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Through their Eyes
Photo Contest Winners |
If only we could show
our enjoyment for life as our furry friends do. They cannot
wait for our eyes to open each morning so that they can get
us moving and simply breathing in the wonderful fact that
there is a new day
greeting us. They easily bring smiles to our faces when they
immerse and become one with the beauty of our changing
seasons. We hope you enjoy the expressions on our beloved
companions' faces below, as they reveal the most genuine
emotions in the world.
The winners of this
contest garnered over $1000 in prizes from our nonprofit
organization and we are hoping that the card collection that
they have inspired will help generate some much needed
support for the programs we provide, which includes the
funding of cancer treatment and research.
Our
BLACK, WHITE &
GOLD
Life Celebration Card Collection is
featured on oversized 5¼" x 7¼" quality classic linen
cards and includes linen envelopes and special glossy puppy envelope
stickers, all enclosed in a finely textured and shimmering gold linen box.
Please click here to
learn more.
— Rochelle Lesser, School Psychologist President & Founder P.S. — Thanks Liz, Jackie (and Jackie's mom Jo), Geoff, Sam
& Heather for supporting the foundation with your card
purchases! |
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Graham Morgan
of South Wales |
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Gracie Unleashed
— "This photo was taken at our
local beach called Caswell Bay on the Gower Peninsular,
South Wales. It's Gracie and the rest’s favourite beach
because there's a river running right through it, which
goes straight into the sea. As soon as they get onto the
beach, they run down the river ending up in the waves,
where there are, more often than not, at least a dozen
or so surfers. And, this is where Gracie is running
towards—the surfers! She ends up swimming alongside the
surfers, I think, trying to see who gets the wettest!”
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Daisy in the Lake
— "This is Daisy's favourite pastime, swimming in our local lake. Summer or winter, warm or
freezing cold, the temperature really doesn't matter!"
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Daisy by the Lake
— "Daisy's
favourite pastime is swimming in our local lake. Here she is taking a
needed breather." |
Had your post today with all the goodies in it! WOW!
some quality stuff in there. Thank you very much, will
treasure all of it. — Graham
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David
Mason of Florence, OR |
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Dogs in Surf
(3-year-old Flash, 7-year-old Annie, 1-year-old Sage & 1-year-old Onslow pictured above)
"This photo was taken on North Jetty beach in Florence, Oregon. Onslow is in the lead with his
Kong, being closely chased by the girls, Flash, Annie, and Sage."
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Elwood's Favorite Seat
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"This is a photo of a 14-year-old Elwood setting in his favorite seat, in anticipation of a run at the beach. Elwood went to the bridge in 2003, just shy of his 16th birthday. He is dearly missed."
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Tug of War
(3-year-old Dinsdale and 4-year-old Onslow pictured above)
"This photo was taken in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, just south of Florence, Oregon. During the winter months, vernal ponds form and provide great places for Dinsdale and Onslow to have fun with their
Kong."
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Jackie
Evans of Minot,
ND |
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Best Friends
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"This photo shows my son, Jeremy, with our 4-year-old Golden, Ali. Jeremy and I were going
to a harvested wheat field right up the road, and I knew that Ali would have a blast running around the
field. So, when we got there, Ali jumped out of the car and was in WHEAT FIELD HEAVEN! She was romping
around the field like you wouldn’t believe—she was so thankful that she got to come along! Jeremy then
called Ali over to him, and she took a break and sat with him. It was precious…a true
Golden Kodak Moment.
: )"
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Watching ... Waiting ... He'll Soon Be Home
—"I remember taking this photo of Brandy solely because I knew exactly what she was thinking, and how it was
so obvious how much she missed John (my father-in-law) when he was gone. They were the best of
friends—and you simply knew—that John was her everything and visa versa. In years past, whenever we visited
my husband's parents, the guys and Brandy would all go on daily walks. But, in 2003, Brandy just couldn’t go
on those walks anymore as her muscles ached. So, on this trip to the hills of Grants Pass, Oregon, on this
day, my husband, two sons, and John left to go on their walk. Brandy walked out onto the deck and watched
them walk down the dirt road until they were out of sight. Her eyes remained fixed on that dirt road leading
up to the house as she laid there, watching and waiting for their return. The love that Goldens have for
their people just cannot be described in words. But, in this picture you can see through Brandy’s eyes how
very much she loved and needed her dad."
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Sam Crews of Akron, OH
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Bliss
(9-year-old Jasper's Blue
Mufasah
'Blue' above)
"We were out walking
the lake. That boy loves the
snow."
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Wide Open
(10-year-old Stella Louise above)
"I think this captures Stella loving life."
