Hallelujahs!

This is a heart-warming story you will want to read! Joy Lauffenburger, who has been diagnosed with autism, with Goldie, the dog that she credits with changing her family's lives. The silent child found her voice as she spent hours every night reading and telling stories to the nonjudgmental canine. Goldie went everywhere with her owner, including speech therapy by the time Joy was 9 years old. The child's language skills leapt by four years in just 12 months. The family that couldn't go anywhere soon went everywhere — horseback riding, Disney World, Sea World, the White House — with Goldie alongside Joy. She patted the dog and explained that Goldie helped her become more sociable and less afraid of the outside world. “I get more courage with Goldie around,” she said. Joy and Goldie travel across the nation, with Joy having given approximately 2 dozen speeches in the past three years — something Joy's mother said would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago. Over the last year, Joy has gained experience as an artist, scored high in college entrance exams and took advanced placement classes as a senior at Santa Fe High School in Edmond, where she graduated. She is currently attending college and plans to become a zoo keeper.

This picture was taken of our very own Nathan by The Oklahoman, our local newspaper on Saturday, September 17, 2011 @ Camp DaKaNi for the Open House of Camp C.A.N.O.E. (Children with Autism Need Outdoor Experiences) ♥ I wanted to share it with our readers here on Nathan's Voice! We will be featuring Camp C.A.N.O.E. as we receive more information about their new summer camp for special needs children. If you live in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and would like to volunteer, please contact us for more information on how YOU can make a difference in these children's lives!!

Please email lorrieservati@yahoo.com if you, or someone you know, might be interested in having 
your "Hallelujah" concerning your family's journey through autism featured on here, 
I always look forward to hearing from you!