Amy Wurst

Amy owns two dogs who are trained to be volunteers for the “Delta Society,” in the R.E.A.D. program based on youth literacy, “Pets for Life,” a program benefiting children and the elderly and “Pet Pals,” a weekly program geared toward ill children at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, MO. Cabernet, one of Amy’s dogs, also provides Pet Assisted Therapy in the Physical Therapy department of Children’s Mercy. Amy also serves on the Children’s Mercy Volunteer Advisory Committee and Children’s Mercy Circle of Mercy Committee representing the hospital to potential donors and community groups. When Hurricane Katrina ravaged the southern coast of Louisiana, Amy and Cabby jumped into action after having attended a four-day training course for Animal Assisted Crisis Response (AACR), and spent a week in Washington Parish, LA visiting schools and nursing homes bringing emotional support to victims.

Amy also extends her volunteer reach to a worldwide organization, the Special Olympics. She is involved in this organization for people with intellectual disabilities on every level from event volunteer to Aquatics Sports Director to Games Management Team in the Missouri and North Carolina Games. Amy is a Board member of North Carolina Special Olympics and was a volunteer at the Special Olympics World Games in Raleigh, NC 1999, Anchorage, AK in 2001 and Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland, 2003.