Monday, 9 April 2018

Carmel Honey Company Gives Back to the Community with the Product that Gives Back — Honey

At the heart of the corporate philosophy of Jake Reisdorf and his Carmel Honey Company is giving back to the community — both human and honey bees.

Carmel, CA, April 10, 2018 — At the heart of the corporate philosophy of Jake Reisdorf and his Carmel Honey Company is giving back to the community — both human and honey bees.

Reisdorf, who founded Carmel Honey Company when he was only 11years old (he’s now 15), is so passionate about honey and especially the need to save honey bees and endangered bee habitat, that he also founded the “Jake Gives Back” program.

The “Jake Gives Back” program not only makes financial donations to honey bee research and education organizations, it involves Reisdorf sharing his honey bee knowledge by speaking to students, service groups, civic organizations, businesses and corporations.

In addition to his speaking engagements, Reisdorf also does pop-up events where he can offer honey tastings, a presentation about bees and honey, as well as Q&A sessions.

Honey bees are a critical to the production of many of the fruits and vegetables we love to eat. In fact, about 90% of US crops depend on honey bees. These social insects also pollinate clover and alfalfa, which are fed to cattle, so they actually support the dairy and meat industry too. In addition, honey bees are also important to cotton and flax crops.

And yet the bees are dying. Pollination beekeepers lost an alarming 44% of their colonies last year due to Colony Collapse Disorder.

With his “Jake Gives Back” program, Reisdorf hopes to raise awareness about this crucial problem and identify solutions to how to reverse the trend.

And now, with the opening of Carmel Honey Company’s first brick-and-mortar store last August at the lower level of the Carmel Plaza in Carmel, Reisdorf is further able to support honey and bee research. When someone purchases a jar of honey or any honey-related product from Carmel Honey Company, either online or at the store, they just contributed to future honey and bee research and education.

In that sense, it’s one of the few products that consumers buy that actually gives back to the community and to the world at large in tangible ways. It can’t be understated how important honey bees are to sustain our global food system.

The Carmel Honey Company store is stocked not just with honey, but hive-related merchandise, including apparel, unique gifts, bath and body items and specialty edibles. Carmel Honey Company products also make for great gift items, including custom-made gift boxes that can be shipped directly to the recipient.

And of course, there is also an educational component to the store. Since most people haven’t tasted real, raw, premium honey, guests will be able to sample honeys from all over the country, discover beekeeping practices from around the world, and learn about the importance of pollinators to the ecosystem and the human race.

For more information on how you can buy “the gift that gives back,” please contact Carmel Honey Company at: (831) 687-8511 or at www.CarmelHoneyCompany.com.

More information is also available at:
www.Facebook.com/CarmelHoneyCompany
www.Instagram.com/CarmelHoneyCompany
www.Twitter.com/CarmelHoneyCo

Carmel Honey Company store
Carmel Plaza, Suite 118,
Ocean Avenue & Mission Street
Carmel, CA 93921
Phone: 831.687.8511
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.CarmelHoneyCompany.com

Quilters Sought for First Annual Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival Quilt Challenge at 59th Annual Festival June 2-3

Are you handy with needle and thread or sewing machine? Then you’re invited to join the Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival

Castroville, CA, April 09, 2018 — Are you handy with needle and thread or sewing machine? Then you’re invited to join the Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival Quilt Challenge, which will be awarding first, second and third-place People’s Choice prizes at the June 2-3 festival at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center.

The theme is anything you want it to be, but your quilt must depict at least one artichoke on the front. Contestants must also use “some” of the fabric provided by the festival and can add as much other fabric as well as any embellishments.

Each quilt must be 20 inches by 20 inches have three layers and a 4-inch sleeve. Quilts should be labeled on the back with your name, the quilt’s name, and “2018 Quilt Challenge.”

Quilts must be received by May 25, at The Artichoke Festival Office, 11402 Merritt St., Castroville, CA 95012.

If interested in this contest, mail $5 to Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival Quilt Challenge, 11402 Merritt St., Castroville, CA 95012, and you will receive the rules and fabric.

Quilts can be viewed both Saturday, June 2 and Sunday, June 3, in the Salinas Room at the south end of the Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Road in Monterey.

