News & Events

Corona del Mar High School

Description: HOPE AACR was requested by the Orange County Crisis Response Network to go to Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach where a teacher had died unexpectedly. We met in the school quad where there was a memorial garden dedicated to the teacher, a retired winning baseball coach. The participants came individually and in small groups but all were extremely excited about meeting the dogs and their owners. Several people asked what is involved in a dog becoming a therapy dog, giving us a chance to explain the process. A number of people said that this event had been planned for about a month and they were eagerly looking forward to it. Everyone seemed to enjoy interacting with the dogs and were delighted when they received the dogs' trading cards. Nearly everyone used their phones to take photos; many of them were "selfies."