1 
A Newsletter from Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois, Inc.  
The      Collie Nose 
Holiday 2016 
 
Throughout this online newsletter, watch for clickable links to more information!  
The text will be in color, and underlined.  Plus, Click on our logo  
on any page whenever you want to come back to page 1! 
In this issue: 
 
Santa, please 
give all dogs a 
home for 
Christmas! 
Meet the Newsletter Team—2 
A Home for the Holidays for Beau—4 
Book Review: Sophie… Best Friends are Forever—7 
Grunts and Groans—9 
Cash and Tango—9 
This holiday season please      
consider giving the gift of       
support to Collie Rescue of 
Greater Illinois, Inc. with a     
charitable donation.  Donations 
can be made through our PayPal 
page. Don’t forget, if you do your 
holiday shopping through 
smile.amazon.com and choose to 
support CRGI, Inc., a portion of 
each purchase will be donated to 
helping our Collies! 

Meet the Newsletter Team

Meet Gail Diedrichsen - I’ve always loved the collie breed. My first collie

was a dog I was given as a gift back in 1972. I began volunteering for CRGI

when the organization hosted the Collie Follies Silent Auction and Dinner.

My responsibilities for the newsletter include collecting the stories and pre

-editing them for accuracy. I’ve always enjoyed writing about dogs. I’ve

been nominated twice by Dog Writers Association of America for an award

in the “Rescue Category.” The success stories are my favorite part of the

newsletter. I love reading and writing about adopted, happy dogs. They

make our work all worthwhile. I am the proud dog mom of two collies,

Brody, who was adopted from Indiana Collie Rescue, and Gracie, who was

adopted from Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois.

Meet Dale Mohr - In early 1997 I noticed an article in the

Naperville Sun newspaper about Collie Rescue of

Illinois looking for more persons to serve as volunteers. I

began fostering and I fostered about 50 dogs before

leaving the foster program in 2009. I joined the newsletter

committee as a writer in 2010. I've always aimed for

clarity in writing and have done some editing in previous

journal articles, so it made sense to offer my talents to

something that I love. It's difficult for me to pick a favorite

part of the newsletter, but I certainly enjoy the articles

describing the personal stories of dogs loved so dearly by

their owners. I don't have a collie now because of often

being away from home in volunteer work, but I do enjoy

giving back to Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois through my

contributions towards the newsletter.

Meet Amy Zurita - While I was completing my English degree, I saw a

Facebook post that CRGI was looking for volunteers to write for their

newsletter. Since that would combine two of my favorite things, col-

lies and writing, I reached out and got involved. I started writing for

the newsletter in December 2014 and have since taken on putting

together the newsletter layout. I am a huge grammar nerd and love

all the little particulars of the English language. I really enjoy the

volunteer spotlight; I think it's great to get a peek behind the curtain

to get to know the people who keep CRGI running. I have two collies:

Tesla and Clive. I haven't been lucky enough to get a CRGI collie my-

self yet, but hopefully my next collie will be! I also have a Chihuahua

mix, Lydia, who thinks she's a collie too. She's got the same coloring

and she likes to romp around like the big guys!

Meet Kym McNabney - I quit my job due to the cost of childcare.

While at home and with my young kids, and being an animal lover,

I wanted to volunteer to help animals in one way or another. I

came upon Collie Rescue because of my love for collies. I loved

Lassie as a kid, and purchased my first collie as a young adult. It

was because of the collie we had that I decided to foster collies.

In addition to fostering, I contribute to the newsletter through my

writing skills. I write articles on a wide variety of subjects. I enjoy

all the pictures in the newsletter. I’m a very visual person. I love

the “from rags to riches” heartwarming stories. My family and I

have one collie mix, Hammie, that we adopted from Collie Rescue

of Greater Illinois.