About the Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival
The Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival began in 1959 and has since developed to become a harvest festival to celebrate the iconic artichoke and region known as the “Artichoke Center of the World.” The festival features family-fun events for all ages and has been a primary source of funding for local non-profit groups for many years. For more information, visit http://artichokefestival.org/.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://artichokefestival.org/

Sunday, 8 April 2018

Dynamos Comes Out Blazing With New Single “Stainless” Available 4/20!

“Stainless” Performance Video Out 4/13

Los Angeles, CA, April 09, 2018 - The unstoppable rockers Dynamos are thrilled to release their next single, “Stainless,” on April 20, 2018 to all online retail outlets worldwide. Their previous singles “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and “Knowledge” have amassed thousands of views each across social media platforms, with fans clamoring for more from the California-based group. Needless to say, the hype is higher than ever for the emerging band.


“Stainless” is rock and roll that’s both timeless and forward-looking. It is Dynamos at their strongest, with a steely bassline running through the song that truly emphasizes the power behind Nadia E’s voice.Wasting no time, “Stainless” opens with Ian Nakazawa delivering a jolting drum performance. The rest of the band joins in on the antics, and crackling guitar licks build toward a crescendo, while Nadia demands a partner that can keep up with her. “Don’t run,” she sings, “Come on, son. Don’t fill me with disgust,” further riding the electricity while spinning a wicked tale with the moral, “Learn not to rust.”

On 4/20, “Stainless” invites rockers to join Nadia in Dixieland. Throughout the song, a pulsating drum is a pounding heart, counting down the beats left to accept her offer.

“Get a grip, take a hit,” she sings. On one condition:

“Don’t smoke it all.”

The track’s accompanying music video will be released on April 13, one week ahead of the single release. Much like Dynamos’ previous videos, this is a unique performance video, as the studio version of “Stainless” is replaced with the version recorded live during the video shoot.

For All Press Inquiries Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Founder, Miles High Productions
Chip@mileshighproductions.com
323.806.0400

About Dynamos:
Introducing a contemporary blend of traditional and modern rock music, Dynamos burst into the scene earlier this year with their debut single, “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” With their vibrant, striking instrumentals and passionate call and response, this American rock band intends to share their knowledge and love of music to the masses.

Dynamos is led by front woman and lead vocalist, Nadia E. She is accompanied by Nick Schaadt (music director, bass), Jacob Mayeda (lead guitar), Ian Nakazawa (drums), and Carlos Barrera (lead guitar). Nadia is known to rock the house with her soul-shaking voice and visual storytelling. Together, Dynamos combine technical expertise with pure raw energy to deliver a unique and captivating listening experience.

For More about Dynamos visit:
http://dynamosmusic.com
http://facebook.com/dynamosmusic
http://twitter.com/dynamosmusic
http://instagram.com/dynamosmusic

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood CA 90093
323-871-4821
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

Support Your Community by Becoming a Sponsor or Volunteer for The 59th Annual Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival, June 2-3, 2018

Community festivals stay vibrant because of the people who attend every year, but they stay alive through the support of their sponsors and volunteers.

Castroville, Calif, April 08, 2018 - Community festivals stay vibrant because of the people who attend every year, but they stay alive through the support of their sponsors and volunteers.

It’s no different for the 59th Annual Castroville Artichoke Food and Wine Festival, which relies on its many sponsors and hundreds of volunteers to continue its legacy of not only entertaining and educating the community, but directly benefiting charitable and educational nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Monterey County.

The 59th Annual Artichoke Food and Wine Festival will be held at the Monterey County Fair and Event Center in Monterey on June 2 and 3, 2018. Festival attendees will enjoy many fresh artichoke food delicacies, a beer, wine and spirits garden, chef demos, live entertainment, field tours and more during the two-day festival.

For many years, the Artichoke Festival has been dedicated to informing and exciting festival attendees about the unique qualities of artichokes, including farming, harvesting, and preparation to demonstrating how the artichoke industry has influenced the history of Monterey County. Now, as a 501c3 organization, the purpose remains the same, with an emphasis on giving back to the local community.

“We look forward to the Artichoke Festival each year because the event paints a clear picture of how this community comes together to support one another,” said Diana McClean, senior director of marketing at Ocean Mist Farms and board member for the Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival. “The purpose of this organization aligns directly with Ocean Mist Farms’ values, which is part of the reason we enjoy sponsoring this annual event.”

