Field Services Dispatcher Donna Harbin paid forward $500 to the Prisma Health–Upstate Children’s Hospital’s Facility Dog Program.
The Canine F.E.T.C.H. (Friends Encouraging Therapeutic Coping and Healing) Unit is Prisma Health–Upstate’s animal-assisted therapy program for patients and their families. Facility dogs are expertly trained dogs who partner with a handler to care for patients at Prisma Health–Upstate.
Prisma Health’s web site states, “One of the most valuable qualities of facility dogs is the unconditional love and attention they give to everyone with whom they interact. In a health care environment, activities such as grooming, feeding, snuggling, and playing fetch with a facility dog can aid patients in medical rehabilitation and psychiatric programs.”
Donna agrees and made the donation in honor of her grandson Karson’s 4th birthday.
She said, “Karson was a Prisma Health–Upstate Children’s Hospital NICU baby and has back in the hospital there for various reasons since birth.”
During one of Karson’s last visits and overnight stays last year he met one of the facility dogs, Kalle.
Donna said, “Karson has a dog at home (Rockie), and he was really missing him during his hospital stay. The visit from Kalle absolutely made his day. He instantly looked like her felt better getting to pet and hug Kalle.”
Prisma Health–Upstate currently has seven facility dogs: Bunny, Kalle, King, Vivitar (Vivi), Beowolf, Cookie, and Bo.
To find out more or sponsor the Canine F.E.T.C.H. Unit, visit www.prismahealthupstategiving.org/fetch, and follow them on Instagram @thecaninefetchunit.
Laurens Electric’s Pay It Forward program began in 2015.
Every Laurens Electric Cooperative employee is entered into a random drawing to receive $500 to pay forward in any way they choose.
Each month a new name is drawn, and the employee then has one month to apply the funds toward their own act of kindness.
This initiative is budget-neutral; the funds come from Laurens Electric’s charity events, which employee volunteers make possible.