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I just wanted to thank you for all the
goodies and the sweet spirit you bring to this great
organization. I am delighted to have been a part of it
for awhile. I don't know that you've seen the last of us
actually! I made my
first card order! Pretty sure I can sucker some
family into a set or two also ;-{)! All our best. —
Sam and Rochelle Crews
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Heather
Murphy of Chandler, AZ |
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Lap Dog
—
"Zack (age
5) and his rescuer enjoy daily four to six mile walks in
the desert. His owners are just so proud to have this
big lap dog in their lives. Zack, formerly known as
Bouncer, was rescued by
Arizona Golden Retriever
Connection and a close up of Zack's face graces the
rescue's 2008 calendar." |
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The Joy of a Dog (~7-year-old Woody Edens
pictured above) — "Woody was
Nick's best friend from the first day Woody and Nick
met. Nick and Woody played their own games together and
especially loved playing glow ball and fetch."
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Anticipation! (~7-year-old Woody Edens
pictured above) — "Arizona Golden Retriever
Connection found a new home for Woody after his
owners decided to give him up. He was exceptionally
well-trained and would not eat the biscuit until he
heard the magic word. Sadly, Woody crossed the Rainbow
Bridge just a few months after this photo was taken." |
Rochelle,
I was delighted to receive the
beautiful card featuring Nick
and Woody, plus the extra
bonuses of wholesome treats and
the certificate acknowledging my
winning entry. Piper and
Snowbelle, my lab/golden and
pure golden, are very happy to
get
heart cookies as special treats. They smelled so good that I
tried a piece myself! We are
very careful about their treats,
giving them mostly fresh
veggies. Wholesome, natural
treats without additives are the
only other goodies they get. We
appreciate your special gift.
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Geoff Hendrickson of Abingdon, PA |
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Sam
with Leaves —
"Sam picked out this pile of leaves
during yard cleanup and refused to
get up so he got a little deeper."
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Sam's Outdoors Snooze — "A soft pillow is not
necessary for a snooze."
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Sam
in Charge —
"We are headed to Sam's private Island
for a picnic lunch and some goose
rousting."
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A
Peaceful Sam with his Beloved Duck — "Sam prefers woobie pillows." |
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Anne
Visser of Dallas,
TX |
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Eye On the Ball (2-year-old Toby pictured
above) — "Toby is a one eyed ball fanatic. He is blind in one eye due
to a congenital cataract; however, this 'handicap' doesn't
get in the way of Toby's pursuit of the tennis ball. He is a
phenomenal ball chaser and we marvel at his athletic grace
and skill. These pictures show his determination and his joy
at retrieving tennis balls. The soccer field we use is
behind a Dallas police substation and next to a Army Reserve
Center. Many times we will see reservists and police
officers stopping to watch Toby in action."
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Contentment (8-year-old Barkley pictured
above) |
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Camille
Potts of Santa Fe, NM |
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Santa Fe Snowstorm of 2006
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(2½-year-old Mila pictured above) —
"Santa Fe received an unusual amount of
snow at the end of 2006. Mila delighted in running
through the heavy snow drifts."
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Rochelle, thank
you very much for the beautiful and fun
box of prizes. You did such a nice job
of putting it all together and I was
happy to receive it. Sometime soon, I
will order cards. "Snowfall is Golden" looks fantastic.
—Camille
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Susie Buchanan of
Lake Worth, TX |
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Keeping in Step
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(5-year-old Madison and 7-year-old Pluto pictured above)
"Madison the Princess Rose came into our hearts on
Pluto's third birthday and they have been in love ever
since. She was a rescue dog from
Golden Retriever Rescue
of North Texas and our family will forever be in debt to all the
wonderful people involved." |
Rochelle, thank you very much for the wonderful
prizes. Pluto especially likes the new treatbag
and treats that came with it. Madison likes the
fact that all of the two legged beings all over
the world are looking at her picture and just
wishing that they could pet her. She works for
the human touch rather than food, and she is
very proud of herself and her work as a therapy
dog. And, I have enjoyed the chance to honor my
furry faced children as they have given so much
to our family. —
Susie, Pluto, and Madison
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Marlo
Schrader of Southlake, TX |
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Water Antics
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"These
little guys sure did love playing on the pool cover once
they realized they could make a big puddle of water form."
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Winnie teaches her Puppies a
Golden's Love of Water
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"Winnie is a rescue golden from the
Golden Retriever Rescue
of North Texas. She came in at the tender
age of two with a litter (her second) of eleven 4-day-old
puppies. After fostering her and her puppies for eight weeks
and then adopting each of the babies out, we couldn’t give
her up, and adopted her. These little guys sure did love
playing on the pool cover once they realized they could make
a big puddle of water form. Funny thing was it took about
three puppies at one time in order to make the cover touch
the water so they would all pile up on it. Of course, I
would then have 11 little wet and muddy puppies."
