Mourning mindfully

Into the woods I go

alone but for camera

and for dog

to lose my mind

and find my soul

and allow myself to grieve

thoughts cast upon

the gentle breeze

and into the growing wind

peace drawn in

through the  forest’s voice

tracks left for another day

borrowed fear  laid with utmost care

upon the shoulders of the dog

to deal with as she will

revisit thoughts of the gentle voice of poetry

unbidden, it quenches, it exacerbates

passions betrayed and left behind

let the forest breathe for you

let mud cushion weary feet

allow yourself to grieve.

Years of disappointment hardened me

dreams were dashed, love euthanized

expectations are no more

and, without expectation

I was not prepared

for no more opportunities to say…

I loved you in the beginning

and I loved you in the end

in between, mindful apathy

now, I am left alone

you cannot hear my words

but, I’ll tell you, anyway

you taught me what it means to be

loved above all else

though it was never me you chose

but you held me every time I cried

and, across these 50 years,

only twice has someone done the same

it took me ‘til today to realize

what a precious gift that was

and, now, I mourn the loss.

There's no such thing as a pit bull

Photo by Phil Balko

                Well, that’s not strictly true, but it caught your attention, right?  There is no such breed as the Pit Bull.  While the UKC’s American Pit Bull Terrier comes closest in name, most enthusiasts agree that the term “pit bull” encompasses it and two other breeds: the UKC’s American Bully and the AKC’s American Staffordshire Terrier.  (Visit their websites to learn more: www.akc.org and www.ukcdogs.com)

                In form, a pit bull is a short-haired, well-muscled dog with a boxy head.  By these standards, the American Bulldog, English Mastiff, Rottweiler, Boston Terrier, and countless other breeds could be considered pit bulls. 

In history, a pit bull was a dog used for blood sports such as bull, bear, or boar baiting.  In these contests, a large animal was either tethered or contained in a pit and agitated before introducing a dog.  The object of the sport was for the dog to immobilize the animal by latching onto its snout.  When this gruesome practice was outlawed in 1835 by the Cruelty to Animals Act, many enthusiasts turned to rat baiting.  In this grisly sport, dogs were placed in a covered pit with 100 rats; the winner was the dog who killed the most rodents in a specified time.  The last public exhibition of rat baiting was in Leicester in 1835, only to be replaced by the horrific practice of pitting dogs against one another.

With such a checkered past and no clear breed standard, it’s no wonder the pit bull type of dog is so misunderstood.  When the words are uttered, the reactions are often polar opposites.  Many people fear these dogs, envisioning aggressive beasts bred to kill.  Just as many romanticize them as today’s martyr, as German Shepherds, Doberman Pinchers, and Rottweilers have been in the past. 

The breeds that encompass the pit bull type are not for everyone, just as Chihuahuas, Great Danes, or Border Collies are not for everyone.  They are typically highly driven, athletic dogs, whose minds need to be exercised, as well as their bodies.  Tim Holsopple, founder of Operation Pit Bull, is an advocate and expert on these dogs.  His dog, Laz, has been an integral part of his life for nearly seven years.

Together, Tim and Laz have taken part in agility, obedience, and barn hunt activities, but their greatest passion is weight pulling.  Tim works out in the gym and Laz works out in the fields, dragging window weights to keep his athletic build and to satisfy his need to perform.  Laz is as much the center of Tim’s universe as is his son, Owen.  The “boys” wrestle, play, and sleep together.  There is no fear of Owen coming to any harm in Laz’s company – inflicted by dog or mankind.

While much of his time has been dedicated to finding homes for pit bull types in shelters, Tim doesn’t try to push his breed choices on others.  His opinion is that no breed should be held as superior, nor should any be discriminated against as a whole.  Just as with the humans you choose to share your life, a dog should be both judged and respected as an individual, not as a stereotype.  I wholeheartedly agree.

                 

Rebecca is the President & Executive Director of The Ethel Fund Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to changing animals' lives by providing assistance in times of catastrophic veterinary need.  To learn more, please visit http://www.ethelfund.org or https://www.facebook.com/TheEthelFund.  You may contact Rebecca at rslindeman@ethelfund.org.

Phil Balko is the proprietor of Photography by Balko and donates his talents to the Ethel Fund Inc. as well as other community organizations.  To see more of his work, visit http://philipbalko.com/. You may contact Phil at inquiry@philipbalko.com.

