Abbey Earle Trains Canine Companions

Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout or did your local soccer team take the championship? They may be our next Patch Whiz Kids honoree.

Each week, Chatham Patch seeks suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments.

Here's this week's selection:

• Whiz Kid of the Week: Abbey Earle 
• Whiz Kid's School:  Chatham High School
• Whiz Kid's Major Activity: Raising and training assistance dogs for 
   Canine Companions for Independence.
• Whiz Kid's Accomplishments: Abbey is a special, quiet heroine who excels in many ways with her contributions to others and to her community.  For several years Abbey has raised and trained young assistance dogs for Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), a national non-profit organization that partners individuals with disabilities other than blindness with special highly trained canine partners to assist them.  Abbey just returned her second puppy, Onora, to the organization for advanced training.  Giving up a much loved puppy is emotionally difficult, but Abbey is dedicated to the mission of helping others.  Abbey volunteers with the PAIRS program at ECLC of New Jersey and some ECLC graduates helped Abbey raise and train Onora and accompanied the duo to the turn in ceremonies for CCI at the Northeast Regional Training Center in Medford, New York. Abbey is also organizing a Service Fair of community organizations with volunteer opportunities scheduled at Chatham High School on Thursday, April 28th, and she is a volunteer with the Colonial Chapter of the American Red Cross.
• Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: "I got involved with CCI because my older sister Morgan has disabilities and she has a service dog, Tomba, who has completely changed her life. Watching what a huge difference he has played in her life made me want to help other people."
   
  "It is hard to give the puppies up after bonding with them, but I do it to change someone else's life. Through the process, though, I've realized how much it has changed my own life. "