Vitas, a hospice care organization serving South Florida, has a unique program that brings joy and comfort to their patients through the help of therapy dogs. Their therapy dog group, known as Paw Pals, is a team of well-trained and certified dogs and their owners who visit patients in nursing homes, assisted living communities, and private homes. Here is what they said about Tina:
As a high school teacher at Calvary Christian Academy, the impact of the tragedy of the Parkland shooting in 2018 compelled Tina to get involved in some type of Pet Therapy program. She spoke to a friend of hers and he told her about joining VITAS, so she decided to give it a try. She attended our orientation program with her daughter’s dog “Harley” and became a VITAS volunteer in 2019. Shortly after they became volunteers, COVID stopped the world, but this didn’t stop this brand-new team, as they were already assigned to two patients. So, Tina and Harley did the best they could, and started doing window visits, and sending letters and cards from Harley to her patients.
In 2021 Tina’s daughter told her that she and Harley would be moving. It was a good transition point as Harley was getting older, so she decided to get a new puppy of her own and train him to grow up being a Paw Pal… and in came “Dunkin”. Dunkin’s arrival happened still during the COVID shutdown, so Tina brought this darling puppy to our VITAS office in Deerfield, to do generalized socialization visits with our staff, bringing them much needed happiness and relief during a very stressful time. He became our unofficial “VITAS mascot, as everyone fell deeply in love with him as they cuddled him and walked the halls with him. Tina continued training Dunkin, and after 6 months, he passed all his certified training to become a therapy dog. This was amazing news for us, because we were not allowed to bring therapy dogs on board unless they are a year old. But since he passed his required certified training, we got the green light to officially welcome him to Program 14!
Backtrack for a moment back to the VITAS orientation class that Tina attended. (and I promise I will get back to Dunkin!). At that orientation, the class was told about the wonderful opportunities of the sewers, crafters and memory bear makers. As Tina was a high school teacher at Calvary Christian Academy, she had an after-school group called the Calvary Sewing Hearts Club. This sparked an immediate fire in Tina to enroll her “Sewing Hearts Club” in VITAS projects. They immediately started sewing quilts, bears and pillows specifically for our Veteran patients. Tina would have them do as much as they could, and for the harder projects, she would take them up to her mother Maria Pulelo, to help her finish the backings on the quilts. Tina made many visits to her mother for assistance, and after getting involved to help, her mother Marie also wanted to be a VITAS volunteer, so she also registered with us and continued to not only help Tina’s sewing group, but Marie began making a tremendous amount of quilts for our veterans program too. This team didn’t stop there, as eventually even Tina’s sister also wanted to participate and recently made us some beautiful veterans blankets for our program. OK now back to Dunkin! …Finally, the COVID veil was lifted in September, 2021, and Tina and Dunkin were able to resume their duties as a Paw Pal team. Over the past three years, they have continued their mission to serve VITAS and bring comfort and joy to all our patients, and our staff. They served our patients in Home Care, ALFs, Nursing Homes, and made regular visits to our IPU at Broward North. In addition, Tina and Dunkin were always willing and able to be present at many of our VITAS events, such as the reopening of our unit at Broward Health Medical Center, the Five Star Facility in Hollywood, and recently our reopening at Broward North. She also attended our webinars, seminars and holiday parties, always bringing Dunkin, who also loved to be with our staff and patients. Whenever and whatever they were invited to do, they were always there, ready and willing to serve and do whatever we needed. On a side note, she also was “responsible” for the mini waffle iron frenzy at our two recent volunteer holiday parties, as this became the hottest item wanted in our holiday swap and steal gift game.
In summary, this unstoppable volunteer has served VITAS as a Paw Pal team, a Comfort Care Sewing group, a member of our Life Bio team, our BTAP Team, and continues to be a voluntary ambassador of our Paw Pal program, as she has helped to recruit other members of Paw Pal team.
We celebrate Tina and Dunkin as our Volunteer of the Year, and send them off with gratitude, love and happiness as they begin on a new journey in Alabama, as Tina’s beloved daughter is expecting her first grandchild. Although it is devastating to say goodbye, we will always be eternally grateful for the impact they have made in our patients and families lives, and the joy they have brought to my department staff and all other staff who have interacted with them over the years, and we will continue to be in touch and follow all the wonderful things they are doing for future patients and families. IN addition, today is Dunkin’s actual 3rd birthday, so we present him with a special box of treats for him to enjoy later!
Please join me in standing to congratulate VITAS Volunteer of the Year, Tina Reeder and Dunkin.