IF YOU LIVE IN CHICAGO YOU MUST VISIT OPEN BOOKS. This past weekend we were excited to be a part of the opening weekend festivities at Open Books Bookstore, an arm of Open Books whose mission it is to promote literacy programs for adults and children throughout the Chicago area. This amazing organization has amassed a collection, through donations, of over 175,000 books! The store is bright, cheerful and inviting and the electricity and enthusiasm of the staff is highly contagious. Brandy, Val and I were thrilled to have been given the opportunity to be on hand where I read our books while Brandy and Val worked the crowd (I believe someone called them charming!). The staff is so erudite and literate, I’m intimidated to continue writing…..
But I will because there is so much good stuff going on there that everyone needs to know and get involved. With 20% of adults being unable to read above the 5th grade level, and with minority high school dropout rates on the rise, we have a national crisis on our hands and the tide must be stemmed. Open Books’ programs include buddy reading with elementary school children, creative and professional writing workshops for children and adults and they even have a virtual writing program where students and volunteers coordinate their writing efforts online. Volunteering opportunities abound throughout the City either on a regular or event only basis. They have even partnered up with a popular program that involves bringing dogs to school. Brandy and Val have experience with that — surely 2 thumbs up if they had thumbs. Having been involved with reading, literacy and tutor/mentoring programs for over 20 years, I don’t know I missed hearing about Open Books until now. I can’t wait to start volunteering with them in some way.
There is always something to be thankful for in our lives, even on the bad days. Every day, I take a moment to reflect on how thankful I am for so many things, taking “the glass is half full” versus “the glass is half empty” approach. For most of us, Thursday will bring an over-abundance of food to our tables as we share it with friends and/or family. However, heartache abounds–Afghanistan, Iraq, the flailing economy, I could go on an on. Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf coast in 2005 and every day I am reminded that New Orleans has still not recovered as a city and wonder how many families are still in a state of flux. Val is a Hurricane Katrina dog and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t look into his eyes and wonder what his story is or under what circumstances his family decided to leave him behind. He was obviously destined to be with us (and we’re all very lucky) but what happened to all the other pets that were abandoned?
Following is a reprint of an article I wrote that is currently available on eZines:
Look at all those kids helping to make doggie treats JUST FOR US! Ok, well, they were supposed to take them home to their pups but, can you believe it (?!) in a group of about 20, only 2 had dogs. We thought everyone had a dog or maybe even a cat or bird. No matter, we were the beneficiaries and were very happy about that. The Whole Foods Market in Evanston held the event for us and they liked it so much, we’re going back on December 2. We waited in the car while the kids came in and prepared the biscuits, then mom read BRANDY AND VAL and BRANDY AND VAL’S FAVORITE THINGS while they were baking. When the treats were ready, we donned our working tags and stopped by to reap the rewards. How fun.
Brandy, Val and I were privileged to have been recently interviewed by ABC7 Chicago’sKaren Meyer, a feature reporter focusing on disability issues. Karen contacted me after having seen our mention in Chicago Special Parent Magazine this past summer. Brandy and Val books and toys are intended for children 3 and over and the books also have special needs appeal–a feature that I am pleased is receiving some recognition. The sturdy tabbed pages enable little fingers, children with motor-skill deficits and mild learning disabilities to turn the pages more easily than with traditional board books and the colored rings that bind the pages allow them to grab hold of the books for easier carrying. Being able to perform these simple tasks helps foster a sense of independence in a child who otherwise is dependent on others. The simple themes in the books can be opened up to a myriad of social development topics; brightly colored pages facilitate the learning of colors and simple page layouts enable the learning of shapes. View the interview and meet us!
In that same vein, on Tuesday night we were invited to introduce our books to NTDSE (Niles Township District for Special Education) where I spoke with the parents who attended and then brought Brandy and Val over to meet and greet the children who were there. Social workers and teacher’s aides from the special education school that some of the children go to were also there. The meeting was held at the Skokie Library and moderated by the Come On In! coordinator, Holly Jin. Holly and the library staff has made their Youth Services section a very special and inviting place for children with disabilities. The Come On In! Program has been nationally recognized for its’ excellence and is one that I hope libraries across the country are paying close attention to and thinking of emulating. We are grateful for the invitation and hope that in the future we are invited back to do a pet therapy program in some capacity.
Another youth disability program of note that we will be participating in is the Easter Seals Book Fair at the Lily Garden Child Development Center in Villa Park, IL on December 10. Our books will be on sale for the entire event but on that day, Brandy, Val and I will be in the classrooms meeting with the kids and reading the books.
In addition to having all children enjoy our Brandy and Val books and toys, a future goal is to have them be incorporated as an educational tool for use by schools and pedi -OTs.
