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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, August 2, 2012 · 4 Apa donates van to put PATCH on the road By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A small dog's huge legacy continued to grow Monday as Frank Apa, owner of the Oakville Toyota Scion and Lexus of Oakville dealerships, donated a van to the Oakville and Milton Humane Society for use in its PATCH program. PATCH, which stands for People and Animals Together Create Harmony, sees the humane society visit schools to impart information to students about, among other things, proper pet care, safety around animals, pet overpopulation, animal cruelty, animal rights and the law. The donation of the van brings the value of donations by Apa's dealerships to the ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog "His (Frank Apa's) generosity and commitment to humane education will help make the children of our community ambassadors for kindness, respect and compassion for all living things today and in the future." Heather White, manager of community outreach and education, Oakville and Milton Humane Society SPREADING THE WORD: Oakville Toyota and Oakville Scion donated a Toyota Sienna van to the Oakville and Milton Humane Society Humane Education Program. Here, Frank Apa (Oakville Toyota) hands the keys over to the humane society's Heather White. Your favourite businesses, services, E VOT Y! entertainers, people and more! A D O T Voted by you! AWARDS Readers Selection Vote online until midnight Wed Aug 8 at www.oakvillereaderschoice.com PATCH program to more than $100,000. "Mr. Apa is truly an amazing man," said Heather White, manager of community outreach and education for the humane society. "His generosity and commitment to humane education will help make the children of our community ambassadors for kindness, respect and compassion for all living things today and in the future." Apa founded the PATCH program in 2002 in memory of his longtime companion, and corporate mascot, Patch. Apa said Patch was a sweet, endearing shih tzu who had a positive impact on all those who met him. Patch accompanied Apa to the dealership each day where the pooch displayed an incredible ability to connect with people. Patch died in August 2002. "He meant so much to, not just myself, but to our staff and our clients, that I wanted to do something so his memory would continue living," said Apa. "One of our managers came up with the idea of making a donation to the Oakville humane society," said White. "The concept was that they would do something that would allow us to continue this donation indefinitely and they would use the money to educate children regarding pet care and the responsibilities of owning a pet." Apa said this is important as too often children will have their parents buy them a pet on impulse with no regard for how much responsibility as well as time commitment are involved. Sadly, the pet usually pays the price of these impulse purchases when it is abandoned or dropped off at an animal shelter. Through the PATCH program, a small animal is also brought into the school for the children to interact with. White said the donation of the Toyota Sienna van will allow the humane society to expand the PATCH program and bring it to more classrooms each year in Oakville and Milton. The van has been specially wrapped with a tribute to Patch and will be out on the road bringing lessons of compassion, respect and kindness to children in the local community. To find out more about the program or to book a visit from the PATCH van to your school, contact White at 905-845-1551, ext. 14 or e-mail heatherw@ omhs.ca.