to try (further testament to Pongo's positivity on Jack...for Jack to say he'll "try" is a pretty big deal).
Your support in providing this opportunity for Jack's future means more than you know. There are several ways to support Jack's Quest for Pongo:
** Contributions of money and/or materials are tax-deductible only when they are made directly to:
VIP Service Dog Foundation
PO Box 851
Oswego, IL 60543
Please note JACK & PONGO on the check or donated item.
Materials like crates, beds, collars, leashes, dog food, dog treats, toys, sheets, blankets, food & water bowls, etc., those are also tax deductible and we are happy to make arrangements to get them to VIP if you are in the Chicagoland area. Please note JACK & PONGO on the check or donated item.
** Contributions of money and/or materials made via GoFundMe or to our family directly are sincerely appreciated, but please note -- NOT tax deductible. Gifts over and above our needs will be shared with VIP Service Dog Foundation. We have benefited from very thoughtful "pay-it-forward" consideration. We are pleased to continue that generosity so others in need may benefit from the assistance of a certified service dog.
Thank you for your thoughtful and very meaningful gift in helping Jack's Quest for Pongo. Your generous support will open doors to so many new possibilities for our son and his new life with Pongo.
Thankfully,
The House O'Hickey
Tim, Holly, Jack & Connor
Sammie (woof.)
Sadie (rahROOOooo!)
...& Pongo (____)<Gentle nudge only. No barking on duty!
Jack is 19 and has autism. Communication & processing challenges are part of the autism baggage he carries every day. This baggage is further weighted by increasing anxiety that doctors cannot pinpoint nor effectively contain with medication. Jack's increasing anxiety further affects his ability to communicate and process information effectively in the present moment. His low levels of frustration and high levels of anxiety find Jack spending time elsewhere in his head or loudly monologuing about his past or his future. There are glimmers of light, too, though: Like some typical teenage boys, he's a little (okay, a LOT) girl-crazy and has big dreams about his future (particularly to visit California and have Ellen Degeneres and a long list of his favorite musicians sing "Happy Birthday" to him). His long-term memory is amazing when it comes to meeting people and listening to music. He is gifted with radar-like hearing. He is ironically adventurous for a person who finds change so difficult. I don't think he has ever met a cookie he doesn't like. If you meet him on the dance floor, the memory of his enthusiastic dance moves and infectious smile will last a lifetime.
In January 2016, our family started attending service dog training classes offered at VIP Service Dog Foundation in Oswego, Illinois. Jack was recently matched with Pongo, a six and a half month old standard poodle...with spots! Pongo met Sister Sammie, (our 12-year-old lab mix), Sadie Sue (our 6-year-old redbone coonhound) and Jack's 11-year-old human brother Connor -- they all approve!
We've already noticed that Jack & Pongo are quite a pair: they both have a special lift in their steps when they walk together.
Jack loves to run his fingers through Pongo's silky, curly coat. Pongo enjoys pretending to be a "lap dog" -- the deep pressure of Pongo's weight on Jack's legs or stomach or chest actually helps reduce Jack's anxiety. Pongo loves to put his head on Jack's lap when they are in the car together.
We plan to use the funds we raise for Pongo to cover his adoption (which includes lifetime training classes) & eventual certification along with initial expenses (crate, bed, toys, training leads, pet insurance, microchipping, county license, etc.). We are already grateful for a couple of opportunities through VIP Service Dog Foundation from families who have been able to complete their fund raising and decided to "pay it forward" with donations in Jack & Pongo's name. We are very happy to have found this outstanding opportunity to train Pongo with Jack NOW. This provides Jack & Pongo the direction, bonding and interactions they both need to create a wonderfully meaningful, successful working relationship. We feel that relationship will open doors toward a more independent life for Jack in reducing his anxiety and increasing his communication and ability to process (and enjoy!) his life in the present moment.
We can transition Pongo to live with our family once we reach around $1,000. We will have a few more months to finalize our adoption fees. Although this depends on our training regimen, we would like to try for Pongo's Service Dog Certification on November 4, 2016 (Jack's birthday) and working toward three certification commands instead of the required two. Might be a lofty goal, but Jack wants to try (further testament to Pongo's positivity on Jack...for Jack to say he'll "try" is a pretty big deal).
Your support in providing this opportunity for Jack's future means more than you know. There are several ways to support Jack's Quest for Pongo:
** Contributions of money and/or materials are tax-deductible only when they are made directly to:
VIP Service Dog Foundation
PO Box 851
Oswego, IL 60543
Please note JACK & PONGO on the check or donated item.
Materials like crates, beds, collars, leashes, dog food, dog treats, toys, sheets, blankets, food & water bowls, etc., those are also tax deductible and we are happy to make arrangements to get them to VIP if you are in the Chicagoland area. Please note JACK & PONGO on the check or donated item.
** Contributions of money and/or materials made via GoFundMe or to our family directly are sincerely appreciated, but please note -- NOT tax deductible. Gifts over and above our needs will be shared with VIP Service Dog Foundation. We have benefited from very thoughtful "pay-it-forward" consideration. We are pleased to continue that generosity so others in need may benefit from the assistance of a certified service dog.
Thank you for your thoughtful and very meaningful gift in helping Jack's Quest for Pongo. Your generous support will open doors to so many new possibilities for our son and his new life with Pongo.
Thankfully,
The House O'Hickey
Tim, Holly, Jack & Connor
Sammie (woof.)
Sadie (rahROOOooo!)
...& Pongo (____)<Gentle nudge only. No barking on duty!
Organizer
Holly Olmsted-Hickey
Organizer
Downers Grove, IL