Recently, Ross College in Sylvania, Ohio was able to support a member of their community in a very unique way. They teamed up with Easter Seals, an organization that helps those with a variety of special needs and disabilities. This time, they were helping out by supporting the needs of a local child. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes and needs a therapy dog to help her and her family monitor and manage her diabetes.
The story that led to Ross College joining forces with this family and Easter Seals is one of friendship. Samantha Milkovich, Lead Instructor in the Ross College Pharmacy Technician program, is a friend of the owner of Kahler Pharmacy. It is his daughter that is in need of the support of a therapy dog. Once the other staff, faculty, and students heard about this little girl and her need, they knew they wanted to be a part of making sure she was taken care of.
The therapy dog with be able to help identify when her blood sugar level is either too high or too low, providing much needed safety and comfort to her and her family. However, with a price tag of $20,000, acquiring a therapy dog is no small feat. That’s why Easter Seals agreed to provide a monetary donation for every pound of clothing that Ross College students were able to donate. The Ross College students definitely stepped up to the challenge! They were able to fill two Easter Seals trucks with clothing donations.
The students were so excited to be a part of helping this local family. In fact, they even decided to hold a friendly competition between classes. Although they had fun in their competition, according to Ross College Assistant Campus Director of Education, Shana Brubaker, “overall they were all just so excited to be able to help a local child.”
To learn more about the work of Easter Seals, visit their Facebook page or their website at www.easterseals.com.