Like Ripples in a Pond
Conneaut Lake Bark Park, Inc. wants to make Ripples in our community, like Ripples in a Pond.
When you throw a rock into a pond, that rock makes a deep impact on the pond, and that impact then sends out ripples. The ripples start small but increase in size and eventually if the impact is deep enough the ripples will reach the outer most perimeter of the pond.
CLBP Inc. has that potential, the potential to reach all the way to the outer perimeters of our community, potential to reach, young and old, the able and disabled, privileged and under privileged. With your help, CLBP Inc. can achieve this.
The relationship between a person and a dog or a family and a dog can make a difference in our community. But without proper knowledge, preparation, and training, this relationship can become a source of hardship, stress and frustration. Sometimes the results are disastrous and lead to the dog being tied outside, mistreated, abandoned or given over to shelters.
With the proper preparation, knowledge and training, this can become a powerful relationship, a source of enrichment and a source of stress relief resulting in life altering changes. This is the relationship that Conneaut Lake Bark Park, Inc. wants to promote.
This is the story of one such dog, a dog whose love reached far beyond her family.
Her name was Lacey. She was the smallest in a litter of 12 Golden Retrievers and I was the person blessed to acquire her. When I brought her home, she weighed less then 5 pounds. I didn't really have any "dog knowledge" and there was no Bark Park for me. I struggled in the beginning with a puppy that did normal puppy things, like chew and destroy, bite and bark, and who was almost uncontrollable to walk on a leash. The initial impact was not what I was expecting when I brought this cute little puppy home, with visions of playfulness, cuddling and companionship. In the beginning the stress and frustration almost caused an early demise of this little puppy, and it created tension and arguments within my family. It was 9 months into this relationship before I found the help that I needed.
The First Ripple was education and training. The result was the beginning of a bond between this puppy and myself that was to last a lifetime.The Second Ripple moved beyond me, now to my family. A dog who brought laughter, stress relief, and love to all of us. A furry, four legged dog, who taught us how to love differently, unconditionally and with understanding and compassion.
The Third Ripple moved beyond my family as Lacey and I became involved in obedience competitions. She impressed those around her, in spite of the fact that she wasn't the "prettiest" Golden.
The Fourth Ripple occurred when we learned about Therapy Dogs and went through the required testing to become a Registered Therapy dog team.
The Fifth Ripple brought changes in our whole county when Paws Hand Delivered therapy dogs became reborn.
The Sixth Ripple reached out farther than I ever could have imagined. Through our involvement with Paws Hand Delivered, countless peoples' lives were changed forever and smiles appeared everywhere she went. She was a born comedian and she left her paw prints on many hearts as she visited disadvantaged, sick, and elderly citizens throughout our county.
The Ripples that followed were bigger and more far reaching than I knew.
You see, when Lacey was not yet 9 years old she was diagnosed with a type of liver cancer. The vet informed me that she would probably only survive for about 2 weeks and would become very ill. It did not take long before people heard of her illness. My phone rang at least twice a day with someone, who I didn't even really know, telling me they were thinking of us and praying for us. They would share a story of how Lacey had an impact on them, or someone they loved. My mail box filled with cards of care and concern.
But Lacey wasn't done making Ripples. She defied the odds and she survived. No, "survived" isn't the right word. She lived fully for two years and two months beyond that diagnosis. Her coat remained shiny, and with her tail wagging she continued to visit people in nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and church camps. She continued to teach love and compassion beyond our own circumstances to those around her. She taught my veterinarian the power of the love and the strength of the bond between person and dog. I know this because he wrote me a letter after she passed away.
This year marks 6 years that Lacey has been gone, and I still will encounter someone who remembers her and they will share a story of how she touched a life.
None of this story would have been possible without the help of a friend who opened my eyes to what you can do with your dog. Not everyone has a friend like this. Trust me I struggled for a long time before I found the help that I needed.
Now, with Conneaut Lake Bark Park, the education, training, knowledge and opportunities are available to anyone and everyone. Not every dog is created to be a Therapy dog, but every dog has something to give, if people just understand how to achieve it.
With the creation of CLBP, and its resources, we have the ability to create healthy productive dog/person relationships, which then have the potential to reach out to people around us in ways beyond our imagination. We have the ability to reduce the number of dogs that are abandoned, put down or put into shelters, because we now have the means to educate, train and equip both dog and person.
The development of Doggie Day care at the Bark Park will greatly enhance this process. It will provide the working person the opportunity to acquire a dog or puppy and to know that while they are at work, that furry family member is being cared for, and is learning manners and getting the exercise it requires. So at the end of the day when the person is tired from work, they can pick up their dog and the dog too has had a full day, and the two of them can return home to the enjoyment of each other's company.
Doggie day care will also provide a secure place for the older dog, who might need that special attention, or for the dog of a person who must undergo medical treatment for long hours several days a week.
Tonight you have met, and will meet again just a few dogs that have created Ripples, dogs that have impact on their owner, their family and their community. There are many more out there with that potential, and with the services that CLBP can provide, who knows, we might go from making Ripples in a Pond, to as far reaching as a Wave in the Ocean.
