2000 THE YEAR THAT WAS

By Carole Oglesbee

My goodness, what a year!  We knew 2000 would be special just because it was the beginning of a new millennium.  However, I’m not sure any of us could have imagined all the activity that would take place in just one year.  Let’s start with the fact that we began the year with seven independent greyhound adoption organizations serving all of Southern California and ended with eight.  We have seen three organizations experience major shakeups, not only with their individual volunteers, but also with the very core of how these three groups conduct their operations.  We have had one organization find and obtain a large parcel of land on which to build a new kennel and adoption facility, while two other groups are currently looking for the same type of property.  We have seen a rescue and adoption organization hire the first full-time paid employee to direct its day-to-day operations.  We have watched as the groups have come up with more and more innovative ways by which to raise much needed funds.  There are the standard spring and fall gatherings we have all come to enjoy whether they are called reunions, picnics or play days.  We have watched as the catalogs and web site offerings continue to be enlarged with new collectors’ items for the long time and new greyhound owners.  We have seen special items come to the market place, which have been developed in order to help a specific group complete special projects.  There has been an increase in holiday activities that include wrapping, Santa Photo programs, parties and open houses.  All of the activities offer Christmas and Hanukah gift ideas to those who join in the fun.  More and more groups are adding monthly pledges to their fund raising efforts giving an opportunity to those who cannot own a greyhound but would like to do something for the adoption movement.  Unfortunately, each group must spend large amounts of human effort in order to accomplish the types of reorganization, development and fundraising mentioned above.  However, the year 2000 has also proven to be a remarkable one for greyhound adoptions. Over 500 greyhounds have found their ways into qualified, loving homes located here in the Southland.  There are also many that have been placed in Central and Northern California, while others have headed out of state.  Our hats are off to each and every person within every organization who has worked so very hard to place as many greyhounds as they can.  There are no small efforts as each of us does what we can with the time and energy we can spare to help our wonderful four legged friends.  To the members of the Needle Nose Crew, we thank each of you.  The promotion each of you does leads to many more adoptions than if our voices were silent.  We know from the records we keep that we are directly responsible for over 100 adoptions every year.  We also know that most of our members not only donate generously of their time and efforts to the Needle Nose Crew but also to the adoption group of their choice.  We encourage you to continue with your good works in whatever form it may take and know that no effort is too small or insignificant.  Keep up all the good work, come join us when you can and remember there is a greyhound waiting at a track who needs you to speak for him or her.  Happy New Year from all of us at the Needle Nose Crew.

A ROMP IN THE SWAMP

By Phil and Toni Epler

We enjoyed a nice four-day Labor Day weekend with our daughter in San Jose.  Now it was time to start the second leg of our month’s vacation. Toni, the three dogs, Alyeska, Heidi and our foster, BJ and I all fitted neatly into our 35-foot motor home, headed north on 101 over the Golden Gate Bridge and northward.  This was our first opportunity in our near 35 years together that we had planned to spend this much time alone, (not counting the dogs of course). And, we’re still talking to each other after nearly a month of “togetherness”.  Our first destination was McKinleyvillle, CA for the express purpose of a visit with Cara Brockhoff, her husband Jerry and their family of six Greyhounds, plus one “wan-a-be”. We had long looked forward to this meeting to be highlighted with a visit to their very well promoted “Swamp”, a "Playground for Greyhounds".  

Cara is the founder, heart, soul and leading force of the North Coast Greyhound Support group.  NCGS is very much like the Needle Nose Crew.  She and her members perform show and tells, parades, visits to nursing homes, county fairs and as many other high visibility exposures of their Greyhounds that they can squeeze into their busy schedules.  Cara also coordinates, brokers and is the matchmaker between potential adoptive parents and several area and regional Greyhound Rescue and Adoption groups. If you’re interested in seeing more of what she and the NorthCoast Greyhound Support group do, please visit : http://www.northcoastgreyhounds.com/support.  

I had the pleasure of being introduced to Cara by Carole Oglesbee, back in December of 1999, via e-mail. Cara was looking for some assistance in remodeling their web site. Carole was kind enough to suggest this union, which has worked well for all. I had not met Cara personally though until April of this year when we both attended the “Greyhound Gathering” in Kanab, Utah, which is another story in itself. You can see photos and links to that event via the above web sites.  

We met Cara on a Wednesday afternoon at the entrance to their “Swamp”. In reality it is nearly 19 acres of beautiful, lush wetlands densely populated with trees, shrubs, tall grass, streams and trails, all enclosed so the doggies can’t get out.   

Cara brought along three of her Greyhounds to show ours the way around their “Swamp”. After the formal introductions and with Cara’s assurance that they were in a safe place, we turned our dogs loose. What a sight. Heidi and BJ ran off with Cara’s three, exploring and chasing whatever they saw or thought they saw, wading in the streams and romping through the tall grass and bushes. Alyeska, for most part stayed pretty close to us. She seemed to be just happy to be off lead, but was less adventurous than the others.  This is a dog’s best dream and every sense is stimulated. To say they enjoyed it is an understatement. 

After about an hour, as we started to round up the pack, Heidi and BJ decided to play a little hide and seek with us.  They did not want to surrender their newfound playground.  We discovered BJ wading in a stream.  He was focusing his attention on some fish or crawling water creature. Heidi was nonchalantly trotting down the road without a care. We finally coaxed them all into the car.  We then followed Cara to their home, where we met the remaining four legged family members and her husband Jerry.  This was another first. Altogether, between theirs and ours. There were nine Greyhounds and two non-Greys romping around their yard and through their home all at one time. They all got along just fine.  Their dogs were all very cordial to their three guests.   

Send your articles and pictures to: Joy Moss, Editor, Needle Nose Notes 4857 Royce Road, Irvine, CA 92612 greytjoy@msn.com  Contributions are always welcome and help our cause. Needle Nose Crew, P.O. Box 3012, Laguna Hills, CA 92654-3012  

Editor: Joy Moss

(949)552-1373 or (949) 951-5444

or e-mail gogreys@juno.com