Thursday, May 19, 2016

Service Dogs trained at Oshkosh prison


The latest episode of Eye on Oshkosh is now online (https://youtu.be/l8fGZm8Wib0). Host Cheryl Hentz spends the hour talking with Brenda Cirricione, president and lead trainer of Journey Together Service Dog, Inc., and three of her board members and/or volunteers for this organization that works with Oshkosh Correctional Institute inmates to train service dogs for people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Also making an appearance were five dogs in training, each of whom lives at the prison with their inmate trainers: Jazz (2-year old Yellow Lab), Chance (1 and 1/2-year old rescue mix), Echo (5-month old Briard), Dash (8-month old black German Shepherd) and Frost (10-week old Yellow Lab). The board members and/or volunteers included: Shari (board member, instructor at the prison and coordinator of volunteers), Jenny (vice-president of board and Medical Coordinator), and Cindy (trainer at prison, socializer trainer and assists with selection of dogs for the program). This program is fascinating because it involves working with local inmates who are providing a service and gaining valuable experience in working with and training dogs, who will then go live with members of the military or others in the community who suffer from PTSD.

During the hour, the panel discussed what makes a good dog for the program, and who makes a good trainer; what the dogs are capable of doing when fully trained and how long that takes; the difference between service dogs, emotional support dogs, therapy dogs, and companion animals. If you are interested in learning more about the program, making a financial contribution to it, or volunteering with this wonderful group of people and dogs, please visit them at www.journeytogetherservicedog.org OR on Facebook under Journey Together Service Dog Oshkosh.

Eye on Oshkosh thanks Brenda, her husband Brad (behind-the-scenes dog wrangler), all the ladies and the dogs for making the trek to our set to make this show possible. We also want to thank the Oshkosh Correctional Facility and Wisconsin State Prison System for making this training program and this particular show possible. We understand the coordination that had to go into getting the dogs transported from the prison to the set and back again, and we are deeply greatly for that.

As host and producer, I also want to personally thank Scott at Oshkosh Media and my entire crew tonight of Daryl, Amanda, Nick, Haadi, Ed and Morgan for their amazing patience, skill and professionalism in putting together a show that had so many moving parts and components to it this evening. Well done, everyone!!!

The show can be seen at this address: https://youtu.be/l8fGZm8Wib0

Friday, May 06, 2016

2016-17 season of Grand Opera House revealed on Eye on Oshkosh



The latest episode of Eye on Oshkosh is now online. Cheryl Hentz spends the hour talking with Oshkosh Grand Opera House Foundation executive director Joe Ferlo about the upcoming annual fund drive and the 2016-17 season. As in past seasons, there is something for everyone, no matter their taste. This is a fun, delightfully entertaining episode you won't want to miss. The show can be seen starting next week on local cable access channel 2 or now on You Tube by going to this link: https://youtu.be/Nc479kc9yFA