Masquerade Ball Will Benefit Service Dogs Organization

By Shannon Hicks

Five gorgeous dogs were escorted into Room B144 at Newtown High School on Tuesday afternoon, and suddenly everything fell into place for the membership of NHS Charity Club.

The dogs — or their sponsoring organization, East Coast Assistance Dogs, Inc. (EACD) — will be the recipients of the proceeds from a masquerade ball the club is hosting next weekend.

The NHS Charity Club Masquerade Ball will be on Saturday, October 30, at Newtown High School. It will be in the school’s gymnasium, at 12 Berkshire Road in Sandy Hook, and will run from 7:30 to 11 pm. Costumes are encouraged, and the entire community is invited to attend.

 The club has been working hard setting up groups and doing the tasks necessary to prepare for the major undertaking it has set up for itself for next weekend. But up until this past Tuesday, there was a question as to who exactly the proceeds of next weekend’s costume party would benefit.

On October 19, the 30-odd members of the Charity Club learned EACD would be the recipient of the fruits of their hard work. EACD co-founder Lou Picard visited the high school with a black Lab and four golden retrievers who are training to be service dogs. Mrs Picard visited the charity club so members could see some of the dogs their efforts would be supporting, and also to discuss the mission of her organization.

EACD is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization based in Torrington. Its co-founders are husband and wife Dale and Lou Picard. The couple started the organization in 1995.

EACD trains dogs as service dogs. Service dogs have the same privileges as guide dogs for the blind, but perform a different purpose. While guide dogs are trained to be the eyes for a visually-impaired person, service dogs are trained to be the arms and legs, “perhaps even your balance,” Mrs Picard said, “for people who are physically disabled.”

Service dogs are trained to accomplish a number of tasks, such as retrieving items, activating light switches, pulling wheelchairs, opening and closing doors, and other tasks that might be specific to the needs of the individual to whom they are assigned.

The organization primarily uses Labs and goldens, Mrs Picard told the students, because of their nature.

“These are dogs that are trained to retrieve,” she said. “They are also more socially acceptable than, say, a Rottweiler. Most people will see a Lab or a Golden and they’ll smile. They aren’t usually afraid of these dogs.”

The Masquerade Ball is the first fundraiser the club is working on this year. The club was initiated during the 1998-99 school year. It started with eight people, then dropped down to four members by the end of the year. Along the way, though, the club conducted a successful clothing drive for hurricane victims in Honduras, and conducted what it called The Heifer Project.

By collecting a portion of the admission fees during a high school volleyball game, accepting donations and selling candy, the club was able to raise enough money to purchase a cow. The cow was sent to an underprivileged country, and its recipients had to promise to give one calf from the cow to one of its neighbors, thereby continuing the cow’s lineage and the production of milk.

It was that kind of thinking, and the enthusiasm of members, that kept the club running last year.

“The idea of helping others” was a big draw for Lauren Coulter to become involved, the club’s co-president said recently. Along with Miss Coulter, the club is led this year by Liz Kochuba and Erika Toi, who are also co-presidents; secretary Kristen Shortt; and treasurer Jen Barillari. NHS principal Bill Manfredonia and parent Pam Kochuba are the club’s co-advisors this year.

“I saw signs around school last year and thought this would be a really good thing to do,” Miss Shortt added.

When the club held its first meeting of the new school year last month, more than 33 students showed up. Members are male and female, and represent all four grade levels of Newtown High.

“This masquerade ball is a good event for all ages, all backgrounds, full families, groups of friends and even singles,” Liz Kochuba said. “There will be raffles, and contests for Best Costume, Most Coordinated Couple, and other categories. We’ve had a lot of prize donations.”

Tickets for the event are $15 per person, or $25 per couple. There will be music played by a DJ, and plenty of refreshments.

Mrs Picard explained Tuesday afternoon that the proceeds will help East Coast Service Dogs, Inc. in one of two ways. The organization is in the midst of a capital assets campaign; one of the most pressing things the organization needs is a replacement truck. The second way proceeds are used is toward sponsorships. It costs nearly $3,500 to train and place each dog.