Best selling author and professional speaker Charmaine Hammond made a stop in Humboldt Thursday morning along with her dog Toby as part of her PAWS across Canada/Million Acts of Kindness Tour.

The tour is an initiative to build kinder workplaces.

Hammond talked about some of the things they do since they turned the initiative into a tour and took things on the road.

"We took it on the road and we built in philanthropy by having the opportunity to drop into schools, donate books, donate presentations to students and then there is a virtual tour that ends after the six week physical road trip. Up until December 31st we will be virtually visiting communities that we've been to and communities that we haven't and we'll be skyping into classrooms or doing google hangouts, live streams and contests."

The Team Toby mission is to PAWsitively improve lives by teaching kindness, acceptance, and respect.

Taking Toby into classrooms with her is a very important part of getting her message out to students explained Hammond, "what happens is teachers and principals tell us that the message sticks because one school we went to with our first dog years ago, the kids now that were in kindergarten are now in grade six and the students are still talking about the message of Toby and children get infused with a lot of messages about bully prevention in the school program and we hear that this one sticks because it brings in a dog that isn't perfect."

Hammond was in Humboldt to show her support for the dog run being put in at the Humboldt and District Chamber of Commerce campground.

"I love the fact that the dog run is going to be here by the campground because if you're staying here for a few days,a  week, two weeks, it's gonna give the dog a chance to get socialized and feel familiar in a safe way in the environment and I can just picture with the dog run visitors like us popping in to check out the community, find out where they need to go, register for the campground and the dog is just playing either on his own or with other dogs and you don't have to worry about it because they are fenced in."

Construction on the dog run is expected to begin sometime next week.

For more information on the tour and Team Toby at www.charmainehammond.com or www.theoriginalteamtoby.com.

To hear more from Hammond in her interview with Bolt FM's Angie Dukart click below.

 

PAWS Across Canada/Million Acts of Kindness Tour stopped in Humboldt Thursday.