Become A Kid Who Can!

Ava thought of W.A.G.S. 4 Kids for her school project because her older brother Myles received one of W.A.G.S. 4 Kids' first service dogs. Myles' untimely passing earlier this year lead W.A.G.S. 4 Kids to name a puppy in his honor.

During the Mustang Roundup, Ava, her mom Suzi, and her dad Vince got to meet puppy Myles – and 1,200 Strongsville Middle School students did, too! Thank you to all who participated in such a fun day, and thank you for being Kids Who Can!

Galaxy Amethyst Cosplay from Chillicothe who raised $143 for W.A.G.S. 4 Kids at the con in CLE!

For my Bat-Mitzvah Project, I am hosting a 2 mile Dog Walk on October 22nd at 1pm starting at my home in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

I love dogs and want to help children with special needs regardless of their financial situation. I am also a dancer and aspire to pursue a career in dance therapy when I grow up.

Any contribution to this special cause would be greatly appreciated.

At Ford's PTA Meeting on November 11th, a 12 year old boy spoke about a group he has started called "The Big Idea Against Autism". David, who is a 6th grader, was elected class president of his unit class. He has autism and is legally blind. He wants to raise money for a classmate, Cassidy, who is non-verbal and autistic, to have a service dog.

David prepared a speech and stood up in front of our PTA group tonight. He was very nervous and felt overwhelmed, but he executed his speech very well and was very articulate.

I feel so emotional tonight thinking about this boy. There are so many misconceptions about people with disabilities, but all I could think about was his abilities tonight. He spoke in front of a group and was articulate and brave. Having overcome my own fear of public speaking, I give him props. It took me years of public speaking before I stopped shaking. He has an idea. A really big idea. He's only 12. It's a selfless idea. He is smart and he is a rain-maker with all his ideas. Did I mention that he is only 12?
 

I can't wait until he announces how he plans to execute his idea. I hope our community stands behind him and supports him like he is supporting his friend, Cassidy. If all of us had a friend as caring as selfless as David in our life, this world would be a better place. It's time we stop the misconceptions about Autism and think about the person first. Stop the labels. Stop the stereotypes.

Thank you David for touching my heart today.

P.S. Thank you Jacob for coming to support David. You are my other rock star.
-Jenny Cholley

If you were blessed to know Susie Mettler, you already know she’s a very independent young lady. Susie was a recent Perry High School graduate with honors. She was a talented athlete, with a great sense of humor, and a love for her animals. Unfortunately, she passed over the Fourth of July holiday, leaving the Perry community heartbroken, but inspired to never give up. “She wants the world to know just how wonderful life is, and how strong she is, and how strong she wants them to be,” said Susie’s mom, Tina Mettler.

A sledding accident last December left Susie a quadriplegic. 19 Action News reporter, Scott Taylor, met her as she was falling in love with a charity in northeast Ohio called Wags4Kids, which gives service dogs to children in need. “A week before she died, she did five laps in her manual wheelchair on her own at the CFC. She called me and said, ‘Mom! I did five laps by myself. I can do this,'” recalled Tina.

Susie said she wanted to be a motivational speaker. She already had a following, including young kids in Perry she had spoken to and inspired earlier this year. She spent time motivating others in rehab, and a lot of time with her family and her animals.

Already the 4H kids of Lake County have made a difference by raising over $9,000 in 5 minutes at the 2014 Lake County Fair in memory of daughter, sister & friend, Susie Mettler. (See: http://youtu.be/zaG2I1_h_Pw)

We are excited to announce a partnership with the Northeast Ohio Chapter of Boy Scouts of America. Scouts will be given the opportunity to earn their Eagle rank by conducting a Kids Who Can! Service Project.

Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges and demonstrating Scout Spirit through the Boy Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages. Eagle Scouts are presented with a medal and a badge that visibly recognizes the accomplishments of the Scout.

W.A.G.S. 4 Kids is excited to announce that Every Boy Scout who completes an eligible Kids Who Can! Service Project will be eligible to receive the Kids Who Can! Patch. That's right...we have our own Patch! How cool is that?

These Kids Who Can! Service Projects will not be exclusive to those looking to obtain their Eagle rank. We look forward to working with children of all ages eager to demonstrate their talents and leadership to empower a child with everyday challenges.

World Champion Taekwondo Academy put together a Kids Who can! event of Kick 4 A Miracle where kids participated in various taekwondo activities throughout the day, with the main event being a kick-a-thon!

Kids collected pledges of a specific amount per kick, for a length of time then stepped up to the challenge! Other activities included kicking boards with bad habits kids wrote on them, to “break the habit!" The event was a major success in teaching children about successful habits, teaching participants about giving back to others, and the power behind working hard to ensure kids with disabilities get their service dogs.

How To Get Involved: Please submit your Kids Who Can! Project via the provided web form or contact info@wags4kids.com or leave a message at 216-586-5853 at your earliest convenience. Arrangements can be made to provide you with program information, to listen to your own great ideas and to kickstart your “Kids Who Can” project. Join us and change a life today!