Marg Cray recently visited the Rotary Club of Bairnsdale Sunrise with her Australian Cobberdog, Rosie, to share the important role the therapy dog plays at Lucknow Primary School.
Rosie was brought in to help students cope with the ongoing effects of the New Year’s Eve 2019 bushfires, which heavily impacted both staff and students. Marg, a longtime teacher at the school, purchased and trained Rosie as a therapy dog to support students experiencing anxiety, stress, or emotional challenges.
Once trained, Rosie was approved by the school council to work in classrooms, moving among students to provide comfort and reassurance. Her presence has been shown to reduce stress, encourage engagement in learning, and support the development of social skills such as empathy and responsibility. Students are also motivated to participate in activities such as reading aloud to Rosie.
Marg highlighted another longstanding initiative at Lucknow Primary—the “Special Friends” mentoring program. Running for
about 25 years, the program pairs students with volunteer mentors from the community for one hour a week, supporting confidence, motivation, and social skills.
The Rotary Club of Bairnsdale Sunrise is now raising funds to build a Bike Education Track adjacent to the school. The project aims to promote outdoor activity and teach safe bike riding, addressing the drop in physical activity and
rise in mental health challenges among children following the bushfires and COVID-19 lockdowns. The track will be open to students from schools across East Gippsland.
Supporters can contribute by purchasing a paver, personalised with a family name or business logo, to be laid along a pathway through the bike track.
More information is available via the Rotary Club of Bairnsdale Sunrise website or Facebook page.
