Jan Clark provided the following email with forwarded message and photos from the Canine Companions for Independence team:

Good Morning to Everyone

Going back in time to June, 2018 when Sertoma hosted their “Gala under the Stars” wine tasting event, I thought you just might want to read this info and see the progress of the special puppy that YOU ALL helped to sponsor…. Our mission was to raise $10K in order to have the honor of naming a special service dog for a hearing impaired person. WE DID THAT, THANKS TO ALL OF YOU VERY GENEROUS GUESTS, SPONSORS AND VENDORS. And, there are so many more contributors that I need to contact.

Sertoma had the honor of naming her Leona V who is 6 months old now and doing quite well adjusting to her training / it was a 50/50 success chance I requested to be able to meet her and was told that they will bring Leona V to our Sertoma meeting when she is just a little bit older… so we will give it from 4 -6 months more and they agreed to bring her to Leona Valley.

Please know that (primarily) Sertoma’s mission is to help the hearing impaired lead a very normal life – we have succeeded in so many capacities, to include the scholarship provision of one Antelope Valley College student who is majoring in deaf studies or who has a hearing impairment / this is our fifth year to accomplish this effort.

You are invited to check our web site at: www.Leonavalleysertoma.org to read ALL of our wonderful accomplishments. And, at any time, you are invited to one of our breakfast meetings held at Jack’s Place on the first and third Saturday each month.

We are MOST GRATEFUL,

Jan Clark and all Sertoma Members

---

Hello Leona Valley Sertoma!

Canine Companions for Independence puppy Leona V is healthy and progressing very well with her commands! Now that she is six months old, she recently graduated from the kinder-pup CCI classes to Basic-Level. She knows sit, down, heel (sit at handler’s left side), side (sit at handler’s right side), let’s go (start walking), wait (stop at doorway), under (lay down under a table or desk), and the most important: “hurry” (potty). We have been taking her out in public for short periods of time to learn proper social behaviors. She’s gone to Panera Bread where she laid down, unnoticed, under the table, and to Costco (see photo of her practicing “under”), grocery shopping at Vons, and to local malls. We got together with two other puppy-raising couples and their puppies and saw the movie “Superpower Dogs.” Leona enjoys playing with her toys (especially chew toys!), play dates with other CCI puppies, and most importantly, her food! Leona weighed only ten pounds when we got her in November and now tips the scale at 40.4 pounds!

Thank you for your part in providing “Exceptional Dogs for Exceptional People!”

Connie & Chuck
Volunteer Puppyraisers
Canine Companions for Independence

As many of you might remember, Sertoma hosted a very special “Gala under the Stars” wine tasting event this past June with the sole purpose of raising $10K to help care for a Service Ambassador dog for a hearing impaired person. This also gave Sertoma the right to name a puppy on behalf of our organization. Thanks to our many sponsors and attending guests, WE DID IT!

It seemed so natural to have the honor of naming our puppy “Leona V” for Leona Valley – she was born on September 13, 2018. She is now with her PUPPY RAISER’S, Chuck and Connie Braddy, in San Diego, for 18-20 months, where Leona V will be preparing for her advanced training. Her training will involve an additional six to nine months at the Canine Companions for Independence Training Center, in Oceanside. If little Leona V graduates after learning 30 basic commands and how to socialize, her projected “turn-in” date will be May 20, 2020, and she will be presented to her new Partners for Life.

Little Leona V will then become the ears, hands and legs of her human partner and will be considered a goodwill ambassador to her best friend.

It has been said “some people wait a lifetime for a miracle, but Canine Companions for Independence raises these special dogs one at a time” and, they ARE a miracle.

So, again, Sertoma thanks you for your support and generosity. YOU are the reason we continue to remain a “Service to Mankind” organization. We are always on the lookout for new members to help us make a greater difference in our community and would love to have you attend one of our meetings, held on the first and third, Saturday of each month at 8am, at Jack’s Place – 40352 90th St. West in Leona Valley. You can keep up to date with Leona Valley Sertoma by checking in at our web site at: www.leonavalleysertoma.org. Why not sign up to have new posts sent directly to your email inbox?

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU – I truly believe you will be impressed with what we accomplish in such a short time.