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Sam's Club donates $1,000 to Pawsitive Pets program

Lindsey, a collie that works for Reading Education Assistance Dogs, became acquainted recently with Sam's Club employee Leslie Flinn. The Southside Sam's Club has donated $1,000 to Pawsitive Pets.

Pawsitive Pets, a pet assisted therapy organization that works with Reading Education Assistance Dogs in nine Jacksonville public schools including three at the Beaches, received some positive reinforcement recently when the Southside Sam's Club donated $1,000.

Pawsitive Pets President Lucinda Hietbrink and Vice President Kelly Blackburn were on hand with their READ dogs, Lindsey and Bailey, to receive the check and introduce their dogs to the Sam's employees who helped arrange the donation, according to a recent press release from the organization.

Susan Smith, the marketing director of Sam's Club on Beach Boulevard, met Kelly Blackburn at a pet expo and learned about the organization and the work it does.

"I thought READ was such a great program and I knew I was going to try my best to help out and get funding for the program," Smith said in a news release.

The READ program helps children improve their reading skills by working with Jacksonville schools and hosting monthly workshops at Jacksonville's public libraries, Barnes & Noble and the Duval County Juvenile Detention Center. Children who are having difficulty with communicating and learning to read improve their skills and build confidence by reading out loud to certified, trained dogs.

Pawsitive Pets was started 2005 by Hietbrink, owner of Children's Lighthouse, and Kelly Blackburn, fitness expert for The Golf Channel and PGA Tour professionals,

For more information on the READ program or to volunteer, contact Kelly Blackburn at 626-1551 or e-mail her at pawsitive pawsitivepetsinc@aol.com.