Forging summer friendships

Once a week, Paws of War makes summer even brighter at Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck with visits from furry friends.

Members of the nonprofit, which pairs shelter dogs trained for therapy and service with veterans and first responders, bring their canine companions to interact with the campers at Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck throughout the summer.

The weekly visits are a mutually beneficial experience for the campers and the veterans. Those attending Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck love the companionship with the familiar adorable faces.

“It feels amazing, so free, and I love these dogs,” Marissa Gologorski, one of the campers, said. “I love all of them.”

While she loves all the dogs who frequent the camp, Gologorski admitted that Penny, a French bulldog, was her favorite.

“She’s so cute,” she said. “She lays in your arms, and she’s just huggable and kissable.”

Of course, the dogs appear to enjoy the wholesome event themselves. Campers pet and walk the dogs, hold them on the swings, and even take some up the playground equipment and down the slide.

“It’s great for her to deal with different people, and it’s also wonderful for the kids,” Penny’s owner, John Beck, said. “It’s a win-win, and the more she socializes, she’s well-mannered. I started bringing her out as soon as I could.”

He and the other veterans with Paws of War, who dedicated their lives to service in the armed forces, continue their steadfast duty to serve in civilian life. This includes reaching out to all members of the community to make new human and animal friends.

“It gives an opportunity for our veterans and first responders and other volunteers to give back,” Kelli Porti, the veteran and community outreach liaison for Paws of War, said. “We’re about service and giving back to the community.”

Some of the veterans enjoy bringing their therapy and service animals around to anyone who could benefit from some positive puppy playtime.

“I try making it every week,” veteran Barry O’Rourke said, his Australian labradoodle Lucy at his side. “I just love giving back and bringing her to camp. This morning we were at an assisted living facility, and then we came here.”

Aside from their cute and cuddly nature, the veterans’ dogs provide a unique unspoken benefit for the campers at Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck.

“A lot of our campers—[about] 75 percent of our population here—are autistic, and some of them don’t have the ability to convey their feelings or emotions,” Melissa Locrotondo, Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck’s chief of programming and aquatics director, said. “And when they are around dogs, they don’t have to speak or express their emotions because the dogs just feel it. And then our campers that are verbal and are able to speak and stand up for themselves, they just are able to express how much they love seeing them here on campus.”

Prior to the Paws of War visits last summer, Locrotondo said the campers previously experienced interacting with dogs, or rather a dog: Spencer. Director Alyssa Pecorino’s pup resides on the campgrounds with her, and the campers have enjoyed his company. Based on those connections, the camp invited the service animals, who were met with the open arms of not only the campers, but the staff as well.

“They’re pretty much a staple of the camp,” Pecorino said of the Paws of War dogs. “They come every single week and the effect that they have on the campers and the staff has been tremendous, especially with our international staff here. After COVID, after everything that’s happened… it’s made them feel at home.”

“I’ve seen so many campers who were terrified of dogs who are now interacting with them,” she continued. “They’re able to do it in a safe space. It’s been amazing, the transformation.”