OK, I’m partial to dog books, especially funny ones and ones that have cute pictures of mans best friend. I also love books that “give” back in some way to those in need or requiring extra love and care! So, here goes my one and only plug for why Brandy and Val books and toys make great gifts:
100% of profits go to animal rescue
IN THE FEEL GOOD CATEGORY: Brandy and Val books and toys donate a portion of sales back to animal rescues in our community and nationally. 100% of profits from BRANDY AND VAL’S SPECIAL STORY are donated to the shelter we adopted the dogs from: Fortunate Pooch and Lab Rescue. Other rescues and pet sanctuaries we donate to include:
The books were originally written for a child afflicted with Prader-Willi Syndrome and, therefore, a donation is also made to The Prader-Willi Syndrome Association.
We're fun to play with
IN THE ENTERTAINMENT CATEGORY: They’re for toddlers (ages 3-5 is perfect) so they have to be cute, amusing and fun! The books use actual, unstaged photos of Brandy and Val in action that children can relate to, especially if there is a pet in the family. Brightly colored pages hold their interest and the tabbed pages make it easier for little fingers to turn the pages. The plush toys that look like the dogs are cuddly and kids can use their imaginations to make up their own stories about Brandy and Val.
THEY’RE EDUCATIONAL: The simple themes in each book can be opened up for further discussions. Topics like sharing, being a family, healthy eating, pet adoption, to name a few and, along with the Mini-Brandy and Mini-Val toys, the stories can be “acted out.” Color and shape recognition can be taught since each page is easily identifiable with a single predominant color and most pages have one or two primary shapes in their layouts.
OTHER NIFTY STUFF: Brandy and Val books and toys are easily put into a tote for travel! Keep your kids occupied at restaurants, on planes, wherever. Books are compact 4 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ and toys can be squished in anywhere. We are also affordably priced.
It’s no secret that the number of stray animals and abandoned pets is on the rise and, sadly, is now reaching epidemic proportions. First, there were all the abandoned pets resulting from Hurricane Katrina and now there are the “Foreclosure Dogs.” We at Brandy and Val are very pleased to have recently formed alliances with Help Save a Stray and Happy Tails Books, two groups that address these issues in philanthropic ways:
HELP SAVE A STRAY Rather than my editorialize, I’ll just quote from Jennifer, the
organization’s founder and then you can check out the site on your own!
“The mission of helpsaveastray.com is to increase the amount of donations and adoptions made through animal shelters and rescue foundations and decrease the amount of stray animals in the United States, by promoting animal shelters and rescue foundations as well as educating pet owners on proper pet care, so that every animal will have a safe place to call home……No animal deserves to be without a loving, caring, forever home. Help me through this journey of education and promotion. I’m convinced that if we all work together we can and will make a change!”
Our next alliance is with HAPPY TAILS BOOKS. Again, who can tell the story better than the organization’s founder? Here’s what Kyla Duffy has to say:
“Happy Tails Books collects thought-provoking stories from people who have participated in dog rescue or dog adoption, and compiles them into books that educate and entertain readers! Our “Lost Souls: FOUND!” series of books raises awareness about dog rescue efforts and provides a source of funding for dog rescue groups.”
The stories are breed-specific so you can support one or all!
OK, so mom in a previous post talked about pet therapy programs and what they are, but, from the pet’s point of view, why do we like doing it?
We love going to “Read to Rover” programs in libraries because kids come in to read to us. We love having them around and it’s like they’re talking only to us the whole time. For a whole hour, we get undivided attention while we basically do nothing. Then, at the end of every 15 minute reading session we usually GET A TREAT! That makes 4 an hour! The most stressful thing we have to do is wag our tails when we say “hi” and “bye” to the kids. Almost all the kids hug us or scratch our bellies. How great is that?
When we go to school programs, though, we do have to work and think a whole lot more. The programs are enjoyable but in a different way. We work with autistic children and lots of times, they don’t talk at all and we have to figure out a way to get them to show they like us. Maybe they are afraid of us or maybe they really love us but just don’t know how to show it yet. So, we have to approach each child carefully until we are sure they relate to us in a positive way. After all, we don’t want to scare them and we don’t want them pulling our ears or tails. We have been very lucky so far. We have more friends than not and a few of the kids who were afraid of us at the start, now touch us a little bit and that makes us feel good. During these programs, we get brushed and fed carrots and usually we play a few games that help the kids identify colors or numbers or words. It’s really great when we hear the kids laugh or when they call our names and want us to come over. We hope that our working with them will help their lives in other situations and make them happier. They make new friends and so do we.
For over 20 years, I have been involved with a variety of tutor/mentoring programs, teaching English as a second language, promoting adult literacy and working with children in various capacities. About a year ago, my husband and I wanted to do an activity that we could do together with Brandy and Val, so, after receiving their Canine Good Citizenshipcertificates, we started working in pet therapy programs. Our participation to date includes ongoing school and library programs and one-time events such as a Dog Safety Workshop for elementary aged children and their mentors.
What is pet therapy or animal assisted therapy (AAT)? It’s where animals and their handlers work with individuals to help them overcome specific physical, social or emotional obstacles or help them achieve certain goals that will ultimately improve their health and overall quality of life. The theory behind a lot of it is that people will relate to animals in ways that they won’t or can’t with other humans. They become uninhibited, will open up to the pets or even try new tasks since there is no fear of being judged or ridiculed by another adult or peer. Interaction with pets have also shown to have positive health benefits on lowering blood pressure and stress!
We have worked in library reading programs–”Read to Rover” and “Paws to Read” are populart titles–where children will read to the dogs at 15 minute intervals and, during that time, the kids sit next to Brandy or Val and simply read a book at their own pace without adult intervention. The children can stop and pet the dogs or they can just keep reading. At the end of the 15 minutes, there is a little time for Q&A or giving treats. Some children are excellent readers and just enjoy being around the dogs; others stumble or mumble at first and as the time or program goes on, their confidence seems to build and their reading and elocution improves.
After being told as a kid that I could not have a dog, I finally took the plunge a few years ago and went off to the internet in search of one. I did not know much about the different breeds and wanted to find one which would fit our lifestyle. After many long hours looking, it seemed a lab was right for us. Luckily, my local dog shelter, Fortunate Lab Rescue., was only 10 minutes from our house. After looking at many deserving animals, I figured I needed one with “training wheels” – I had no idea how to housebreak a dog, although my wife, Ilene did since she grew up with them.
I became friendly with the founder of the rescue and after explaining my situation, she found the perfect pup for me – Brandy. She was 11 months old and had already been in multiple homes and was cast out each time for reasons which were not her fault – children making promises to their parents about taking the time to care for their dog and not keeping it and then a divorce in the family, a young couple who decided that after having a newborn the dog had to go, etc. Luckily, Brandy was housebroken and trained. When I picked her up from her prior home she could not wait to get out of there as she was being confined to a cage with another dog and there was not much room for them to move around.
She has been a great addition to our family and truly, a great dog. She is the dog when one thinks of “man’s best friend”.
Holding my new girlfriend, Brandy
Since Brandy was such a pleasure to have, I did not have to think more than a couple of minutes when I was contacted by the rescue that Brandy came from about taking in another dog. Ilene really resisted since we traveled a lot and when it gets really cold in Chicago, which is most of the time, Ilene wouldn’t walk them. Anyway, Fortunate Pooches had taken 30 dogs from the ones which were made homeless by Hurricane Katrina. When we first saw Valenti he was pathetic. He was just a bag of bones and one of them, his wrist, was broken. He had heartworm, recent abdominal surgery and his fur was falling out due to mange. He nose was sunburned from wandering the streets. I did not think he would live but he had such a look in his eyes that said he was the one for us.
I love my dad
He could not really stand much and ate his food at mealtime like it would be his last. Eventually, he gained about 30 pounds and now is one solid guy! He is about as sweet as they come and he is my constant shadow following me where ever I go. He is well mannered as can be and rarely, if ever, barks. He is friend to all and including some of the more picky dogs in the neighborhood.
Considering I had no idea what I was doing when I had my first dog, taking the second could have been a disaster, especially considering my work schedule. Luckily, their mom is around for them. She is the “great entertainer” and has managed to get both of them as certified therapy dogs. They just love to “go to work”, mainly with disabled kids. I am sure all the treats the kids stuff into them doesn’t hurt either.
So if you are thinking of getting a dog, do your homework. Why not check out your local shelter – there are a lot of great dogs who would love to be your friend for life. I know I get more from them than they get from me.
Brandy and Val were rescued from FPALR, Inc. Brandy came from a high kill shelter in S Il, skinny and neglected. Val came from katrina skinny HW+ and neglected. FPALR, Inc. saved these and other labs and lab mixes, cared for them, and provided medical care for them, as we should as a responsible organization. Our mission is complete, since we have provided them with the best possible life! Please read Brandy and Val's story!Shop for the Barndy and Val books and toys this Holiday Season and part of the proceeds will help our rescue.
IF YOU LIVE IN CHICAGO YOU MUST VISIT OPEN BOOKS. This past weekend we were excited to be a part of the opening weekend festivities at Open Books Bookstore, an arm of Open Books whose mission it is to promote literacy programs for adults and children throughout the Chicago area. This amazing organization has amassed a collection, through donations, of over 175,000 books! The store is bright, cheerful and inviting and the electricity and enthusiasm of the staff is highly contagious. Brandy, Val and I were thrilled to have been given the opportunity to be on hand where I read our books while Brandy and Val worked the crowd (I believe someone called them charming!). The staff is so erudite and literate, I’m intimidated to continue writing…..
OK, so mom in a previous post talked about pet therapy programs and what they are, but, from the pet’s point of view, why do we like doing it?