Proceeds from the festival are used to support 501c3 community organizations and activities that align with the festival’s mission.

Organizations supported by the festival include:
• Local School Sports and Education Programs
• Animal Rehabilitation and Community Education Programs
• Cancer Support Services
• Community Programs that serve Seniors and At-Risk Youth
• Food Insecurity in our Local Community
• Health and Nutrition Education Programs

Sponsorship levels include Heart of Gold, Purple Bloom, Elegant Thistle, Green Thistle, Green Bud, and Friends of the Thistle, ranging from $500 to $20,000. To become a sponsor, please contact Kathryn Parish at Kathryn.parish@gmail.com or download the sponsorship packet online at http://artichokefestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018_CAF-SponsorshipPackage.pdf.

June 2 & 3, 2018. Please join us in celebrating

artichokefestival.org

Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival Sponsor Form CATEGORY SPONSOR LEVEL Heart of Gold $50,000 Crowning $20,000 Event $10,000 Purple Bloom $7,500

By volunteering, individuals and community organizations and clubs can also support the 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations throughout the California Central Coast that benefit from festival proceeds.

Consider sharing your, or your organization’s, time and talents and join the generations of families and groups who have been a part of the Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival’s history. Those wishing to volunteer must complete a Volunteer Application and will be contacted by the Castroville Artichoke Festival, Inc. office about next steps and placement for working on committees.

For more information about becoming a volunteer, contact the festival at:

Castroville Artichoke Festival, Inc.
P.O. Box 1041, Castroville, California 95012
(831) 633-2465
artifest@att.net

Or download a volunteer application and release or fill out a release at:

http://artichokefestival.org/general-info/volunteers/

Volunteers | Castroville Artichoke Festival
artichokefestival.org

Be a Volunteer. Please consider sharing your, or your clubs’, time and talents at The Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival. Your volunteer time supports the ...

This is a tremendous opportunity to participate in this one-of-a kind event that combines a long-standing community tradition at a legendary venue, and a world-renowned travel destination.

About the Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival
The Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival began in 1959 and has since developed to become a harvest festival to celebrate the iconic artichoke and region known as the “Artichoke Center of the World.” The festival features family-fun events for all ages and has been a primary source of funding for local non-profit groups for many years. For more information, visit http://artichokefestival.org/.

Castroville Artichoke Food and Wine Festival June 2 - 3, 2018

artichokefestival.org

Join us for a weekend of fun at Monterey County Fair Grounds. Don't miss Chef Demos, Wine & Beer, Live Music, Farmers Market. Tickets available now!

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://artichokefestival.org/

Friday, 6 April 2018

Monterey Symphony 73rd Season

A spectacular lineup of guest performers are poised to make the 73rd season of the Monterey Symphony a special one for local music aficionados who, from October to May, will be treated to a series of six concerts, featuring some of the most-iconic compositions of all time.

Salinas, CA, April 07, 2018 - A spectacular lineup of guest performers are poised to make the 73rd season of the Monterey Symphony a special one for local music aficionados who, from October to May, will be treated to a series of six concerts, featuring some of the most-iconic compositions of all time.

Tickets (priced from $10-$84, with student and military discounts available) and additional information can be obtained online by visiting the website at www.montereysymphony.org, or by calling 831-646-8511. Tickets also will be sold at the box office on performance days.


Here's a preview of a season entitled Sound Waves, which promises to be a memorable series of shows, which will include Saturday-evening performances at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m., at the fabulous Sunset Center (Ninth Avenue and San Carlos Street, Carmel).

Program 1 -- Oct. 20-21

The 2018-19 season debuts with a program showcasing conductor Max Bragado-Darman and the Monterey Symphony performing a new work from compose Alex Berko commissioned with the Big Sur Land Trust, plus Franz Shubert's Symphony No. 9, "The Great."

Berko, an exceptional student at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, drew his inspiration for his new orchestral work, Among Waves, from the deep beauty of the landscape during a week in residence at Glen Deven Ranch in Big Sur.

Glen Deven Ranch also played a role in the first commission with the Big Sur Land Trust, resulting in Big Sur, the Night Sun, by esteemed composer John Wineglass, performed by the Monterey Symphony on the opening weekend of last year's concert series.

