March 7, 2018 The Skanner Page 9
News
Howard University Heads to Puerto Rico to Help
Best Friends for Life:
The Earliest Dog Lovers
Students Give Up Spring Break to Help in Recovery Efforts
By Jasmine Streeter, DVM
Special to The Skanner
News
M
any of us have
heard the saying
since childhood:
Dogs are man’s
best friend. I have no
choice but to agree since
I am writing this piece
as Sheba, my German
Rottweiler, snores softly
on my gray Chesterfield
sofa. (Soleil, my Egyp-
tian Mau, glares from
the back of my chair as
she reads the title of this
article.) Turns out, dogs
and humans have been
friends for a very long
time, for good reason,
and research can prove
it.
A recent study pub-
lished in the Journal of
Archaeological
Science
found humans may have
developed
emotional
and caring bonds with
their dogs around 14,000
years ago, during the Pa-
leolithic era. The bone
remains of a dog found
in
Bonn-Oberkassel,
now a suburb of Germa-
ny, showed that its own-
er cared for it through
multiple bouts of illness
for weeks. The puppy
suffered from distem-
per, a debilitating viral
disease that without in-
tensive care by humans
would have resulted in
death within days. These
findings suggest that this
puppy was a beloved pet
that was near and dear to
its owners’ heart. Thank-
fully, due to modern
medicine, canine distem-
per virus is nearly 100
percent preventable be-
cause of vaccines.
Fast forward to mod-
ern day and we can still
appreciate the strong
physical and emotional
bonds that people share
with their pets. Accord-
ing to the American Vet-
erinary Medical Asso-
ciation, with nearly 63
percent of households
in the United States hav-
ing a companion animal
and nearly 69 million
of those animals being
dogs, it is no secret that
dogs bring us joy.
Studies have found that
dogs are good for mental
health. They help people
become more social and
can even help you score
a date. Dogs make us
appear friendlier, less
threatening and more
approachable.
Their
presence brings add-
ed benefits of reduced
stress, increased quality
of life and may even ex-
tend longevity. As a dog
lover and owner, I reap
the rewards of my furry
forever puppy every day.
Sheba will be seven years
old on March 8. Not only
is she my best friend, but
I am also hers. So if you
are wondering, yes, there
will be a party thrown in
her honor.
It seems friendships
between dogs and peo-
ple are here to stay. As
stewards of this earth,
we are responsible for
those who cannot take
care of themselves. If
you have been blessed
to share your life with a
dog that brings you joy,
please email a picture to
be featured in upcoming
articles.
You can ask Dr. Jasmine
your pet question or email
your pet photo to drjas-
mine@theskanner.com.
“
This year,
no students
applying for
ASB knew
where they
would be
placed when
they signed
up for the
annual service
missions
rating power grid. Currently,
about 1,200 generators power
some of homes, hospitals and
schools while seven larger,
more powerful energy centers,
called microgrids, provide en-
ergy to key areas near import-
ant buildings like hospitals and
schools.
Electricity, however remains a
challenge. Recurring blackouts
plague the island, and about
340,000 people, are still with-
out power. The blackouts have
Ivon Alcime, a graduate communications major, helps build a cement wall at the School of
Good Samaritans as part of a previous Alternative Spring Break in Haiti after the country was
struck by an earthquake that devastated much of the island.
upset
traffic
and interrupt-
ed water ser-
vice to dozens
of
neighbor-
hoods, includ-
ing the historic
Old San Juan
in the nation’s
capital.
The
Feder-
al Emergency
Management
Ad m i n i s t ra -
tion has been Ericka Laws, a junior biology major, tutors two 4th grade students in
providing re- math as preparation for the upcoming state-wide standardized test
lief and rescue during the 2013 Alternative Spring Break mission in New Orleans.
efforts, provid-
ing meals and
tion.” The luck of the draw would
water to residents.
Adebola and 47 other students, determine at which of this year’s
accompanied by two faculty advi- 15 service sites they would be
sors, land in Puerto Rico Friday, placed.
Adebola, an ASB first-timer, said
March 9, and begin a week of work
when
she checked “recovery” on
on Monday, March 12. The ASB
her
application,
she thought she
participants will paint schools
would
be
going
to
Houston or Belle
and fix homes and churches in and
Glade,
Fla.,
two
U.S.
cities that also
around San Juan, the island’s cap-
were
hit
hard
by
hurricanes
last
ital.
fall.
She
said
she
never
expected
to
Howard students will also visit
be
placed
in
Puerto
Rico.
and assist in the daily activities
“I’m really excited,” she said.
at two Boys and Girls clubs in Las
A native of Nigeria, Adebo-
Margaritas and Bayamón about 20
la
moved to the United States to
minutes outside of San Juan. Stu-
learn
mechanical engineering to
dents and faculty will be staying
further
technological advance-
about an hour west of San Juan at
ment
in
her
country, which she
a campsite in Arecibo, six people
said
lacks
proper
waste disposal
to a room.
systems,
consistent
electricity and
This year, no students applying
access
to
clean
drinking
water in
for ASB knew where they would
many
parts
of
the
country.
be placed when they signed up
She said old medical equipment
for the annual service missions.
failed
to save her 13-year-old sis-
Applicants selected a service pref-
ter’s
diminishing
eyesight, leaving
erence ranging from “children/
orphanages” to “prison rehabilita-
BREE GANT/HOWARD UNIVERSITY
Dr. Streeter
WASHINGTON — When Olu-
wakanyinsola Adebola signed
up to do community service as
part of Howard University’s
Alternative Spring Break, she
knew she wouldn’t be joining
her classmates and thousands
of other college students who
use their week off to party and
play in the sun and surf of Ja-
maica or Aruba or any of a half
dozen other Caribbean loca-
tions.
Instead, Adebola would be
part of the hundreds of How-
ard students who, each year for
more than 20 years, have giv-
en up their traditional spring
breaks to serve in communities
in need in places like Atlanta,
Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore,
Memphis and New Orleans.
Ironically, Adebola will travel
to a Caribbean island after all.
She will be in Puerto Rico aid-
ing the millions of U.S. citizens
still struggling to recover from
Hurricane Maria, which hit the
island on September 20.
The storm, which had 155
mph winds, caused at least $90
billion in damage, destroying
thousands of homes, killing at
least 60 people and decimating
the island’s already deterio-
PHOTO: JUSTIN D. KNIGHT/HOWARD UNIVERSITY
By Tatyana Hopkins
NNPA Special Correspondent
See RELIEF on page 11
A career you can be proud of.
Being a carpenter isn’t just a job. It’s a way of life.
We’re devoted to strengthening the lives of our
members with steady work, wealth and personal
growth.
We take a stand for our members and all workers.
We work together to lead the building industry in
safety, training and compensation. We create rich
lives for our members and partners.
To learn more about becoming a union carpenter,
go to NWCarpenters.org.
PORTLAND: 1636 East Burnside, Portland, OR 97214 | 503.261.1862
HEADQUARTERS: 25120 Pacific Hwy S, #200, Kent, WA 98032 | 253.954.8800
NWCarpenters.org
More than 20,000 members in the Pacific Northwest.