CASA PACIFICA CENTERS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
A California Non-profit 501(C)(3)
Contact: Vicki Murphy
Phone: 805-366-4010
Email: vmurphy@casapacifica.org
For: Assignment Editor
Camarillo, CA – Archibald Razz-M-Tazz, more famously known as “Archie the Therapy Dog,” has been silently comforting the residents of Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families for a decade. On Wednesday, May 6th at 8:40 a.m., Casa Pacifica’s Board of Directors will host a special celebration prior to its monthly board meeting in honor of Archie’s 10th birthday, and in recognition of the valuable contributions Archie has brought the agency and the abused, neglected, and at-risk children it serves. Several Casa Pacifica alumni will be on hand to share what it meant to have Archie there to help them through tough times – whether providing a furry shoulder to cry on, cuddling up with them on the floor, or sitting and listening to them read or whisper their innermost thoughts into his ear. His giant, gentle presence has meant a great deal to countless children and youth. As one young man put it, “No matter what has happened to us, or what we’ve done, Archie loves us all the same.”
Archie’s real birthday is on May 4th. While the children will privately celebrate Archie earlier in the week, Casa Pacifica invites the media to join us at 8:40 a.m. on Wednesday morning, May 6th, to recognize Archie and his important role in not only providing therapeutic help for the children, but in serving as an ambassador to the community, making them aware of Casa Pacifica and the vital services it provides to vulnerable children and families. Archie has appeared on the Today Show; been featured on CBS’s Dog Tales TV show; had news pieces run about him on both local stations and national networks; and been featured in a book titled, “A Letter to My Dog, Notes to Our Best Friends,” by Kimi Culp, Lisa Erspamer, and Robin Layton. Archie also has a life-sized bronze statue erected of him which is located at the Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks. The statue functions as a bank where people can drop donations to support the Archie Fund which covers unexpected emergency needs of Casa Pacifica’s children and families.
# # #
Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families is a crisis-care and residential treatment facility for abused, neglected, or at-risk children in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. The agency is the largest non-profit provider of children’s mental health services in both counties and administers a number of community-based programs which are designed with the intent to strengthen families and keep children in their homes. For more information about Casa Pacifica visit its website www.casapacifica.org or call the Development Department at (805) 445-7800.