For the Love of Winter - from Somerset Magazine, January 2017

Our grandmother was a wise and gentle woman who taught us that what people do behind closed doors (or in a voting booth) is no one else’s business, and that we should practice love rather than preach damnation.  She raised us to stand up for what’s right but to avoid unnecessary confrontation.  Today, I throw caution to the wind and publicly admit that I love winter.  

The cold air invigorates me, I enjoy the added challenge of walking in snowshoes, am fascinated by the many tracks and trails left by other creatures that travel the woods.  My dogs romp, roll, and come home with clean paws.

Some of my friends think I’m daft.  They answered our leading question, ‘what do you love about winter?’ with varying degrees of good-natured sarcasm:   “Nothing,” from Sandy Rugg; “The flies are all dead,” from Maxine Cook; and, from Karen Thomas, “The only good thing about winter is that, with each passing day, we are closer to spring.”

Others were a little more charitable to the season, if only because avoiding it allows them to stay indoors and enjoy certain pleasures.  Trystina Cox and Pat Reed enjoy the cozy feeling of being wrapped in a blanket.  Wendy Stanton and Linda Troy fill their homes with the delicious smells of comfort food.  Jay Boyer finds time to read and Eric Fogle finds time to draw.

Deana Foust has loved winter from her early childhood when she and her cousins would go sledding at their grandmother’s house.  They would trudge up the hill, stumbling through the ditch as the road surface was tightly packed and frozen, pulling a green wooden sled behind them.  The three of them would pile on, the oldest having the honor of sitting up front and steering with his feet, the younger girls each wrapping her arms and legs around the cousin in front.  The other two would then push with all their might and the sled would whoosh away!

Becky Garreston Perigo was a shy child, preferring to play on her own in the woods near the Quemahoning Reservoir.  She would pile and shape the snow into a throne where she would sit very still and quiet.  Without the sounds of traffic or other children, she could actually hear the soft drop of new snowflakes onto previous days’ accumulation.  Becky would stay and play in her private kingdom until the bread bags inside her boots would finally begin to leak and she’d have to go home to warm her feet.

Heidi Pristas Maus and Lenny Rhominsky both love to see the evergreen trees heavy with snow, their bows bending beneath its weight, making caves around their trunks where little animals may find shelter.  Though she’s now the teacher, Heidi still enjoys the two-hour delays and the unplanned freedom of snow days.

Bonnie Nunamaker and Wendy Cernansky enjoy the winter nights when all is calm and quiet.  Even without the moon, the stars reflect enough light to walk through the crisp snow, making those first footprints after a fresh fall.  Wendy walks the yet-to-be-shoveled sidewalks with her dogs while Bonnie walks the fields, accompanied by three fainting goats, all frolicking like children.

Debbie Benedict takes delight in those times when a heavy snow is followed by ice.  The trees are coated and crackle with the least bit of movement.  As the sun sinks, its last rays shine across the frozen ground, making the ice sparkle like diamonds, sometimes like a rainbow.

Then there’s young Carole Kelly.  She suffers from asthma and is unable to spend much time outdoors when it’s cold, but winter is still her favorite season.  Her father, Justin, works construction and her mother, Nina, is a nurse.  Her older brothers, Lee and Stephen, are in school.  Winter is special to Carole, not because of Christmas, nor snowmen and snow angels; winter is special because her Daddy is laid off and for a few hours each day, she has him all to herself.

                 

Phil Balko is the proprietor of Photography by Balko, a full-service studio specializing in senior portraits, custom wedding, and lifestyle photography.  To see more of his work, visit http://philipbalko.com/.  You may contact Phil at inquiry@philipbalko.com or (814)352-5327.

Ethel is Chillin' for Charity - from Somerset Magazine, January 2017

It’s that time again – the heart of winter, when we do one of the most outrageously fun things of all to help family pets with catastrophic veterinary needs.  We create a team (because who would be crazy enough to do this alone) and we head into the icy waters of the Quemahoning Reservoir in Holsopple on February 11.  No, we’re not nuts – we’re freezin’ for a reason: the 2017 Chillin’ for Charity.

There’s more to the day than just taking that icy dip.  Over the three years that Ethel has attended, we’ve seen the event grow into an incredible winter festival and arctic splash that takes “frozen” to a whole new level.  The organizers and participants work to raise awareness and financial support for local charities, including the Ethel Fund.

