meet nigel

[Our Ambassador and his mission] January 1, 2015

Meet Nigel, my son Jeremy’s canine therapy buddy and The Progress Center’s secret weapon. To some he is known as Nigel Paws, to others he is known as our Foundation’s canine Ambassador of licks, sniffs and loads of love.

Nigel bounced and tumbled down a haystack at first sight of two young Army brats running around his mom and dad’s rural goat farm on a beautiful Saturday morning. He was twelve weeks old and hoping to meet his forever family. We were there to visit a family of Great Pyrenees puppies just to see if the breed might be a match for our family. I had just lost my best friend, single girl roommate and maid of honor, my adoring fourteen year old border collie Lucy Brown. My husband asked on the ride if we were bringing a puppy home that day and I choose to remain quiet. Those of you who know me are now smirking and laughing out loud at Brian’s question. Of course we were bringing a new Bennett home that day, maybe all five puppies if our circumstances had allowed and Left Brain had not been there to keep us all on the immediate mission. But for that day, it was to be one very special and lovable white ball of fur, lots of fur. This day would be very memorable and the beginning of a family’s deep bond with a very special BIG little pure white polar bear puppy. My son had asked for a polar bear cub for Christmas and I was wondering how I was going to produce this miracle.

On an Easter weekend in 2008, our newest 25 pound, four legged and very gangling little brother joined our Army family of four humans and one very old grey beard Chihuahua. Nigel began his journey into the world of Autism and his adventures with an EFMP military family working as my oldest son’s Canine Companion. He was spoiled and adored the minute he jumped in our minivan to begin his curious drive north to Ft. Hood in central Texas. Our two young sons were thrilled to adopt a very big and lovable polar bear and quickly turn him into a third partner in crime. We asked Jeremy, our oldest to pick our puppy’s name and with little hesitation he calmly claimed his name would be Nigel after his hero on the BBC, Nigel Marvin. It was settled and then I gave him his middle name, Bear for obvious reasons. The last name was his family name and only recently was he knighted for his selfless service and love of children, community and country.

Sir Nigel Bear Bennett joined our Army family and began his adventures and moves around this beautiful country. He needed a fun family and we needed his love and antics more than we knew at the time as another deployment was on our horizon that spring; and my little boys would need a diversion from the heartache of Dad’s departure and duty for country. It would be my husband’s third deployment.

The National Listening Scholarship Foundation | 1


The first “accident or crime” was a tumble into a very chilly pool before we were to attend Easter services. We were all wet in our fancy Sunday school best, especially Nigel’s older brothers who were six and eight at the time. Nigel fit in quickly and thrived for his everyday thrills with our adventurous family. He joined us and his grey beard canine Uncle Mickey on our first RV trip out west before Brian was to deploy on Father’s day for Iraq. At six months old, our enthusiastic Nigel especially loved the red clay dirt of Sedona Arizona and we have the pictures to prove it. I remember he would ride in the front of the RV and just watch the road sitting next to Brian. I think he was contemplating his next walk or run for a body of water, especially a creek or a beach or maybe he was channeling my husband’s thoughts of the mission ahead for his Apache Battalion. Who really knows? I imagine Nigel sits and thinks about the world around him and the squirrels he can chase when he is off duty. These days his favorite place to visit with Jeremy is Beach Grandma’s intracoastal cottage on the Amelia River when he is not by my side working with families or patrolling our little Hawaiian neighborhood in Kailua.

Today, Nigel is a mature, very big and loving therapy dog who visits our ABA center and works his magic with our families. He loves everyone he meets and has come to expect the same adoring attention he pays forward with his selfless service in the Autism and Military communities. Often called Nigie Bear by his brothers and those who know him well, he lives to meet those who are affected by autism, Asperger and other various behavioral disorders. Some have said he’s our hidden treasure behind the scene at the Progress Center and the NLSF.

He is a bit of a celebrity in our newest Hawaii neighborhood in Kailua. He is eager for the next event and enjoys his time supporting his favorite charities, the National Listening Scholarship Foundation (his), the Wounded Warrior Project, his local no-kill animal shelters and Autism Speaks. He is always ready and willing for guest appearances if his driver is available. As long as you have a snack and some puppy love, he will show up ready for hugs and kisses. He can calm a nervous four year old before a therapy evaluation and he can sooth a stressed and emotionally drained mom and dad who are just beginning their journey into a world of spectrum therapies, behavioral intervention plans or the countless conversations they will listen and process while seeking the best advice and counseling for their beautiful and often misunderstood child.

