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A team of comfort dogs traveled to Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia to provide support following the mass shooting on Wednesday, September 4th.
The shooter, 14-year-old Colt Gray, killed two students and two teachers and hospitalized nine more. CNN Gray has been charged with murder as an adult, the report said.
In response to this tragic incident, Lutheran Charities (LCC) K-9 Comfort Dogs Announced On September 5, it was announced that nine comfort dog teams from six southeastern states would be dispatched to Barrow County.
The comfort dogs, along with their trainers, were deployed to Barrow County for one week from September 7 to September 14. They provided much-needed comfort to bereaved families, survivors and the emergency personnel who serve them.
Our team of good kids, all golden retrievers, includes:
- peace Originally from Orlando, Florida
- Moria Originally from Oviedo, Florida
- Phinehas Born in Fremont, Nebraska
- work Originally from Memphis, Tennessee
- Jemima Born in Boca Raton, Florida
- faith From Hickory, North Carolina
- Hope Originally from Marietta, Georgia
- Seth From Seneca, South Carolina
- Zoara Born in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
After arriving in Barrow County, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs shared photos of the Comfort Dogs wearing their vests. “Please pet me.”.
They also Written, “Our hearts break for the students, families, faculty and staff affected by this heartbreaking loss. We are here to offer comfort, a listening ear and a tender presence during this time of deep grief.”
For a week, Comfort Dogs worked tirelessly to provide whatever support the community needed.
The dogs attended rallies, visited with students from Apalachee High School and other Barrow County schools, and met with paramedics from the Barrow County Fire Department.
“We’re thrilled to be working with such a diverse group of people,” said Paul Soest, lead volunteer for K-9 Comfort Dog’s deployment in Winder. WSB Radio, “In every school we visited, teachers commented that it was a really helpful transition back to school for the kids.”
“When we come, we can see the calming effect the dogs have on people.” Soost added: “Sometimes, people feel more comfortable around dogs than people.”
“We are thrilled to be working with Lutheran Charities to help bring about this important milestone,” said the Rev. Chris Singer, president and CEO of Lutheran Charities. WGAU Radio, “We wish we could make all this go away, but of course that’s not possible. We believe the next best thing we can do is to be here.”
“We are here with this community and try to offer comfort and support and the knowledge that this community is not alone.” He adds:
LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs posted on Facebook after completing their week in Barrow County. say, “Thank you for welcoming us into your community. We pray for you all and may God’s peace continue to surround you in the years to come.”