(Continued on page 3)

(Continued from page 2)

Meet Ellen Keirnan – I have always loved the breed and I have

had collies since I was in my 20s. I wanted to volunteer for

CRGI and since I majored in English, I figured the newsletter

would be a way to use old skills. I specialize in editing and

writing some articles. I was a project manager until I retired so

I helped set up timelines etc. when the newsletter was first

resurrected. Now I love to watch the team in action. We've

adopted 5 dogs from CRGI over the past 11 years. We currently

are owned by Mickey, f/k/a MacGregor, 9 yrs old and Minnie,

f/k/a Sadie, who is 10 months old. She's a collie wannabe who

we fostered for CRGI in April and adopted in July. I hope we

succeed in convincing her that she can behave like a collie

even though she's a boxer/husky!

Meet George Rohde - My heart and soul has always been with

the rescue and welfare of the collie breed. Since I was a young

child, my family members have been supporters and volunteers

of Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois. The necessity for rescue is

inevitable in our breed; living situations change and the dogs

need a new forever home. I believe that being involved in the

rescue efforts is my way of giving back to this breed. I pursued

both my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Journalism, so

writing comes firsthand to me. I enjoy writing for the

newsletter and offering features on events and special features.

I specifically enjoy seeing the stories of the dogs that CRGI has

placed and reflecting on the good work that we all do.

Meet George Hayes - Gorge writes our popular column, “Grunts

’n Groans.” George has been a race car driver and a hockey

player in his former life. He’s in the hockey hall of fame. He’s

shared his home with collies most of his married life. He and his

wife, Karen, share their home with two collies, (Roxie and An-

nie), and a cat who is Roxie’s nemesis. With his furry family as

his muse, George brings lots of humor to our newsletter and we

appreciate that.

Beau’s story is a perfect example of how several organizations, working as a team, are able to rescue

dogs in dire straits.

Spoiler Alert: This is a story with a very happy ending.

From the time he was a young pup, Beau was chained outside. For three lonesome years he was chained,

but he never lost his sweet collie disposition. A kind neighbor, Donna, could not turn a blind eye, seeing

this poor dog, day after day, from her window. She took water and food to him and became his best

friend and savior.

Donna became attached to this sweet dog and successfully con-

vinced the dog’s owner to give him to her. He desperately needed

a bath and grooming. The groomer had to shave Beau's coat to the

skin, due to filth and matting. It came off in one large piece,

crawling with fleas, ticks and bot flies.

Things were looking up for Beau! His life in his new home was an

improvement, and he was happy. Unfortunately, once he was

clean and healthy, his original owner changed her mind, wanting

him returned. How disheartening it must have been for confused,

poor Beau who found himself chained outside once again. Donna

was broken-hearted and frustrated, but she continued to care for

Beau the best she could under the circumstances.

Sadly for Beau, his friend, Donna, moved out of state. She was the

only person looking out for him, and surely Beau felt abandoned.

Although Donna no longer saw Beau daily from her window, she

could NOT forget him, and she was haunted by his memory in the

worst way. Would anyone remember to bring him fresh water or

the extra food he needed to stay warm in the winter? Donna wanted to save him from future torment.

So, she called Tina Holman of Forever Friends Humane Society, a local rescue organization.

Donna asked Tina to check on the sweet collie she loved. Tina and the local animal control officer,

Randy, made a surprise visit and discovered Beau chained, without shelter, as Donna had predicted.

With the support of the animal control officer, Tina persuaded Beau’s very distraught owner to relin-

quish him. Although Tina knew what had to happen for the dog’s sake, it proved to be a very difficult

and heart-wrenching ordeal.

Nothing is ever black or white, and this situation was no exception. The dog ALWAYS comes first, but

this woman who owned the collie was a special needs person and had been a victim herself. The emo-

tionally charged situation that transpired that day was tough on kindhearted Tina. Tina realized the

woman actually loved her dog, but she was not capable of caring for him.

