Shining Star 2011

SHINING STAR AWARD PRESENTED AT THE 2011 CCA NATIONAL SPECIALTY.
STANDING IN TO RECEIVE THE AWARD FOR INDIE, STASHA, AND OUR SAMMY IS
CH. ROSEBANK LOCHLAREN KEEPITASECRET

COLLIE CLUB OF AMERICA SHINING STAR 2011
ANNUAL REPORT

Candy Wisnieski, CH. Rosebank Lochlaren KeepItASecret, Barbara Cleek
CCA Shining Star 2011 Presentation
April 17, 2011
Collie Club of America National Specialty
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Candy Wisnieski presenting to Barbara Cleek and Fallon standing in for Indy, Stasha and Sammy

CCA Shining star has just completed its second year, and we are proud to introduce the twelve collies accepted into the program for 2011. In order to become a Shining Star a dog has to exemplify both the depth and breadth of the breed's character and a deep and abiding relationship with human partners in the performance of service to community and family. Collies are outstanding therapy dogs, education dogs and service dogs. With their love, generosity and wisdom, they can take themselves beyond their training. With their natural empathy and tendency to think so well on the fly, Collies often take their service to whole new levels. During the first year of Shining Star we have seen these wonderful dogs raise the bar over and over again and the 2011 dogs have expanded this vision even further.

Shining Star is not a competition in the traditional sense. It is impossible to pick a "winner" among so many accomplished dogs who selflessly perform very different services; nor among the people who breed, train and own these magical dogs and are themselves so generous with their time and talent. This year we have four service dogs whose intense training and character are focused on helping a single person to a much improved quality of life; four life-long therapy dogs whose sensitivity has helped literally hundreds of patients in hospitals and nursing homes; one highly trained search and rescue dog; one dog who resides in a home for battered women and children and acts to comfort them; one dog who saved his family from a fire; and a dog, who seemed to leap right out of the pages of Albert Payson Terhune, when he gave his life to save his family from a violent home invasion.

Each year we choose a dog(s) who exemplify the Shining Star Program ideals to be ambassador(s) of the program and accept an award on behalf of all the dogs at the National Specialty. This year's ambassadors are three service dogs from Oregon: Indy and human partner, Hannah Coats; Stasha and her human partner Shiela Henry; and Sammy and human partner, Karen Madouse. All of the dogs were trained in the Collies for Mobility and Support Program of Corvallis, Oregon and all have creatively expanded the lessons learned in training to better serve and support their partners. Indy, Stasha and Sammy work 24/7 maintaining the same level of confidence and assurance at home and anywhere in the world that their partners wish to travel: on city streets, in stores and restaurants, on airplanes, in the presence of crowds, other dogs and other animals-they are the ultimate collie multi-taskers. The CCA and AWCA have long benefitted from the Collies for Mobility and Support program, which also trained the legendary Gentleman Cole for Jean Levitt.

It is actually painful to have to choose among dogs who are so accomplished and whose combined contributions are such a beacon to the breed. We find that we must honorably mention others who are outstanding, and whose talents are valuable examples of the many diverse roles in which our breed is so capable. Lassie and Lad of Sunnybank were not, after all, totally fiction. They were, rather, composites of the many aspects of the collie character. Indy, Stasha, and Sammy represent many of these qualities and Malachite, Teddy and Slater, others. Teddy, owned by Elizabeth Smith of New Jersey and Slater, owned by Jim Smotrel of Virginia are life-long therapy dogs who have lent their natural empathy to many patients over the years in different hospital and nursing home settings. Both were awarded many times for these efforts and Teddy was a pioneer in one of the earliest library Read-to-a Dog Programs. Malachite was true to the Terhune heritage. Though always a gentle dog, at 13 years of age, he sensed the danger to his family during a home invasion and threw himself at the attacker; saving the family and losing his own life in the process.

Introducing the 2011 Shining Stars (alphabetically by state)

Malachite	Brandy Sanders	Alabama	Died Saving Family
Boaz	Lisa Heit	California	Battered Child Shelter Dog
Buddy	Linda Wright	Indiana	Saved Family from Fire
Deker	Lois Hall	Iowa	Search & Rescue Dog
Key	Jim Liddle	New Jersey	Service Dog
Julie	Mary Farrell	New Jersey	Therapy Dog
Teddy	Elizabeth Smith	New Jersey	Therapy Dog
Jackson	Tonya Simms	Oklahoma	Therapy Dog
Indy	Hannah Coats	Oregon	Service Dog
Sammy	Karen Madouse	Oregon	Service Dog
Stasha	Shiela Henry	Oregon	Service Dog
Slater	Jim Smotrel	Virginia	Therapy Dog

Shining Star wishes to thank those who helped us during the course of our second year. Continuing thanks to Bob Futh, the program's godfather, to CCA President, Bob Meyers and to the District Directors for their support. Special thanks to CCA Secretary Janie Clymer for her assistance in getting Malachite's story and her help with CCA publications; and thanks also to Drs Foster and Smith and their representative, Cindy Schneider, for their participation in providing each one of our Shining Star dogs with an actual golden star.

We are also grateful to Barbara Cleek of Lochlaren, breeder of Sammy, and to the luminous Ch Rosebank Lochlaren Keepitasecret for accepting the Ambassadors Cup on behalf of Indy, Stasha and Sammy and carrying it home to them.

Karen and Sammy (CH. Lochlaren Marleste It's Magic, HC).
See Sammy on Our Boys page.

Click for more pictures and information about Lochlaren Collies.

Shining Star 2011

Lochlaren Collies, William and Barbara Cleek, (503) 474-1354, barbara@lochlarencollies.com