From providing nutritious meals to children in need over the weekends, to rescuing animals, providing medical care to both humans and pets, and improving a playground, you’re sure to find a charity that you want to support.  All funds raised are kept locally and impact Somerset and Cambria Counties.  By braving the cold to support one (or all) of these organizations, you will be warming the hearts of those in need.

The day begins at 9:00am, with food, music, bonfires, and contests.  Registration begins at 10:00am and we take the Arctic Splash at 1:00pm.  Participants have always made the most of this day, with many of them dressing in costume.  Besides the traditional prizes, this year, organizers will be crowning one of the costumed guests the Ice Princess – complete with sash, crown, and photo ops. 

Anyone can participate though, if you’re under 18, you’ll need a parent’s signature.  Local EMS will be present and Swift-Water Rescue will be in the water from the moment the first toe breaks the surface until the last participant hits the warming tents to change.  Spectators are also welcome but parking at the beach is reserved for those going into the Que.  Shuttles will run every 30 from the North American Hoganas plant, where parking is free.

Ethel and I will be at the event, though she won’t be joining me in the water.  I’d like to invite each and every one of you to join our team by visiting https://www.classy.org/campaign/the-ethel-fund-is-chillin-for-charity/c95943 and clicking on “Join a Team.” You may help one of the individual recipients by joining their team (all money raised by the team goes to the medical bills of that animal) or support the Fund as a whole by joining Ethel’s Frozen Friends.  100% of the funds raised by this team will be used to provide assistance to family pets with catastrophic veterinary needs, offer sanctuary to the pets of women escaping domestic abuse, and facilitate the pairing of service dogs to people with disabilities.

If you’d like to join in the fun, but can’t bring yourself to take the plunge, don’t worry there are no Plunge Police.  You are more than welcome – this day is about community, fun, and fundraising and anyone raising at least $50 will receive a commemorative gift.  So, whether you’ll be heading into the water, cheering us on from the shore, or making a donation online, or just spreading the word, we at the Ethel Fund say ‘Thank you!’

Rebecca is the President & Executive Director of The Ethel Fund Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to changing animals' lives by providing assistance in times of catastrophic veterinary need.  To learn more, please visit http://www.ethelfund.org or https://www.facebook.com/TheEthelFund.  You may contact Rebecca at rslindeman@ethelfund.org.

Phil Balko is the proprietor of Photography by Balko and donates his talents to the Ethel Fund Inc. as well as other community organizations.  To see more of his work, visit http://philipbalko.com/. You may contact Phil at inquiry@philipbalko.com.

Christmas Memories

                Christmas is a time of memories.  A time to make and a time to share them.  We grew up in a single parent household before they were commonplace.  Our mother struggled to make ends meet, so we learned early the lesson of balancing between the things one wants and the things one needs.  Somehow, though, Mom always made sure we had Christmas.  We’d wake far too early, the three of us crowding the landing, ready to explode down the steps like a cork from champagne.  She’d take far too long (in our small opinions) in the bathroom, then we’d rush down to find what seemed like a treasure trove.  I don’t remember most of the gifts; what I do remember is that, for those few moments, the weight of the world was lifted from her shoulders and our mother was happy.

                Limited resources seem to have no bearing on unlimited love.  Connie Weyant remembers that her grandparents had very little to spare but, on Christmas Eve 1971, her Pap went to the bank and returned with an Eisenhower silver dollar.  She never spent that coin.  As this gift was both from their hearts and the memory is held closely in hers, she now wears it in a pendant.  Each time she touches the coin, she feels their presence and their love.

               

                When she was quite young, Tia Houpt wanted nothing more than Baby Alive.  She woke deep in the night to the sound of sleigh bells, with the coveted doll in her arms.  Bouncing to the window, she must have just missed Santa, for there were fresh sleigh tracks in the falling snow.

                So many of us have fond memories of decorating the tree.  Tami Boring remembers sorting through her grandmother’s box of ornaments with the utmost of care, so as not to break the glass bulbs or pull the glued felt from the silly clothespin people.  Like the prize in Cracker Jacks, her favorite – the plastic Snoopy – seemed always to be at the bottom.  She has inherited him now and, even when she has no tree, he still makes an appearance each December. 

                Linda Troy so loves the tree that, for many years, she had one in every room of the house.  Yes, even the bathroom.  Michelle Holt’s tree could grace the cover of magazines with its carefully planned white, off-white, and sage green color scheme; a far cry from the metallic silver trees of her parents’ day.  Melinda Kelly’s tree takes hours to decorate; each ornament has a story and the family enjoys recalling them as they trim.  Each year, the members of her family receive new ornaments, chosen especially for them.  The babies get the traditional 1^st or 2^nd year ornament, while her daughter’s sported a pair of scissors and nail polish (she’s a cosmetologist) and hers sons’ were little garbage trucks (can you guess their vocation?).

