BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//PROBUS St. Catharines - ECPv6.15.17.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://probusstcatharines.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for PROBUS St. Catharines
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Toronto
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250408T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250408T110000
DTSTAMP:20260409T060922
CREATED:20240212T153136Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250430T172933Z
UID:5649-1744106400-1744110000@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Adele Alfano - Autism Dog Services Inc.
DESCRIPTION:Adele Alfano – Service dogs offer help to children with autism\n \nJoe Vanderkooi introduced guest speaker\, Adele Alfonso\, the fund development manager for Autism Dog Services overseeing fundraising and volunteers. \nAdele explained that there is a wide spectrum in people with autism. Some are highly functional and others\, at the other end of the spectrum\, are non-verbal.  One in 65 children have autism with some being diagnosed as young as two years of age.     Adele went on to say that Autism Dog Services was established in 2007 as a therapy service which includes seven people who work from their own homes. The service uses highly trained dogs as a way of reaching the innermost thoughts and actions for those who have autism and have placed 150 service dogs in southern Ontario.     Adele explained that Autism Dog Services has reliable puppy breeders who donate golden retrievers and labradors at about eight weeks which are placed with puppy raisers for 12 to 18 months. The foster families are responsible for socializing and exposing the pups to all different experiences to prepare them to become certified as service dogs. The dogs are assessed after 12 months and Adele pointed out that not all dogs make it through the program. \nShe said that certain breeds of dogs are chosen because they are very trainable and loveable. Larger dogs are used because they can restrain an autistic child who may be susceptible to running into traffic or having a tantrum. All costs are covered during the training period and Adele said that it can amount to about $25\,000 per dog. Adele said that many senior university students serve as raisers but others who have a love of dogs certainly can qualify. Autism Dog Services receives no government support so relies on fund-raising events.  \nAdele introduced Andrea and her chocolate labrador therapy dog\, Aden. Andrea has a son with autism\, and she shared how having the dog changed her son’s demeanor for the better and allows him to do normal activities and to travel. Service dogs always wear a vest with specific ID badges when they are working and\, by law\, are admitted into restaurants and other public spaces. \nDuncan McLaren thanked Adele and Andrea for coming and bringing Aden to share their story about a life-changing service and presented them with a donation to Autism Dog Services.
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/adele-alfano/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Image-from-Probus-Club-St.-Catharines-Presentation-Details-page-2.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR