Comfort Dog Maggie Visits The Chapel School
Written by Kim Zwisdak, Development Office, Village Lutheran Church and The Chapel School

Jan. 21, 2014: Midterms can be a stressful time in the life of a student. Students at The Chapel School in Bronxville were able to relax and calm their nerves with a visit from Maggie, a comfort dog. This beautiful golden retriever from Newtown, Connecticut, stopped by The Chapel School on Wednesday, January 14.
Maggie is a trained comfort dog who interacts with people at schools, churches, disaster response situations, and other similar venues. She brings comfort and a calming influence to all those in her presence. Maggie has a very busy schedule visiting hospitals, nursing homes, Sandy Hook students, and other schools. She was even brought to comfort those in Boston after the marathon.
On Wednesday, each of the classes at The Chapel School went down to the library to pet Maggie and learn more about the wonderful work that she does. The children watched a slideshow of Maggie in action, comforting those in various situations.
They then had a question-and-answer session with her handlers. The students learned about Maggie's sister Addie and other comfort dogs. Everyone who stopped by the library could feel her calming presence. As each class of students came into the library, they quietly sat down around her. "Maggie's back!" "Oh I just love her!" "She is so sweet!" students exclaimed as they walked into the library.
It was amazing to see how still and relaxed Maggie stayed throughout the day. She is three years old and received very rigorous training as a puppy. Comfort dogs begin training when they are just a few weeks old. Puppies are selected based on their temperament and how they interact with people, other animals, and strangers.
"In a world with so much going on, it is great that Maggie is able to bring peace and calm to those she visits," said one staffer. "Comfort dogs were placed in some airports over the holiday season. They help calm people down during the hectic, stressful times." Maggie definitely had a positive impact on all the children of The Chapel School. "I can't wait until she visits again."
For more information about The Chapel School, please call 914-337-3202 or visit www.thechapelschool.org.
Pictured here: Eighth-graders at The Chapel School enjoying Maggie.
Photo courtesy Kim Zwisdak, Development Office, Village Lutheran Church and The Chapel School