                Food plays an important role in celebrating the holiday.  While many of us serve the traditional ham or turkey, Michelle follows a tradition handed down from the grandfather who raised her: oyster stew.  He made it every year for as long as he was able.  In his 89^th, he shared his recipe and taught her how to make it just right – one of the greatest gifts she ever received.  Melinda lets each of her kids and grandkids choose a dish that she makes just for them.  As her family grows, there is almost no room at the table to eat.  To emphasize the meaning, they make and decorate a birthday cake for Jesus.

                Of course, there are memories that make us laugh.  Rushing to return a movie before attending Christmas Eve church service, Karen Thomas fell on the ice, cracking her tailbone.  After the service (she couldn’t miss her daughter’s bell choir performance) she went to the emergency room, where they gifted her with a donut to cushion her bruised posterior.  The moral: it is better to pay a late fee than to rush across a parking lot in an ice storm.

                Roger Vogel recalls the Christmas when he and his siblings all had the chicken pox, but the story pales in comparison to the year that his Grammy let the family crumple up the wrapping paper and throw it away, rather than saving it for another year.  That was also the year that she exposed the family secret: they aren’t really Irish, as their Pap Pap had always told them.

                This year, many of my friends are celebrating their babies’ first Christmases.  To Drew, Elizabeth, Rais, Ivan, Owen, Zane, Vincent and all the others experiencing their first year: we wish you a beautiful, blessed, and very merry Christmas.  May all your memories be laced with love.

Phil Balko is the proprietor of Photography by Balko, a full-service studio specializing in senior portraits, custom wedding, and lifestyle photography.  To see more of his work, visit http://philipbalko.com/.  You may contact Phil at inquiry@philipbalko.com or (814)352-5327.

Is that a beagle, a bagle, or a Tootsie Roll?

Tootsie Roll with her "brother" Timmy

                If you’re a dog lover and a Facebook user, you’ve no doubt seen the almost irate posts of some in regards to the Designer Dog – a purposeful mix of two or more breeds.  Some of the most popular are the Labradoodle, the Cockapoo, and the Puggle. (Labrador-Poodle, Cocker Spaniel-Poodle, and Pug-Beagle, respectively) There are those who stand firm in the belief that anything outside an AKC registered breed is a mutt but, the fact is, the AKC itself holds the position that all purebreds resulted from the cross of other breeds.

           

             The Ethel Invitational is a dog show (and fundraiser) where every dog – purebred or mutt – is welcome and everyone wins a prize.  It was there that we first met Timmy the Bagle Hound.  Timmy was one of the first recipients of assistance from the Ethel Fund, back in 2013, when he needed critical diagnostic testing before receiving treatment for cancer.  As of today, he remains cancer free. 

  

              Timmy belongs to Todd and Angie Nunamaker, people with big hearts and gentle souls.  When Todd saw photos of a supposed beagle on the local Humane Society’s website, he recognized the body type of the Bagle Hound – a mix of the Beagle and the Basset Hound.  He and Angie fell in love with her at first sight and Tootsie Roll became part of the family.  This family has experienced great joy and great pain.

                Angie has both fibromyalgia and endometritis, making it difficult, if not impossible to have a child.  The Bagles do their best to fill the void and Angie loves them almost as she would a child.  Todd is just as tender and he experiences a different sort of pain: despite his vast experience, he’s been unable to find regular employment.  They do what they can and find a way to make ends meet.  Until now.

                Tootsie Roll needs surgery to compensate for a torn cruciate ligament.  Though she bays with joy and does her best to play, she can only hobble after Timmy, her hind leg barely touches the ground and provides little support.  She has been evaluated by Surgeon Diplomat, Dr. Anthony Pardo (who performed dual hip replacement surgeries on Ethel) at Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center and he has generously found a way to provide the needed surgery at the lowest cost.    Though grateful, the $2,000 that this family still needs to raise may as well be two million.

                The Ethel Fund is committed to helping the family but, as you can imagine, the needs of our recipients exceed our current resources.  If you’d like to help Tootsie Roll, you may contribute at http://ethelfund.org/index.php/donate and mention her name in the notes section, or mail a check with her name in the memo line to PO Box 1231, Somerset PA 15501.

