MOUNT FOREST – Autism Dog Services (ADS) recently partnered with Conestoga College’s Bachelor of Design program as their “charity of choice” for a student contest.
Four groups of graphic design students were tasked with creating an advertisement campaign for ADS.
The organization wanted to focus on advertisements that “encourage greater engagement and volunteer applications for ADS,” detailed a press release.
ADS is “a non-profit organization that fosters the integration of children with autism by training, placing, and supporting service dogs.”
They have locations all over Ontario, meaning volunteers for this program can be located almost anywhere, including Guelph and Wellington County.
Volunteer experience
Mount Forest resident and dog groomer Ann White shared her experience being involved with one of the programs for which ADS has requested focused advertisement campaigns.
White raised a puppy for over a year, teaching it basic training.
“It’s a very rewarding thing to do,” said White on the volunteer program.
After hearing about the program and being interested in registering for quite some time, White finally became involved in March 2020, volunteering to raise and train a puppy named Quigley.
White took Quigley to regular training classes, working in groups and with instructors one on one.
“They like to get you out into public situations too,” said White, adding she took Quigley with her to stores and the puppy even accompanied her to a massage appointment.
White said she enjoyed the experience and would potentially volunteer again.
She did note a sad aspect of the experience: having to eventually part with the dog, as Quigley moved on in June.
But White focused on the positive impact, noting, “I know she’s going to do some family a big service.”
She added she met some people who showed interest in volunteering, but doesn’t know of anyone in the Mount Forest area who has signed up.
While programs to raise a puppy for an extended period are available, people can also volunteer to babysit for a shorter time.
For more information visit www.autismdogservices.ca.
Conestoga contest
The students at Conestoga were tasked with bringing attention to volunteer experiences and efforts.
The initial idea was that ADS would pick one team from the four as the winner. It ended up being a tie, as “the top two teams were phenomenal,” said ADS executive director Vicky Spadoni.
Team one consisted of Bachelor of Design students Chloe Reynolds, Taylor Jackson, Jan Panganiban, Hannah Bryan, and Emma Caswell.
Team two included Erica Glaskin-Clay, Anika Molenaar, Fanni Horvath, Breanna Gondosch, and Monique Ekres,” noted the press release.
“It was an amazing experience actually getting to work with a client,” said Jackson.
She explained her group “kind of created the storyline of ‘raise the dogs to be protectors’ or ‘raise them to be superheroes’ or things like that.”
The press release noted the seconds team’s campaign encouraged engagement through quizzes and facts that emphasized why you should train a puppy.
Jackson noted the experience drove home the importance of volunteering.
