Oliver, a Novant therapy dog, will appear, at the first 2017 meeting of members and friends of AARP on Thursday at Rufty-Holmes Senior Center at 1 p.m.

Joining Oliver will be with his trainer, Barbara Teichroew, and coordinator Diane Hundley.

“Wagging Welcomes” is a pet greeter program of Novant Health. Each week certified therapy dogs spend two hours in the hospital lobbies offering warm greetings and comforting presence to patients, guests and staff.

At Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, Oliver and Teichroew come every week to greet as well as visit both the Joynt Camp and Stanback Rehabilitation Center.  They also visit Kiser Hospice House, the VA Medical Center and Rowan Public Library in Salisbury on a regular basis.

Hundley, volunteer coordinator at Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, will explain the training that Oliver and other therapy dogs must accomplish in order to be certified to visit hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

Also at the meeting, new officers for Salisbury-Rowan AARP Chapter 4314 will be installed, followed by a pizza party (for the humans) and dog treats (for Oliver). All seniors 50+ are welcome. Free. For more information contact Rufty-Holmes Senior Center, 1120 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., 704-216-7714.

AARP is a national nonprofit, non-partisan membership organization the helps people who are 50-plus have independence, choice and control in way that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.

Rowan County residents 50 years and older are invited to join the local chapter.  Members do not have to be retired to join.  The annual dues for the chapter are $4. Chapter meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at the Senior Center. Visitors are always welcome.