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Lending a Helping Paw

Service Dogs Offer More Than You Might Think by MATT NORMAN When you think service dogs, what comes to mind? You probably think of a beautiful lab in a vest and helping the visually impaired. While many service dogs are used for guiding those who are blind, there are a lot more ways service…
Caring Canine

Meet Victory Ridge Academy’s Superstar, Dub the Service Dog by TERESA SCHIFFER If there’s one face familiar to all at Victory Ridge Academy, it’s Dub, the dog. Dub, short for Dublin, has been working at the school for children with special needs for the last 10 years. Dub is a Labrador retriever who has been…
Riding for Therapy

Equine-Assisted Activities Offer Heartfelt Help for Vets, Children with Special Needs by Mary Toothman At TiAnViCa Riding Academy, more than a dozen horses are on hand to allow people to ride — and heal. Sara Meadows, executive director and co-founder of TiAnViCa Riding Academy, says horseback riding for people with special needs has been offered…

Editor’s Dose: Four things to help you reduce anxiety

BETWEEN WORK AND FAMILY, I think you’ll agree when I say it’s easy to feel the stress. When to-do lists are growing faster than you can cross off the items, and the midnight oil is being burned so much there is almost no oil left, it’s easy to let the pressure and anxiety get to…
Medical Advice: The keys to unlocking a healthy mouth

FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL DENTAL HEALTH MONTH and a great time to remind individuals about the importance of good dental health and hygiene. It’s easy to take our teeth for granted; however, good oral hygiene contributes to our overall health, including speech and nutrition. Dental care remains a top health concern in Polk County.
Publisher’s Note: The busy person’s baby steps along the path to better heart health

WE’VE ALL HEARD about the seven things you can do to keep healthy and prevent heart disease. (If you haven’t already, then don’t worry, because you’re about to.) They are listed as follows: Eat a heart-healthy diet, be active every day, avoid tobacco use, keep a healthy weight, keep your blood pressure healthy, keep your…