Respectfully submitted by
Robin Peterson
and Lacey
CLBP Plans to “Raise the Woof”
In May of 2009, Conneaut Lake Bark Park opened its doors to the pet owners of Crawford County and surrounding areas, by providing a “Playground for a Happy Dog”. The support of the pet owners in the area was beyond expectations. During the summer months, pet owners from the Conneaut Lake/Meadville area, surrounding neighborhoods, and summer residents to the Crawford County area, enjoyed the opportunity to participate in a large variety of programs and activities in the pet friendly environment. Events included the Summer Fest, Tamarack Dog Agility Trials, Canine Carnival, Pawsitively Pink Party co-sponsored with the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute, pictures with Santa, and several winter seminars. Training classes for puppies, basic obedience and rally had the support of many pet owners during the summer and during the winter months. The number of memberships has indicated the need for the existing programs to continue to serve the needs of the pet owners.
CLBP provided programs aimed at promoting responsible pet ownership while providing an opportunity for dog owners to be better informed on issues surrounding the health and welfare of their dog. CLBP is committed to providing a facility that will allow both the elderly dog owner and the special needs dog owner an accessible place to exercise their companions and have an opportunity for specially designed training classes.
Toward the goal of promoting responsible pet ownership, Conneaut Lake Bark Park plans to expand the existing program and “Raise the Woof” to offer a Doggie Day Care program beginning in April of 2011. The Doggie Day Care would be housed in a 60’x120’ pole building. The interior of the building would include a crate/kennel area, an all- purpose room, a 45’x70’ indoor training area, a small retail store, office space, a kitchen area, and restroom facilities. We are able to utilize contributions, donations, and grants because Conneaut Lake Bark Park, Inc. is a non-profit, 501 C-3 Corporation. With a non-profit corporation, profits cannot be distributed to members, officers, or directors but must be used to improved the business and maintain its mission.
Doggie Day Care will provide a safe, fun and stimulating environment for the family dog while giving the owner peace of mind and more flexibility in scheduling daily responsibilities and family activities. The dog no longer will need to spend endless hours alone at home often crated or confined for extended periods of time. Doggie day care is designed for dog owners who generally work long or irregular hours and who are looking for an alternative to crating or confining their pet for extended periods of time With the doggie day care and training classes being offered, CLBP hopes to prevent unwanted and problematic behaviors in family dogs, and allow families to have full enjoyment of their canine family members. The addition of Doggie Day Care will add another positive program to assist each dog owner in accepting responsibility for the over-all care of their dog.
While at doggie day care, dogs can interact and play together, and can be well cared for and exercised while under the supervision of a caring, knowledgeable, and compassionate trained staff.
Doggie Day Care will be available each day from 6 am – @6 pm. Each dog will receive 3-4 walks a day, have fun and socialize with other appropriate dogs, receive medications and feedings and enjoy time out and rest periods.
The all-purpose building will allow us to provide the following:
1. Increased flexibility in scheduling training classes, location for private classes
2. Use during inclement weather or winter months
3. Retail sales available everyday
4. Location for seminar classes year round
5. Community bulletin board, breeders, groomers, etc.
6. Indoor restroom facility
7. Central location in the area for a wide range of dog resource information
8. Home base for Paws Hand Delivered/Therapy Dogs Incorporated
A primary focus of Conneaut Lake Bark Park, Inc. is to make the dog park, doggie day care, and all other activities financially accessible to as many individuals as possible. This will be accomplished through numerous special programs made available to pet owners regardless of economic level. Programs include trade of services, discount rates for senior citizens and military personnel, free training classes for those who qualify, a program for dogs adopted from the Crawford County Humane Society, a greater variety of program offerings for the dog owner with special needs and the elderly pet owner, and a strong partnership with the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute in our area.
To “Raise the Woof” at Conneaut Lake Bark Park and to continue to provide programs aimed at helping dog owners to experience quality time with their pets, CLBP needs the help of the community. Since CLBP is a 501 C-3 Corporation, all pet owners can help to make these innovative, exciting plans a reality. Some of the financing will come from grants available to a 501-C-3 corporation. A large percentage of the necessary funds can come from donations and contributions that are tax deductible for the individual or for the business. For the next four months, CLBP will initiate a large building fund/capital plans project. All dog owners can become involved either as a contributor to the over-all project or work to encourage other dog owners to support what CLBP is doing. A list of the possible donation options is available on the web site. Programs exist from our gold, silver, and bronze sponsors to individual sponsorship of a tree, bench or even a paw print in one of our gardens. An advertising packet is also available for a local business. A CLBP board member or the corporation President is willing to present an informational meeting on this exciting project to service organizations, local clubs, etc. With over 23,000 dogs in Crawford County, this is definitely a program that can have a positive impact on our community and CLBP can continue to be a resource center for all aspects of dog care. If you are interested in contributing to the project or having someone stop and visit with you to further explain our many programs, please call Sue at 814-382-2478. If you have the time to join our fund raising committee for the next four months, just give us a call.
The fund raising committee will be helpful indentifying potential contributors during the next four months. Please consider becoming an integral part of this project at Conneaut Lake Bark Park, Inc.
