MOUNT VERNON — Changes coming within the WAGS program on the Knox County Dog Shelter are partly on account of its success.
Mount Vernon Middle School instructor Trudy Debolt fashioned WAGS (Working Dog Awareness Group Students) in 2016 after her sixth-grade English class learn the e-book “Cracker: the Best Dog in Vietnam.”
That summer time, 25 center faculty college students took turns studying to the dogs on Friday mornings.
In 2019, award-winning creator Lisa Papp held a e-book signing at Paragraphs Bookstore in Mount Vernon. The featured e-book was “Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog,” primarily based on Debolt’s WAGS program.
The program has remained robust since its inception. Students at the moment learn to the dogs on Saturday, a particularly busy day for the canine shelter.
Because Saturdays are so busy, Dog Warden Brian Biggerstaff is working with Debolt to search out different occasions for the scholars to learn.
“We have a lot of foot traffic on Saturday,” Biggerstaff defined. “A lot of people who work during the week can only come in on Saturday. We usually shut down the shelter for the reading hours.”
The shelter is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Students can not are available early as a result of employees members are cleansing the shelter, so they arrive in mid-day.
“It’s not just the kids being there, it’s the parents, too, and the parking, waiting for the kids,” Commissioner Thom Collier mentioned. “Our lobby is smaller [after renovations] than it was. They are getting more kids who want to participate, but it creates some problems for us.”
“We do appreciate the WAGS program, but we want to get the dogs adopted, too,” added Commissioner Teresa Bemiller.
Biggerstaff mentioned attainable options embody the scholars coming in each different Saturday or through the week as properly.
“We’re even considering staying open one hour longer during the week to accommodate them,” Biggerstaff mentioned.
“It is a partnership; we want to work with them.”
Problems with weekday classes
Debolt mentioned the present state of affairs is heartbreaking for her as a result of this system has gone 10 years with out inflicting points.
She mentioned the weekday resolution has a number of issues, considered one of which is that Debolt’s regular day from 6:30 a.m. to three:30 p.m. turns into a 12-hour day.
“I put in a 10 hour day, and then have a home, family , my own pets, and grading to do when I get home. To put in two additional hours away from home during the school week is not an option. … As a teacher, my mind is spent by 3:30,” she informed Knox Pages by way of electronic mail.
Weekday classes from 4-5 pm additionally create issues with dad and mom leaving work, delivering their readers to the shelter at 4, and selecting them up at 5.
A 3-4 pm session means Debolt wouldn’t arrive in time to oversee the readers. Because she created this system, she doesn’t need one other grownup to must tackle that duty.
“Parents would still have an issue leaving work to deliver readers. Busing doesn’t go to the shelter, either,” she mentioned.
Debolt mentioned the shelter doesn’t shut down when the scholars are there.
“Potential adopters still come through, and many dogs have been adopted due to watching how a dog responds to a human reader. We do ask that the dogs not be walked during our one hour since it disrupts the dogs and the peace we offer during WAGS time. That has caused problems with the volunteer walkers, but we have changed our session time on Saturdays each time we’ve been asked to help with that situation,” she mentioned.
Working towards an answer
During the summer time, the scholars learn on a weekday. Debolt mentioned she and Biggerstaff will resolve which day and time is greatest.
“This every other Saturday situation is just for a couple months. Once we figure out the best day for summer reading, we will be back to weekly sessions,” she mentioned.
“Brian is a supporter of my WAGS program. He knows it brings good publicity to the shelter, benefits the dogs, and lets the kids know they are making a difference in the world,” she continued. “The WAGS parents aren’t okay with cutting back, and the readers aren’t either, but I’ve explained the reasons and asked them to be supportive of Brian’s decision.”
Debolt mentioned she is grateful Biggerstaff permits the scholars to come back in any respect, noting he may inform them to stop as a result of it causes the shelter to be extra hectic throughout that hour.
“I would never want Brian to be portrayed as the bad guy here. He has offered solutions. I flat out asked if he wanted WAGS to end, and he said, ‘Absolutely not!’” Debolt mentioned. “I’m not thrilled with the choice, however I do know he has a business to run, and generally because the boss, you must make powerful selections.
“Our primary goal is for the dogs to get adopted, and if us being there disrupts that goal, then I am willing to cut back to every other week,” she added. “Keeping the dogs’ hope alive is why we go. We will just need to give extra hope on the Saturdays we are there.”
As of March 21, the shelter had 16 dogs. Thirteen are available for adoption.
Water and wastewater
Water and Wastewater Superintendent Jeff Pickrell studies that work continues on the brand new pump station at Pleasant View Acres. However, he doesn’t anticipate the corporate reaching “substantial completion” by March 31.
Three areas have legitimate the reason why the contractor can not full the work by March 31. Pickrell agrees with extending the work deadline to June 15 in these areas.
“Everything else needs to be substantially completed by March 31 as per the contract, and the seeding and grading completed by April 30 as per the contract,” he mentioned. “We’ll seek liquidated damages if they’re not done after that.”