Program 2 -- Nov. 17-18

Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4, Op. 36 (often referred to as the "Fate" symphony because of its dark undertones) headlines the second concert of the series.

Written in the shadow of Beethoven's masterful Symphony No. 5, Tchaikovsky echoes the great master's melancholy in this hallmark orchestral work.

Celebrated American flautist Carol Wincenc, a professor at The Julliard School, will be spotlighted during this same program, joining the orchestra for Carl Nielsen's Flute Concerto, composed in 1926 for legendary flautist M. Holger-Gilbert Jespersen. This concert also will feature members of the Youth Music Monterey County Honors Orchestra, playing side-by-side on Hector Berlioz's Overture, Le corsair, Op. 21, which, like the Tchaikovsky symphony, was also composed during a period of great despair.

Program 3 -- Feb. 16-17

The third weekend of the "Sound Waves" season comes alive with four works, each of which is dedicated to the sea.

Claude Debussy, the father of Impressionism in music, composed La Mer in the mold of a symphony, but eschewed the traditional title for one more authentic to the sound of the music.

French composer Jacques Ibert, director of French opera in Rome, wrote Escales -- a suite for orchestra that perfectly resembles postcards from three Mediterranean ports -- after finding his obsession with the sea.

This concert also features "Four Sea Interludes" from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a, by Benjamin Britten, England's finest modern opera composer. Composed in 1945, the piece launched the career of Grimes in the new postwar era. The gorgeous tone-poem Oceanides, Op. 73, by Jean Sibelius, was inspired by the haunting and tempting sea nymphs referenced in Greek mythology.

Program 4 -- March 16-17

Jung-Ho Pak will be guest conductor for the fourth concert of the season, featuring the works of Tan Dun, Shostakovich, and Alan Hovhaness.

The revolutionary experimental composer Tan Dun transposes the sounds of water -- at play and at work -- into the textures of his music, most literally in Water Concerto for water percussion and orchestra.

Hovhaness' symphonic poem, And God Created Great Whales (commissioned in 1976 by the New York Philharmonic), featuring prerecorded humpback whale vocalizations, was credited with early efforts to save whales from extinction.

And Dmitri Shostakovich was commissioned to write Symphony No. 9 -- described by Leonard Bernstein as a series of musical jokes (including purposeful mistakes) -- to celebrate the Soviet victory over Germany.

Program 5 -- April 13-14

Three Romantic German composers are featured in the fifth concert of the season, a program that opens with Mendelssohn's concert overture, Calm Sea, and Prosperous Voyage, Op. 27, inspired by Beethoven's work of the same name.

Solo artist Elmar Oliveira returns with the Monterey Symphony to perform Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 26, by Jewish composer Max Bruch.

And Robert Schumann's Symphony No. 4, Op. 120, originally from his unpublished second symphony, underwent massive revisions in 1851 (five years before his death), proving his mastery over orchestration and increased expression in the final edition of this emotional Romantic symphony.

Program 6 -- May 18-19

The sixth and final concert of the season will conclude in grand fashion with music by Wagner, Chopin, and Beethoven.

Richard Wagner composed brilliant overtures throughout his many German operas, including the overture from The Flying Dutchman, which will be showcased as the opening work in the season finale.

Chopin's stunning Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 21 -- composed before he completed his formal education at age 20 -- follows, will be performed by magnificent Cuban pianist Marcos Madrigal.

And the season ends with one of the all-time greatest compositions for the concert hall, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Op. 67. A favorite among experienced and new audiences, musicians, and conductors, the fifth endeavor in the symphony genre struck a chord for Beethoven as he discovered his true forte. It is the "Stairway to Heaven" of classical music!

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.montereysymphony.org

Thursday, 5 April 2018

Bay Area Folk Singer and Her Group to Perform Interactive Children’s Concert on June 22, in Palo Alto

Bay Area Folk Singer and Her Group to Perform Interactive Children’s Concert on June 22, in Palo Alto

Los Altos, CA, April 06, 2018 — Folk musician Kathy Sherman and her band Hey Mom! will perform a free, family-friendly interactive concert Friday, June 22, at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto.

