Gemini Dogs helps On Course for Kids!

Several Gemini Dogs students and staff recently participated in On Course for Kids, a team agility event that creates a fun night for patients and their families while raising money for the Floating Hospital's Children’s Cancer Center Childlife program in Boston, MA.

GD students and staff included:

• Nancy Basley and Deja Blu
• Carolyn Barney and Steiff
• Sally Bridges and Happy
• Denielle Stasa and Jury
• Julie Stauffer and Jessi
• Sandy Ingmanson and Charley
• Martine Meijering and Murray
  

Gemini Dogs owner Michelle Borelli once again helped out behind the scenes as an accounting volunteer.

The folks that participated from Gemini Dogs have raised over $7,320 for the children! Overall the event has raised almost $30,000 so far. Woof woof to you!

How it works
Agility participants asked friends, family, and organizations to sponsor them. Each team consisted of two agility dogs with owners and two children from the Floating Hospital Children’s Cancer Center!

The child actually became part of the team for the night and joined the dogs on the turf. In addition to agility, there were other activities for the children and their families and they had funny contests, too, like the team with the shortest legs or the team with the most team spirit. The evening was filled with cheering, laughter, dog petting and fun! All the children received gifts and ribbons for participating in the event.

What is the Floating Children's Center?
The Floating Children's Cancer Center serves children throughout New England from infants to young adults. The money raised through team and event sponsors goes into the Cycle for Life Fund at the Floating Hospital’s Children’s Cancer Center in Boston.

This fund pays for:

• Toys, books, computer games, trips and other therapeutic initiatives.
• Funding to keep the playroom open on weekends so that children receiving chemotherapy can have breaks from treatment to play.
• Providing child life therapists whose goal is to help children be children.
• Outings and support for the teen group that works with older patients.
• Access to a telephone line at the Cancer Center Clinic for the parents.

The money is not for research, which is funded through other sources. It is used only to make the lives of children with cancer a little more tolerable.

If you would like to make a donation, make your check payable to Cycle for Life Fund/NEMC and drop it off at the Gemini Dogs office or mail it to:

c/o Becca Romish
New England Medical Center
Development Office
750 Washington Street
NEMC 231
Boston, MA 02111

Thank you very much for your consideration of this worthy cause!