Tina, described the situation: “I could tell the dog loved this woman, even though she had tied him to a

tree. He leaned into her and gave her a farewell kiss. It was not easy for me to take him even knowing I

was doing what was best.” Beau had not been abused, but due to poverty and the ignorance it breeds,

he had been neglected. Tina soothed the sobbing woman, listening to her story of how this collie hap-

pened into her life.

Beau was the “friend” her parents would not allow her have. She had been a bullied child. After coming

home from a particularly bad day of abuse at school, she went to her room and prayed for just one

friend. She wanted one just like the dog she had watched on TV…Lassie. When a collie showed up at her

yard’s gate the next morning, the girl thought her prayers had surely been answered.

However, her mother recognized the collie as belonging to the neighbors and insisted she take the dog

back home. The girl, now a grandmother, never forgave her mother and to this day, believes the collie,

she had obediently returned to the neighbors, never actually belonged to them.

(Continued on page 5)

Beau’s coat came off in one piece

A Home for the Holidays for Beau — Gail Diedrichsen

Years later, when she went into town, she saw a pickup truck with a collie in the backend. She wandered

over to pet the collie, bringing back her childhood memory. When the owner returned to his truck, she

shared her sad childhood story with him. Wanting to perform an act of kindness, he promised he’d find

her a collie puppy. Keeping his promise, the stranger showed up at her door with a gift: an eight-week-

old Lassie puppy. Her childhood prayers had finally been answered.

With her heart aching for this woman, Tina described in detail how Beau would be given an opportunity

to have good food, medical care, and a home where he would live inside as a house pet. He would be

loved; she promised her that. Maybe her collie would even become a child’s best friend. In the end,

Tina’s empathetic kindness, sympathetic ear, and patient negotiations turned the tide for this dog. Tina

unhooked Beau from his chain and placed him in her car with the owner’s blessing. The woman did care

enough for her collie to agree he needed better than she could give. Tina had allowed this woman to feel

good about the decision she had made freely for Beau.

Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois personnel had followed Beau's saga from

afar, but there was not much that could be done. Then, one day came a

call from Connie Guthrie of Save Our Strays, Inc., (S.O.S.). “Tina has

him! He’s safe. Can you get him from here and into a foster home

a.s.a.p.?”

Melanie Clawson, our intake coordinator, put gears in motion right away.

First of all, the dog needed a transport. Then, he needed a health check

and most likely medical attention. Finally, he would need grooming and

possibly a dental check. She alerted our foster home coordinator,

Cathy Schroeder, to find a temporary place where the dog could adjust

and be evaluated.

While we planned here in Illinois for his arrival, Tina and Connie planned

for his departure back in Oklahoma. Tina had placed Beau with volunteer

fosterer, Beverly Dodson of Forever Friends. Beverly cared for him until

he could be transported. Connie’s husband, Dave Guthrie, is a humane

transporter and he’s driven thousands of miles in his van, the “Dog Gone

Express.” This “saint of the highway” has saved thousands of dogs.

S.O.S, as ALWAYS, stepped up offering to join our relay and move Beau north.

CRGI's Mary Zwirn volunteered to give Beau a lift and I rode along. We left late afternoon, navigated

around strong storms, and rested in Macomb, IL. close to where we had agreed to meet up. Dave, in the

meantime, was behind the wheel of the Dog Gone Express with Beau, driving through the night, headed

in our direction. He planned to meet us at Pawsitive Begin-

nings founded by Gillian Stupples.

Very early in the morning, we arrived at Gillian’s and the

“Dog Gone Express” van with Dave, Gillian, and Beau, still

in his crate, were waiting for us. We leashed Beau and

coaxed him out of his crate. He took a good long stretch, a

nice long potty break, and a drink of water. Mary made

fast friends with Beau. Mary and I both knew right away

this boy was, indeed, very special. Beau melted our hearts

with his exceptionally sweet temperament and those soft

brown eyes.