Our Nigel is a comforting friend to all and a selfless Ambassador for The Progress Center and The National Listening Scholarship Foundation. But do be beware, he’s still a partner in crime and can find adventurous opportunity when the impulse strikes. Ask anyone who “Nigelsits” if they haven’t lost an unattended plate of food off the counter or finds him on their bed or hogging the couch they just stepped away from a minute ago. He’s a very big lap dog and doesn’t know it.



** Your Support**

Nigel and his young friends at The Progress Center would like to invite you to become a Friend of the NLSF with your charitable gift for a child who is in desperate need of our EnListen® program or ABA services. Most insurance companies will not provide supplemental benefits or cover the cost of ABA or auditory processing services and this is a shameful situation for many American families. Your contribution will stay in this community and provide the opportunity for a young boy or girl’s life to change dramatically in a matter of weeks and a family’s world to begin to see the light on the horizon. Hope itself is a powerful stimulant for anyone, very much so for our families who have already received the gift of therapies and services from the Foundation.

** You Care and It Is Our Mission **

Nigel and his Human Listening Team’s mission is to service and help a child listen, learn and live a better life, to thrive in their school, home, job and personal relationships. We want to open the world of opportunities for our scholarship recipients so that they can pursue their field of dreams. Please make this your family’s or company’s mission too. The NLSF is committed to improving the quality of life and self-esteem of children and adolescents of all ages.

** You Can Make This Your Mission Today**

Change is possible and we hope and pray you want to make it happen too. You can make a difference starting today. Please consider your tax deductible gift which will be used in the Hawaiian Islands and military communities. It may go to someone’s child you know, a neighbor’s little boy, a work colleague’s teenage daughter, a church member’s grandchild or even a young deployed soldier’s child who is in need of services outside his parent’s insurance benefits. In many cases, our applicants have no insurance in these tough economic times.

As you consider the size of your financial gift, we hope you will think about the magnitude and the life changing importance it will have for a family who faces incredible challenges each day and often nights too. Everyday another child is diagnosed on the color wheel- The Spectrum and one out of six children’s parents will learn their child have a behavioral disorder. And don’t forget the rising cases of TBIs and PTSD for a military family.

As we look ahead for the year, our immediate goal is to promote AWARENESS and provide for MORE EnListen® Scholarships in 2015 in our local areas.

** Let the EnListen®ing Begin**The National Listening Scholarship Foundation | 4


If you can’t provide financial support at this time, we welcome questions about this very unique neuro training and the positive benefits for Spectrum disorders, ADHA, ADD, Dyslexia, increased sports performance in top athletes.

Dr. Thompson is even seeing new positive strides in PTSD and TBIs. She excitedly is testing EnListen™ Intensives with stroke rehabilitation efforts in patients. Dr. Thompson, Angie and my top goal is to get our feet in the door to those Decision Makers who have open minds and influence in the medical communities.

Everything The Progress Centers receive is a blessing and will go to serve and benefit our scholarship recipients and purchase additional EnListen® units. The long term goal for this family is to give back to a community in desperate need of respite care and alternative treatments. Military families with lower socio-economics circumstances and those with little to no insurance! This Military family will soon retire and begin building our dream facility - a National Training Project and home to our second and future therapy Bed & Breakfast on Amelia Island, Florida. Jason (8th grader) will focus on his Veterinary tract while Jeremy (10th grader) is headed to a career in Anthrozoology and Animal Behaviors Studies. Mom and Dad will continue to manage the Bennett Brothers and their many many goals and activities.

We are hoping to appeal to businesses, medical professionals and companies who may be looking for a very worthy small non-profit. We are a little Foundation with very big hopes, dreams and goals for this year and the years to come. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with your team and present more information about The Progress Center and it’s non-profit.

Please don’t hesitate to call, write or email with your thoughts, ideas, suggestions or well wishes. Our non-profit, The National Listening Scholarship Foundation can use all the support and guidance we can solicit from our friends, businesses and employers throughout the local community. We mainly want to spread the word and build a network of supporters acros this nation.

With warmest regards and our EnListen®ing and Fundraising Team’s best wishes for your health and happiness in 2015- and for giving thought to this invitation.

Sincerely,

Amy & NigelAmy Alred-Bennett

Jeremy and Jason’s Mom and Nigel’s Faithful Driver

Chief Imagination Supporter and Lifetime Board Member



The National Listening Scholarship Foundation




Nigel is home in the Surf & Sand on Amelia Island

meet nigel

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