Passing rain showers could not dampen the enthusiasm of the attendees at the Dandelion Festival held on April 9, 2022 at Muscoot Farm in Katonah, NY.
Pet Partners was on hand to greet all visitors at the Dandelion Festival, which celebrates the children of military families. The Dandelion Festival is a nationwide event, held during the month of April, and coordinated by Blue Star Families, an organization which provides support for families with a member serving in the U.S. military.
The crowds were delighted by the attending therapy animal teams: Remi (standard poodle) and handler Trish Leavitt; Tucker (golden retriever) and handler Chris Ponti; and Beau (Siberian husky) and handler Caroline Loevner. Carol Schwanhausser and her grandson JR volunteered to inform visitors about therapy animals; handed out treats, trading cards, and stickers to attendees; and assisted handlers with the crowd and safe visiting with the teams.
Trish Leavitt and Remi
Tucker and Chris Ponti visit with the Rendon family
Caroline Loevner and Beau with Jake Coakley and JR Schwanhausser
In addition to providing therapy animal teams for the event, Pet Partners provided all the treats for the festival. Elizabeth Lynch, National Program Educator, baked 100 cupcakes decorated with hand-piped dandelions, as well as 100 rabbit-shaped sugar cookies with a dandelion-decorated base. In exchange, Blue Star Families donated $300 to Pet Partners for Treats & Sweets Day.
Rabbit sugar cookie with a therapy animal trading card
Dandelion cupcakes with hand-piped, frosted flower decorations
It was a wonderful day. We hope to be invited again next year!
—submitted by Elizabeth Lynch
Blue Star Families holds events across the U.S. If you are a Pet Partners volunteer interested in bringing therapy animals to an event in your area, visit their website.