WOOF-LUVABLES Dogs love us unconditionally. There's no pretense or agendas. No complaints. They never fail to greet us at the door with passionate exuberance-even if we just left the room for five minutes to take out the trash-and they simply put us in a better mood. |
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WOOF Moniker: Jake
Canine Informant: Jo Umans, Executive Director, Behind the Book
(http://www.behindthebook.org/).
Behind the Book is a literary arts nonprofit that promotes literacy and a reading culture among low-income students in New York City public schools. |
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Jo Umans: There was that first morning when I woke up thinking, "I'll never be able to sleep late again. Jake will need to be walked first thing. Heading over to the park we ran into three women with dogs by the tennis court. They wanted to know all about my dog. I responded, "Jake's a rescue." That was all they needed to hear and a new world opened up for me. There's an inclusive community based around our dogs, rescued or purchased. The owners and others that enjoy seeing the pooches in the park are unique individuals. At some point I'll write the book titled; "Guess Who I met in the Park Today?"
Five of us have become good friends. At one time combined we had six dogs in our gatherings, three have since passed away. Several other people that I have met while walking Jake in Central Park have joined the Board of Directors and Board of Advisors of Behind the Book. Our dog connections have opened up new chapters in many of our lives. Behind the Book applies a similar synergy that emerges whenever dogs and pet owners meet for the first time. It's personal and encourages interaction with others. Turning the pages of a book becomes a different and more fulfilling experience when the author is sitting next to you. Our program is the conduit that brings authors, their books and public school children into the same room. And that's a true dog-eared life lesson that Jake has provided me with.
WOOF Patrol: Could your dog run advice also be about being exposed to the experiences around you that lead to chance meetings and opportunities?
J.U.: Absolutely. It also gave me the idea for our Behind the Book event taking place July 17th at 6:30pm. Cathleen Schine, author of The New Yorkers will be joining us for a pet-friendly book reading in Central Park. |
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Behind the Book Bark-Reading with Cathleen Schine, author of The New Yorkers
Date/Time: July 17th 6:30-8:00pm
Place: Enter at 96th Street entrance and follow the wagging tails to the area behind the tennis courts
Details: Bring your pooch pals and a blanket
Suggested donation: $20 |
What we learn from our dog? Jake taught me how to love winter. Cold months were not something I looked forward to. I despised winter. Now, because of Jake I've gained an appreciation towards winter and its landscape. He taught me it can be beautiful.
Likely Quote from Jake: Jake is not a pooch that quotes. Instead, he makes a statement. He's a total dog, though he could be part duck since whenever possible he heads for the water. His walking pace is like that of a gentleman preferring to be at the side of his lady. But he doesn't like to stop. He wants to be on the go and moving ahead. Stop and he'll cock his head at you, then bark, as if to say, "Come on. Let's go."
Jake's Hobby: Swimming and providing doggie kisses to children.
Friends in the Hood: Spike, Molly, Romeo, Beethoven, Bailey, Celia and so many more. Like dog-mom, wherever Jake goes he attracts a posse. Walking with Jake shares another Behind the Book theme: both are permanent fixtures of the community. Jake, like Behind the Book, often provides the first time, first hand experience for a child to meet a dog.
Jo, a born educator and communicator, understands the importance creating an exciting and safe situation for everyone. Whether she's turning the page of a book or explaining how to pet a dog's tail there's no doubt of the end result; both she and Jake impact and change lives for the better.
Jake's Arfstrology Sign: 
Cancer
Jake was rescued from Animal Care and Control of New York. The exact date of his birth is unknown but celebrated on July 4th.
Animal Care and Control of New York http://www.nycacc.org/ Happy Birthday JAKE!!!
Jake's breed and favorite dog run: Jake's a 70 pound Husky/Collie/Shepherd mix lives on the Upper Westside of Manhattan. His dog run is all of Central Park, an 843 acre utopia located north of 59th street and ending at 110th. Dogs, joggers, walkers, runners, bikers, paddle boat enthusiasts, children, tennis players and others all enjoy the vision created by Frederic Law Olmstead, a special place where people could relax and meditate.
Jake's Mission Statement: Mom had a vision. Everyday she'd take me to the park and dream up ways to excite children and young adults about reading. She's very passionate and I decide that I too, had a mission. There was the one guy that we knew from our park walks. He loved to hear about my mom's ideas and thought they were very good as well as inspirational. I made it a point to always search him out when we were in Central Park. I just knew that something good would come from their conversations.
J.U.: Jake attracts interesting people into our lives. One day, Yves, a man that we had always enjoyed stopping to talk with, surprised me by handing me a piece of paper. It was a 'no-excuse' note in which he had written the first draft of what became the mission statement for Behind the Book. Moments like that one prove just how important a personal encounter can be. Behind the Book in dog speak translates to Unleashing the Passion.
| Yvonne Conza, Founder of WOOF Patrol - ph: 917.847.2854 |
2007 |
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