Welcome 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 through 2022. Cammie Bella is the current Welcome Waggers Contact Person.
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 maintained 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.