Elementary School Visits

Students of all elementary grade levels and abilities enjoy visits from our Frankie and Andy’s Place volunteers and dogs. During the school year our teams visit different classrooms on multiple days each week. Students often read to the dogs as they nestle in their lap or the volunteers accompany them through the room as students work on assignments or take tests. The dogs have a calming effect on the children, some going through stressful academic situations or difficulty in their home environment.

‘I LOVED seeing Orville and Halle yesterday!!!  Orville helped me to connect with one of our students who has difficulty talking and expressing his emotions.  We talked about how Orville snorts when he gets excited and how we sometimes snort when we laugh and get excited too.  It was the first time I have seen this child laugh in a long time.’

Haley Collins - Oakwood Elementary School - School Counselor

​Adult day Center Visits

Adults of all ages requiring attention give their caregivers respite by visiting the Center. Frankie and Andy’s Place dogs interact with adults and provide friendship and love without judgement. Our senior dogs and volunteers visit the center weekly to share smiles, warm cuddles, and furry companionship.

‘Mrs. M. who has very progressed Alzheimer’s and rarely speaks visited with the dogs on one occasion recently. On this visit, she opened her arms and motioned for the volunteer to bring the dog to her. Her eyes lit up as she smiled and petted “Marisa Tomei.” She enjoyed a moment of complete calmness and for a moment she enjoyed complete happiness. The visits that the volunteers complete each week with the dogs bring happiness, stillness, calmness, and a bright light in a world that has become dark.’
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Jessica Bankston - ACCA Winder Adult Day Health - Program Coordinator

​Interns

At Frankie and Andy’s Place we believe in partnering with people of all ages and abilities. Over the past few years we’ve had the opportunity to take on two very special ladies as interns. They have contributed quite a lot through their care and kindness to the dogs as well as their actions in cleaning and the upkeep of our facility. Anna Klinect works several mornings a week alongside staff and has become an invaluable part of our morning team. Jessie Johnson provides loving care and attention to the dogs in the evenings alongside her grandmother, who is a long time volunteer.

Jessie(right) with her grandmother and Meryl Streep

Anna Klinect (right) with her favorite dog Gerry and a visiting student from Winder Barrow High School

"Frankie and Andy's Place is a place like no other. Not only does it provide exceptional care for abandoned senior dogs, it has provided a wonderful place for my 21 yr old intellectually disabled daughter Anna to volunteer. Penny and the other staff at F&A's Place see past the disability and value Anna's very real skill set and the contributions she can bring to serve these precious pups. Anna helps with feeding, cleaning and loving for these special seniors. And in turn F&A resident dogs give her unconditional love and acceptance. She loves to tell people about her job and her favorite dogs. We are very thankful for such a wonderful place of healing and care for not only special senior doggies, but also for my precious daughter who feels like she is wanted and accepted there."
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Nanette Klinect - Anna Klinect’s mother

On Site Visits

We host small visiting groups at Frankie and Andy’s Place as well. During the school year we host Winder Barrow High School’s two special education classes on bi-weekly visits. It is such a gift to watch these kids connect with our senior dogs and the sanctuary surroundings. Our friends at the adult day center visit occasionally as well to see the dogs in their home setting. We’ve been honored to host friends from Extra Special People as well who’ve donated their time and love in support of our dogs.

Students with disabilities from Winder-Barrow High School visit Frankie and Andy’s Place monthly as one of their Community Based Instruction locations. Through Community Based Instruction, students build work skills in a natural environment to live, work, and recreate as independently as possible.
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While at Frankie and Andy’s Place, students engage in gentle play and petting while learning to care for the dogs. Students also assist with jobs related to the cleaning of the facility such as sweeping and picking up waste from the yard. Frankie and Andy’s Place has allowed our students the opportunity to gain work and social skills in the community by shadowing volunteers and recognizing appropriate behavior when interacting with dogs.

Katie van Rooyen - Special Education Program Specialist, Winder-Barrow High School

Senior Care Visits

This program was conceived, attended and driven by a 13 year old boy named Dakota Jean. The visits from Frankie and Andy’s Place dogs had a huge positive impact on Dakota for therapeutic reasons as well as many of the senior humans at Gateway Gardens in Bethlehem. The dog and volunteer teams visit both residents in the memory care unit and assisted living weekly to share smiles and companionship.

​Walking the Walk not Talking the Talk Campaign Video