Welcome WaggersWelcome Waggers History (continued)
During the first few years, some of the original members
were not able to continue on a regular basis, and the membership waxed and
waned for several years with our members numbering only 4 people at one
time. After visiting just two facilities
a month, Camlu Retirement Apartments and Heart of the Valley Nursing Home in
Corvallis, for the first year or two, Welcome Waggers gradually added more
facilities as its membership grew.
Karen O'Donnell was our coordinator for the first year
until she could no longer continue because of conflicts with school and
work. Carol Challis assumed the job
after that, and continued as coordinator until November, 2007. Wendy McCoy took
over the role and is the current Welcome Waggers Coordinator.
Communications:
Carol Challis produced a monthly Welcome Waggers
Newsletter until 2007. It began as
just a short reminder notice for the few original members, and progressed to
several pages, being produced and printed from a PC, and mailed via USPS. Later, after most members had access to
email, sending newsletters electronically facilitated that job. (Past issues can be made available for any
Welcome Wagger members who want to read them.) In 2000, Julie Flanery
became the owner/moderator of a new Welcome Waggers Yahoo email list. This facilitated communication among its
members. Joel Hackett took over as
owner/moderator in 2007 and maintains a monthly calendar (prepared by Jacque Barrington) and reminders of
visits on the site. A web page was launched in 2012 and continues to be
developed by Mike Unsworth.
