Ponterio-Week 9

Last week I presented my alpaca program at Country Meadows and it was not what I expected. It went incredibly well, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't quite what I had envisioned from prior experience. I think it went better that way though. I had pictured a room full of elderly residents sitting quietly while I gave my spiel and then asking questions and then having petting and feeding time with the animals. Instead, my clients (mother and sister) wanted to have the alpaca moving and letting the residents pet them while I spoke. I was worried that it would be totally out of control and that no one would hear me, but the residents loved it! Their faces lit up and the staff said they'd never seen such a huge turn out with such a positive response. They asked really great questions, which, admittedly, I was not expecting. The whole thing was a delightful surprise. I think that my actual speech portion could have been smoother, but I was very thrown with the amount of activity going on while I was presenting. My evaluations were all almost 100% positive and they have asked that we come back as well as visit the other campuses in the region. Overall it was a bigger success than I anticipated. It was even going to get media coverage and be on the evening news, but we got scooped by a bigger story. Regardless, it was in the newspaper so I am trying to track down a copy of that. I think it was a really satisfying result and that the project as a whole was a good experience. Now I am trying to sum it up in the final evaluation and prepare to present and then all will be done. Good luck to everyone else who is finishing their work and Happy Thanksgiving!