Beau wasn’t too keen on getting back into a crate after

that long trip he had just finished with Dave. He put the

brakes on and who could blame him. However, Mary’s

large bag of enticing cheese curds made her a very

(Continued from page 4)

(Continued on page 6)

Beau gets a once over for

ticks

Beau is ready to head north with Mary

Zwirn. Gillian says “Have a better life!”

attractive chauffeur. He capitulated as Gillian and Mary picked him up and placed him in his waiting

crate. Beau settled comfortably into his air-conditioned, padded space without complaint and ate his bits

of lovely cheese.

After goodbyes and thanks to Dave and Gillian, we headed northeast to complete the last stretch of the

relay’s journey. The last leg included a visit to one of our partnering clinics where Beau would receive

initial medical evaluation and care before placement in one of the CRGI foster homes. We had miles to

go.

Beau was quiet and well-mannered all the way. On arrival at the clinic he took

another walk before entering. While we wondered how he would react to an-

other new place, he was polite and unassertive with the other dogs he met in

the waiting room. Beau remained calm during his exam, taking advantage of the

opportunity to lean gently into the tech while she examined him. He allowed

Dr. Carey to remove a stubborn, lone tick on his neck without protest. Beau

was thankful for every little kindness. He wanted nothing more than an affec-

tionate scratch behind his ear, AND an occasional piece of Mary’s cheese.

After appropriate blood work, treatment for Ehrlichiosis (a tick borne disease)

initiated, dental work completed, and a good bath and grooming to remove

Beau’s plentiful flea dirt was finished, the next big step for CRGI: to find Beau's

forever home. Adoption coordinator, Maureen Joyce, knew Beau needed the

BEST of homes where he would NEVER again want for anything. He deserved

ONLY the best after surviving three years of neglect at the end of a chain.

CRGI foster home coordinator, Cathy Schroeder, placed Beau in a foster home while Maureen searched

for his perfect fit. His foster family, including a collie and a young boy, was grieving the loss of their bull-

dog who had just passed away.

Beau won the entire family over in no time; especially the little boy. Even his new collie brother liked

him. Beau was meant to be with them and they would give him his forever home! Mom describes Beau

and her little boy as “attached at the hip.” Beau watches the little boy board the school bus every morn-

ing and he waits for him to get off that bus safely every afternoon. Beau’s done a great job mending this

little boy’s heart, while he was healing from his years of neglect.

Beau’s adopters hope Donna will have an opportunity to read this

story. Not only do they want Donna to know her old neighbor is

safe, but they want Donna to see the joy on their little boy’s

face and the mutual love in Beau’s adoring eyes reflected in the

photos they’ve shared. Donna’s humane caring and persistence

ultimately saved Beau. His new family is thankful to her and eve-

ryone who played a part in bringing Beau to their family.

Tina, Randy, Melanie, Beverly, Connie, Dave, Mary, Gillian,

Cathy, and Maureen, all selfless heroes, orchestrated an amazing-

ly coordinated rescue-relay. If one link of this collaborative chain

hadn’t held strong, Beau could very well still be out there

chained behind the shed.

As we look back on 2016, we find great satisfaction in our accom-

plishments, knowing 33 collies have been placed in loving homes.

For these dogs, CRGI's crucial work has made a difference. Our

members who give financial support and our wonderful volunteers

who give of their time have made “a home for the holidays” a reality for dogs like Beau.

(Continued from page 5)

Beau loves his new

brother

Beau and his happy new family

Sophie…Best Friends are Forever by: Ted Slupik

Celebrating simple acts of giving: a must read for all dog lovers!

Just walking into a hospital makes me feel a bit anxious,

even if I’m not the patient. When I enter Edward Hospital's

south entry, I always pause because I really enjoy looking

at the wall displaying the therapy dogs. The pictures

make me smile and I find myself breathing easier.

Ted Slupik’s adopted collie, Sophie, served for over twelve

years as a registered therapy dog. In fact, Sophie was one

of those beautiful dogs I admired on that wall. Backed by

the latest research, these tail-waggin’ volunteers make

hospital stays better. For this reason, many hospitals in-

clude an animal-assisted therapy program (AAT) in their

treatment plans.