Part of the Friday night summer concert series at the Magical Bridge Playground, located at Mitchell Park, 3700 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, Sherman and Hey Mom! will perform from 6:30 to 8 p.m.


Sherman has been a professional folk musician for 44 years and a music teacher for nine. She performs in three different folk bands and has released six recordings.

Her latest release is an 18-song children’s singalong album, “Let’s Sing!” which features such all-time favorite sing-alongs such as “The Hokey Pokey,” “She’ll Be Comin’ ’Round the Mountain,” “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” “How Much is That Doggie in the Window,” and “Teddy Bear’s Picnic.”

The album also has an accompanying “Let’s Sing!” songbook, which includes all of the songs on “Let’s Sing!,” as well as selected songs from Hey Mom!’s “Listen to Your Mama” and “Singing on a Star.”

In addition to Hey Mom!, Sherman is also member of the Good Folk Collective, the Greek folk duo The Plaka Band. She has recorded and released six albums with the three groups.

Media Interviews Available
Additional Photography Available
To request a CD for media review, please email Marci@ChatterboxPublicRelations.com.

Send the following information:
Name
Publication
Mailing Address

About Kathy Sherman
Kathy Sherman started her professional music career at age 15, playing Greek music in clubs, restaurants, festivals , and concerts. She put down her bouzouki, the mandolin-like instrument central to modern Greek music, long enough to earn a BMus in classical guitar performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She was a member of the Electric Guitar Quartet, a classical / comedy group that opened for such guitar luminaries as Leo Kottke, Jorma Kaukonen, John Hartford, The Great Guitars (Barney Kessel, Charlie Byrd, and Herb Ellis) and Free Flight.

Kathy’s current music experiences include Greek folk music with long-time friend and fellow musician, Notis Contoplianos in their group, The Plaka Band. Notis and Kathy have two extraordinary CDs, New Songs of Old Athens (selected for Grammy consideration for best World Music Album), and A Time to Sing, A Time to Dance, a rollicking collection of favorite Greek dance music. For more information about The Plaka Band, please check out their website, ThePlakaBand.com. Kathy also plays classical mandolin for orchestras who have the occasional need for one.

http://www.goodfolksongs.com
https://www.instagram.com/goodfolksongs/
https://store.cdbaby.com/m/cd/kathyshermanandthegoodfo
https://www.facebook.com/kathy.sherman.folk.singer.123829?hc_ref=ARSxYil_PqqCjfBQih1NEnvBFJnE2ogdDAYvxKRTFspGrq8hCv1gsf9bPo36UpZdfUU&fref=nf
http://www.goodfolksongs.com

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.goodfolksongs.com

Interim Inc. and its Grateful Residents Believe in the Healing Power of Canine Therapy

Interim Inc. and its Grateful Residents Believe in the Healing Power of Canine Therapy

There are four special unpaid employees at Interim Inc. that are known for their calm, gentle manner and ability to provide emotional therapeutic support that aids in the healing process for Interim’s residents.

Monterey, CA, April 05, 2018 — There are four special unpaid employees at Interim Inc. that are known for their calm, gentle manner and ability to provide emotional therapeutic support that aids in the healing process for Interim’s residents.

They are four therapy dogs that work directly in programs at Interim, a Monterey-based private nonprofit organization that provides support services, housing and treatment for adults with mental illness in Monterey County.


All four are trained to provide emotional therapeutic support and assisting in the healing process. These four-legged companions help decrease feelings of anxiety, increase feelings of comfort and safety, and reduce loneliness in residents.

Here’s the story of three of the canines, Angel, Rufus and Juno:

Angel

About twice a month, and sometimes more, Manzanita House has a visiting “Angel.” Manzanita House is Interim’s crisis residential program, where residents are recovering from a mental health crisis. The emotional support that a therapy dog can provide to clients at this juncture is much needed.

Sometimes you will find Angel hanging out in the Living Room, sometimes in the Dining Room or Day Room. She has been known to calmly sit next to residents on the couch or enthusiastically greet them with a big kiss. She is always accompanied by her chauffer, friend and personal human, Grace Rider.

Angel is a registered therapy dog. Her black and tan sausage shape wiggles with happiness as she greets you.

