Octorara townlively.com
APRIL 16, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
CPL seeks volunteers to care for newborn puppies
All about the Pysanky egg Lecture, workshop planned
BY FRANCINE FULTON
C
anine Partners for Life (CPL), a nonprofit organization that trains and places service dogs that assist people with disabilities, is currently in need of volunteers to care for newborn puppies during their first eight weeks of life. Volunteer shifts are typically four hours long, and volunteer support is needed 24 hours per day at CPL’s Cochranville facility. “Our minimum age requirement is 12, but to be in the whelping room with the puppies you must be with someone who is age 18 or over,” explained Amanda Walton, outreach and volunteer coordinator. “For the first two to three weeks, someone must be with the mom and the puppies 24 hours,” added Kirstin Downie, director of development and communications. “We like to monitor them. Mom sometimes does not realize that she is sitting on a puppy, and there are other things to do like cleaning the mats and making sure they have enough water.” On day three through day 16, volunteers also provide Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) activities. “They will hold the puppies in different positions and use a Q-tip on their paw pads and get them used to those different tactile feelings,” Walton explained.
BY FRANCINE FULTON
Volunte ers are es p e ci ally needed in the overnight hours. “That is our greatest need for volunteers,” said Downie. “They need to be here and stay awake. We do have safety measures in place. We have a camera that staff can access. The building is locked. We also have staff that
As part of a collaboration between Christiana Parks and Recreation and the Sadsbury Friends Meeting, not only will community members be able to learn about the history of Pysanky eggs, but they will get to try their hand at creating one. The two-par t program about Pysanky eggs, which are Ukrainian Easter eggs colored with intricate designs and patterns, will begin with a lecture on Saturday, April 26, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Sadsbury Friends Meeting, 1089 Simmontown Road, Gap, as part of its speaker series. Guest presenter Chrystyna Prokopvych, curator of the Manor Colle ge U k raini an Heritage Studies Center, will provide information about the history, legends and symbolism of the egg. Part two of the program will be held on Saturday, May 3, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Christiana Borough Hall, 10 W. Slokom Ave., Christiana. During the program, Prokopvych will teach participants how to make Ukrainian Pysanky eggs, and they will be able to take their creations home.
See CPL pg 4
See Pysanky egg pg 2
Visiting with Fritzi and her puppies in the whelping room are (from left) Cathy Jones, Amanda Walton and Bret Jones.
“It gets them desensitized to fear of human interaction and fear of human touch,” added Downie. “We also have a CD player with a variety of sounds to start exposing them to that as well. It’s about setting them up for success and exposing them early enough so we can dodge any fears (they
have) or lack of confidence.” All volunteers receive training before they begin working with the dogs. “ There is a multistage orientation and hands-on training,” said Downie. “You also shadow someone before you set off on your own. We don’t just put you in with the puppies.”
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