Sophie, could not have been a better therapist, whether

her new friend was young or old, she delivered that special

something, either a welcomed distraction for children, or a

comforting, nostalgic reminder for older adults who had

grown up watching Lassie. Sweet Sophie was a friend for

patients and staff alike. In fact, the staff looked forward

to Sophie’s visits as much as the patients.

Patty Kaplan, RN, BSN, founded Paws 4 Therapy in 2001,

an organization specializing in the development and opera-

tions of hospital-based AAT programs. She implemented

Edward Hospital’s AAT Program, serving as its director

when Sophie and Ted were volunteering. She and trainer,

Susan Jakobs, of Dog Builders, accepted Sophie and Ted in

the program.

Patty’s passion comes through as she explains, “The visiting dogs make a positive impact, giving uncondi-

tional love. It’s a moment to JUST BE. When meeting people in a hospital setting, the team has no idea

what’s going on in that person’s day. Whether the person is a patient, visitor, or staff member, EVERY

interaction is an opportunity to make somebody’s day better. It takes more than an intuitive dog, howev-

er. The handler needs to have an intuitive mindset as well. Ted and Sophie were dedicated volunteers

who made a difference for many years. Sophie’s trigger was when Ted put his special volunteer jacket on.

She understood she had a job to do. Their passion was evident.”

Ted freely shared Sophie’s therapeutic talents with countless people. She also regularly visited an Alzhei-

mer’s wing of a nursing home. When Sophie passed away, she was greatly missed by more than just the

Slupiks. Ted’s desire to share did not wane; in fact, he was inspired to describe Sophie’s joyful life in a

book so her work could continue.

Not only did Ted want to honor his collie’s memory in his book, but he wanted to describe his own life-

affirming experiences as her humble partner. Ted sings the praises of all therapy dogs who touch the lives

of people in need every day. He’s confident Sophie’s story will spark an interest, recruiting potential vol-

unteers.

Whether these dogs work in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries or private homes, their contribu-

tions make lives better. Ted celebrates his collie’s simple, yet amazing, acts of giving in his book, So-

phie…Best Friends are Forever.

In 2012, before losing Sophie, Ted and his wife, Bernie, had started a foundation called Lizzy’s Fund in

honor of Sophie’s former sister, Lizzy, a long-haired Chihuahua, who was 16 1/2 years old when she

passed away. In January 2016 the foundation was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charity in Illinois. The foun-

dation's mission is to assist senior dogs, improving their likelihood of being adopted. The Slupiks want So-

phie’s legacy to be one that also supports this mission. So, in keeping with the true spirit of “sisterly

love,” Ted and Bernie have earmarked the proceeds from Sophie’s book to help support Lizzy’s Fund. It

(Continued on page 8)

Book Review — Gail Diedrichsen

Book cover

seems the perfect arrangement, considering that Sophie and Lizzy were best friends. Lizzy, however, who

had been a bit bossy, will remain top dog and the foundation will keep her name.

Here's a sneak peek from the book: One story describes a day Ted and Sophie were visiting a nursing

home’s Alzheimer’s wing. Sophie happened upon Leo, sitting in his wheelchair all alone in the far corner

of the activity room. Seeing the collie, the elderly man held out his hand and called softly to her. Re-

sponding, Sophie wiggled her way up to him, followed close behind by Ted. Sophie gently nudged, en-

couraging the man with her long, wet collie nose to continue the conversation. This was Sophie’s usual

behavior and Ted saw nothing extraordinary. However, what Ted did not know, was that Sophie’s new

friend, Leo, had totally shutdown, becoming catatonic. On this particular day, Sophie’s “healing power”

was amazingly demonstrated…Leo spoke and continued to speak from that day forward! As it turned out,

Ted had witnessed a miracle.

