November 2022 Program

If you are a lover of dogs, B.A.R.K. is the organization for you to learn about. BARK stands for Beach Animals Reading to Kids and on November 14th, the Naples Island Garden Club members met Josie Gavieres, the founder of BARK, a few of her volunteers, and a few if their dogs. BARK is a Long Beach based non-profit organization dedicated to helping youngsters increase their reading skills and self-confidence by having them read aloud to therapy dogs in a nonthreatening environment. Josie prepared a wonderful slide show presentation documenting her early beginnings to its’ current outreach which has grown from elementary students at public schools to veterans groups, college students and hospitals. It was a heartwarming and inspirational program as we saw young children cuddled up reading next to their BARK dog and learned that many children had become better readers using this strategy. Who could resist an opportunity to read to a dog and not feel loved.

Submitted by : Linda Frame, 1st Vice President, Program Chair