                 Todd and Angie have made a commitment to helping not only Tootsie Roll, but also any family pet in need.  They have formed their own team for the 2017 Chillin’ for Charity at the Quemahoning Reservoir, where they’ll be taking the plunge on February 11 with hundreds of others to support the Ethel Fund and other local charities.  You may join their team at https://www.classy.org/team/95138. Donations raised by members of this team will be applied directly to Tootsie’s medical bills and any surplus will be used by the Ethel Fund to provide assistance to family pets with catastrophic veterinary needs, offer sanctuary to the pets of women escaping domestic abuse, and facilitate the pairing of service dogs to people with disabilities.

                 

Rebecca is the President & Executive Director of The Ethel Fund Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to changing animals' lives by providing assistance in times of catastrophic veterinary need.  To learn more, please visit http://www.ethelfund.org or https://www.facebook.com/TheEthelFund.  You may contact Rebecca at rslindeman@ethelfund.org.

Phil Balko is the proprietor of Photography by Balko and donates his talents to the Ethel Fund Inc. as well as other community organizations.  To see more of his work, visit http://philipbalko.com/. You may contact Phil at inquiry@philipbalko.com.

Plastic Surgery for Puppy

   

            It’s been a rough summer for Wendy Cernansky.  She lost her beloved golden retriever, Quincy, on Mother’s Day and has been feeling empty ever since.  When her husband encouraged her to adopt another puppy, fate seemed to take a hand.  Wendy felt immediately drawn to the furry face in a Facebook post of a “special” puppy in need of a home.  The family was selected from dozens who applied; Wendy and her daughter, Malena, made the trip to Corapeake NC to pick up the newest member of the family: Malikai.

                Malikai was born on May 20, sharing his birthday with Quincy.  Wendy smiles with a tear in her eye, “It seems like Quincy chose him just for me.  He follows every step I take, just like she did.”  Without a doubt, the happy-go-lucky ball of golden fluff is a special guy – a special guy with special needs.  Malikai was born with a cleft palate.  This opening between the roof of his mouth and his nasal cavity makes the most natural thing in the world – eating – a difficult thing.

                Twice a day, sometimes more often, Wendy must use a special tool to clean food and other objects from the opening and she brushes his nose with water to make him sneeze out any foreign bodies.  He cannot drink from a dish, using a rabbit bottle instead, and is forbidden chew treats of any kind.  Keeping him safe, healthy, and clean is a lot of work – work that Wendy is willing to do for Malikai’s life, but there are dangers involved.  If food or some object is aspirated through the opening into his lungs, pneumonia is likely, and death is not unusual if this happens.

                Malikai is a lucky pup.  Dr. Alexander Reiter, Dpl, Tzt, the Head of Dentistry and Oral Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, has agreed to take him as a patient.  The surgery is not simple and the recovery will be long.  Mailikai will spend weeks confined to a crate and will have to learn to wear a basket muzzle to prevent him from damaging the rebuilt tissue while it heals.

                Wendy and her family are up for the challenge, but an obstacle they’re having difficulty overcoming is the cost: $3,800 -$6,000.  They are willing to make sacrifices and have asked for extensions to their credit limits.  The vision of the Ethel Fund Inc. is that no parent should have to choose between the needs of their family and the wellbeing of a beloved pet.  A grant has been made to help pay for Malikai’s surgery but the total cost is more than our organization can provide.  If you’d like to help, please send donations to: The Ethel Fund Inc., PO Box 1231, Somerset PA 15501 with “Malikai” written in the memo line of your check.

                The Cernansky family has long been involved with Golden Girls Pet Therapy and are now “paying it forward” by joining the Ethel Fund Inc. as active volunteers.  Malena is learning what it means to love and to be loved every day.  When asked what she thought of the people who were helping her puppy get his surgery, she beamed her beautiful smile, hugged her pup, and replied, “I think they’re great.” 

Rebecca is the President & Executive Director of The Ethel Fund Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to changing animals' lives by providing assistance in times of catastrophic veterinary need.  To learn more, please visit http://www.ethelfund.org or https://www.facebook.com/TheEthelFund.  You may contact Rebecca at rslindeman@ethelfund.org.

Phil Balko is the proprietor of Photography by Balko and donates his talents to the Ethel Fund Inc. as well as other community organizations.  To see more of his work, visit http://philipbalko.com/. You may contact Phil at inquiry@philipbalko.com.