This story is just one of the many heartwarming moments Ted shares with

his readers. Laura T. Coffey, award winning writer, editor and producer

for TODAY.com, the website of NBC’s TODAY has fallen for Sophie too,

calling Ted’s book “a love story.” Coffey is the author of the bestselling

book, My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts. Wanting

to promote Sophie’s message, she’s written the forward for Ted’s book.

Besides including the contribution of an acclaimed journalist like Coffey,

Ted’s also distinguished our C.R.G.I. newsletter by including a story writ-

ten by Dale Mohr that was published in The

Collie Nose of March 2014. Dale’s story focuses on the history and positive

aspects of therapy dogs. Dale used Sophie and Ted's partnership as an ex-

ample of a successful team that was still on the job at the time of the ar-

ticle's initial publication. Sophie at that time had the distinction of being

the longest serving therapy dog in Edward Hospital’s program. We are de-

lighted the author has included Dale’s column in his wonderful book, pro-

moting our organization.

Holiday or birthday shopping for family and friends who love dogs?…DONE!

Giving this book gives back. After all, who doesn’t want to help a senior

dog find a home? Sophie’s exemplary life teaches us about the joy of giv-

ing and the importance of paying it forward. Ted says, “The most im-

portant lesson to be learned from this book is that every day is a gift.”

The book is available for purchase through the websites www.sophiebestfriendsforever.com and

www.lizzysfund.org. Readers can also purchase a copy at Anderson’s Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and

Amazon. An exciting opportunity to meet the author at Anderson’s Bookshop (downtown Naperville) is

planned for the near future.

C.R.G.I. often has senior collies available for adoption who are looking for that special home. They

have so much love to give. Ask anyone who’s adopted a senior collie and they will agree with Laura and

Ted…There’s nothing quite like the love of an old dog!

(Continued from page 7)

Lizzie and Sophie

Michelle Hirsch, volunteer,

creates these beautiful

collars. They look great on

all breeds adding a festive look

for the holidays. To order go to

Michelle’s Facebook page,

Bailey’s Collars and Crafts, or

email her at:

<mhirsch7153@gmail.com>

Special Collieday

Fashion Statement!

Annie and Roxie met a smoothie named Bruce while attending some CRGI meet & greets… His forever

mom, Debbie Gruchalsk, shared this little story about “The Bruce” and we wanted to share it with you!

“It’s hard to believe it has been over six years since we first saw Bruce at

his foster home, looking out from the porch. His history was sad. He had

been shuffled through three homes in his three years. No training, no

immunizations, no love. He had an unflattering name, Bruiser, which his

foster family happily changed. Yet, he still wanted to give people a

chance. He bumped his head into my leg like a billy goat and just stayed

there while I scratched him behind the ears. He knew he had found a

loving home.

We worked hard those first couple of years. Bruce learned to walk on a

leash without pulling, which was a relief. We went to agility classes. We

found out he loved string cheese and hated clickers. He even received his

Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog certifications.

Six years later, he is happily snoring on his bed as I write about him. His

favorite times of the day are 7 am and 3 pm. Those are his meal times

and he is very punctual. If I am at all late he complains, loudly. He has

quite a vocabulary of moans, groans, and growls. If you mimic him, the

conversation can last for a while!

After his dinner, he expects his daily walk. When he gets back from his walk, sometimes he feels

he needs a good scratch. He goes over to the fence, leans against it and walks up and down,

mouth open with an ecstatic grin. I think he’s part cat.”

(grrrrr… it’s ok Roxie she only meant - oh never mind, Bruce is not a cat. Calm down. Lets get back to

the story)

“People remark all the time what a beautiful dog he is. When we first got him, he was scrawny

and his coat was pale. I was amazed that his color changed dramatically with a good diet. He soon

became a sable beauty. He now has the white eyebrows and whiskers of a distinguished

gentleman. We are truly thankful to call him ours.”

Grunts ’n Groans — George Hayes, Roxie, and Annie

Bruce

Cash and Tango or You Named Him What? or Finney,

Finleigh, and Finnegan — Kym McNabney

Brought into Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois as puppies, Cash and Tango, brothers, were adopted just

days apart.