“I was told Dachshunds could be hard to train, but Angel wasn’t that way,” says Rider. “The International Therapy Dog trainer in Salinas says Angel’s got the perfect therapy dog personality. She’s very vocal for a dachshund and will greet with you with a gurgle.  She loves everyone she meets.”

Angel has been visiting Manzanita House regularly for about four years. Rider says Angel seems to understand the residents — whether they need a quiet canine friend to sit next to them for a while, or if someone needs full-on doggy kisses. As the residents interact with Angel, sometimes they share their journey with Rider. They both listen without judgment.

When she is not at Manzanita House, Angel visits the Hospice at CHOMP and other rehabilitation centers in the area, spreading doggy joy with every visit.

Rufus

Manzanita House has another regular visitor who comes to play with residents. Rufus is a Black Lab and his owner Carla stopped in at the Interim offices recently to meet the administrative staff.

“Rufus came from the Monterey County SPCA. He was part of a program called ‘Take the Lead’ where young people who are part of the juvenile probation program work with dogs in the shelter to train them,” says Carla, Rufus’ human. Rufus was taught basic commands, how to walk on a leash and basic obedience. (Unfortunately, this program has been discontinued.)

“We got Rufus when he was 4 months old — he’s 9 years old now — and had him evaluated and trained at the Zoom Room (now California Canine Training) in Pacific Grove, with the idea that he could be a therapy dog,” said Carla. “Part of the training was for me, on how to handle him. Rufus passed with flying colors and went on to receive specialized therapy training from Therapy Dogs International.”

Rufus especially likes to play ball with the residents in the back yard at Manzanita House.  Sometimes he can be found rolling on the floor in the living room, nuzzling a resident. He loves to play and loves meeting new people.

“When we stop in to visit, the staff at Manzanita makes an announcement over the intercom that Rufus is here, and the residents, and sometimes staff, come out to see him,” Carla said.

When not “working,” Rufus lives at home with his humans, Carla and Tony and “sister” Cammie, a white lab who is a hospital therapy dog.

Juno

The homelike setting of Interim’s Bridge House program in Monterey provides a structured, non-institutional therapeutic community where residents with co-occurring substance use disorders and psychiatric disabilities learn to rebuild their lives.

At Bridge House, Juno, a St. Bernard, works the night shift as a therapy dog. Juno’s human is Leah Mahar, who incidentally also works the night shift at Bridge House. Leah has been on staff for eight years, six of which she has been accompanied by Juno.

“I had been working here a couple of years, and knew about therapy dogs and how they could help people with stress,” said Mahar. “I started looking for a dog that would make a good therapy dog, and saw Juno advertised on Craigslist. I called her owner who had Juno and her mother — they had originally thought to breed Juno. I told the owner that I was looking for a dog to be a therapy dog, and she said she thought Juno’s temperament was perfect for that kind of job.”

Juno’s training began with regular canine obedience classes. But to become a therapy dog, she had to be able to pass additional tests, such as not jumping on people, not reacting to other dogs, and not eating food dropped on the ground.  She had to remain calm in situations where other people and animals around her might be agitated. Juno passed with flying colors!

For residents of Bridge House who are learning to cope with mental illness while also dealing with substance use disorders, Juno’s gentle acceptance can be as healing as medication.

A typical shift for Juno and Leah begins about 10:45 p.m., and some residents will wait up to visit with Juno before they go to bed.

“Sometimes it’s hard for our residents to settle into their new routine,” said Mahar. “They are away from home and may be missing their families and pets. Juno is just there for them, unconditionally.”

Often, a few minutes petting and talking to Juno helps residents relax before bed. Since Juno and Leah’s shift continues until 8 a.m., residents often visit with Juno when they first get up in the morning.  She provides a comforting presence that settles them at the start of their day.

Interim believes in the healing power of our four-legged friends, and the results are evident by the many smiles at Manzanita House and Bridge House.

Interim Inc.
P.O. Box 3222
Monterey, CA 93942
(831) 649-4522
www.interiminc.org

About Interim Inc.
Interim, Inc. is a private nonprofit organization that provides a unique combination of support services, housing and treatment for adults with mental illness in Monterey County. Services provided include affordable supportive housing, residential treatment, mental health and dual-recovery services, case coordination, therapeutic services, outreach and intensive support for homeless adults, supported education and employment, day treatment and peer support.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.interiminc.org