Thom was visiting the Healing Fields Veterans’ Day Memorial, when he ran

into Gail, a CRGI volunteer, with her collie. After hearing his family lost their

beloved dog, she suggested adopting a collie from CRGI. A few days later

Thom filled out an application. Searching the website, he came across the

info for the two puppies. He asked his wife, Dawn, "What are the chances of

getting one?", expecting to find that their chances weren't good.

At about that time, Anita and her husband, Scott, had their feelers out for a

collie, looking for breeders, when they came across the Collie Rescue web-

site. Later, she met some wonderful people at a Pet Show who were volun-

teering at the Collie Rescue booth. Talking to them, Anita learned of two

puppies that had just arrived, and she and Scott wasted no time filling out an

application

Anita contacted the foster home with an interest in adopting Tango. But,

once the foster mom heard what Anita had planned for her new pup, the fos-

ter mom suggested Cash would be a better match for their family. When

Anita’s family met Cash, he gravitated to them, and demonstrated the traits

she was looking for in an agility dog, confirming Cash was indeed the pup for

them.

(Continued on page 10)

Tango and Cash as

puppies

Thank you, volunteers!

Thom and his family came to meet Tango only

days after Cash met his new family. Tango

warmed up to Thom’s family and it was clear

Tango was the pup for them. The whole family

instantly fell in love with him.

The day Cash was delivered to his new home, the

foster parents learned Anita and Scott planned to

name Cash, “Finney.” Two days later, when Tan-

go went to his new home, the foster parents discovered Tango’s new name was to be, “Finleigh.” As if

this coincidence was not surprising enough, Cash and Tango’s third

brother, (who was adopted by the volunteer transporter who origi-

nally picked up the three brothers), named this littermate,

“Finnegan!”

Today, Finney and Finleigh meet for play dates. Thom and Dawn, and

Anita and Scott have enjoyed getting to know one another, while the

two “Finn’s” play like any brothers do. The three Finns have grown

up to be striking young adult dogs.

The puppies' foster mom says she plans to always fondly refer to the

adorable, fluffy fur balls she fostered for a short period in their lives,

as “Cash” and “Tango” for clarification. Meanwhile the three broth-

ers, all called “Finn,” have an extraordinary story and loving homes.

(Continued from page 9)

Collie Nose Newsletter

Volunteers:

Gail Diedrichsen, George Hayes, Ellen

Keirnan, Kym McNabney, Dale Mohr,

George Rohde, Amy Zurita

CRGI, Inc. Board Members:

Tina Kiselka – President

Caroline Lewis – Secretary

Mary Warsey – Treasurer

Melanie Clawson – Intake Coordinator

John Juris – IT Developer

Maureen Joyce – Adoption Coordinator

Cathy Schroeder – Foster Home Coordinator

Ewa Jankowski – Administrator

John Cymerman – Administrator

The Chicago Pet Show held at Kane County Fair Grounds

on November, 12 & 13 was a fun time! We had our mar-

velous ambassador collies there to meet the public. Our

volunteers answered questions about the breed and

raised some much needed funds at our booth. Our collies

were SO beautiful and SO well behaved, they attracted

lots of attention and became a favorite with the crowd.

A big thanks to Cathy Schroeder who set up early Satur-

day morning. Thanks to Gail Diedrichsen, a.k.a. Pink

Poodle, (and Brody), who stayed all day on Saturday.

AND… George Rohde (and Maggie), who stayed all day on

Sunday. Our fantastic volunteers, Ewa Jankowski, Cyn-

thia Hagstrom, Megan Gessler, Maureen Joyce, Colette

Lozins, Robin Meek, Ruth Meek, John Juris, Jill Silbert,

and Marcia Salerno joined the fun. We have the BEST

volunteers.

Left to right: Meagan and Cooper;

Cindy and Brody

Two Finns make a perfect heart