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Hi
Rochelle, I received my prize package and
wanted to thank you! I love it! The cards
are so beautiful! And the
Buster’s View book is very funny! I also really love the
small Ollie stuffed
animal
although I can say it’s up on a shelf as my
Golden’s think it’s for them! The contest
was so fun and I’m still amazed that I
placed at all given the number and quality
of all of the photos submitted. Thank you
for all you do for this breed.
— Marlo
Schrader
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Pat
Lawson of
Queen Creek, AZ |
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Seeking Shelter
— "Teddy is my forever Golden and mentor to Canine Companion Puppies that pass through our lives. He is 3-years-old now and wise beyond his years. Tavi is my upstart 4-month-old CCI assistance puppy in training. The instant that Tavi arrived, he and Teddy were constant companions. When Tavi was startled he would seek
shelter under Teddy's long legs. Teddy stands about 29" at the shoulder. As Tavi grows, he still manages to snuggle under Teddy, as in this picture, often. I was lucky enough to snap this photo on an outing in Durango, Colorado. What handsome guys! They
truly are T-squared." |
Rochelle, I have
used the
art cards
a couple of time
already and have
gotten great
comments. They
are so unique.
Of course the
boys loved their
treats too. :0)
I love that you
did
Teddy and Tavi
in black and
white.
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Mike Kewley of
Boylston, MA |
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Funny girls, Maggie and Sadie
(11-year-old Maggie and
18-month-old Sadie pictured above) "Two wild and crazy girls, Maggie and Sadie, upside down and looking for some attention and looking for a belly rub. Inseparable therapy dogs that love attention. Maggie was diagnosed with cancer in August 2006. Sadie has been her ANGEL from heaven. Check out their antics at
Maggie's Therapy Dog page." |
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Suzan Morris of
Old Orchard Beach, ME
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Logan Living it Up
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"Service Golden Logan
gets lots of off duty time to relax and have fun. Here she's
thoroughly enjoying being a dog at Pine Point Beach in
Scarborough, Maine.” |
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Katie
Crockett of Plano, TX |
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Sweet Sleep
—
"Flower pup Chrysanthemum."
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A Tired Puppy is a Happy Puppy
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"6-week-old
puppies above." |
Rochelle, I
just got my prizes. Thank you SOOO much! I love the
cards, and my dogs LOVE the treats. The black and white
'Goldens are...' cards are gorgeous. I'm going to
order several of my favorites to frame and put them in a
collection on the wall. Again, thank you so much!
— Katie
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Jane
Snell of
Newport, OH |
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Contentment
—
"Oakley was in her
absolute glory eating her ear of corn. We didn't notice it
until we looked at the picture, but it looks like she is
sporting a pair of 'Billy Bob' teeth." |
Rochelle, how
can we ever thank you? We received the
wonderful package in the mail today from
you and stood there in awe! Tears filled
my eyes, my husband's eyes, and my
23-year-old son's eyes when we looked at
the certificate and the card with Oakley
on it. We were truly overcome with
happiness and pride for Oakley. The
cards are beautiful! The Golden cards
are so pretty and I almost hate to use
them. The little
Golden
stickers are adorable and will only
be used for my VERY special friends.
Oakley knew there was something
in that package for her. She would have
scarfed down the entire package of
cheese treats,
which she loves, but the
handmade
little heart treats are her absolute
favorite of all. She savored every bite,
but we have only allowed her one a day
to stretch it out. I am framing the card
with Oakley on it, along with the
certificate, which will hang in our
living room over Oakley's bed . . . only
right, don't you think? Oakley says
thank you for her treats and all of
us say thank you from the bottom of our
hearts for this heartfelt honor. It
truly means more than you know. —
Janie
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Liz
Watson of Fort Worth, TX
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Come on . . . Fall!
(8-year-old Chance and 7-year-old Summer pictured above) —
"Chance and Summer are willing the roast
to fly off the counter and into their paws. They lay
at the entrance to the kitchen side by side with
total concentration on the Sunday roast fully
believing that the power of four eyes is better two.
This was their Sunday dinner ritual even though it
never worked, they never gave up. Both Chance and
Summer are now at the Rainbow Bridge waiting for
their family."
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Mom, I promise there is a squirrel.
—
Annie, a
Golden Retriever Rescue
of North Texas permanent foster, discovered squirrels at the age of 10
and now lives to find one up a tree at the dog park.
Once found, she will sit for hours under the tree or
follow the squirrel from tree to tree. You have to
leash her to get her to come home. She is convinced
that if she concentrates hard enough that the
squirrel will come down to play with her. But
mostly they come just far enough down to be a
tease."
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Rochelle, what a
wonderful gift not only for me but also
for Golden Retriever Rescue. I love the
book and the numbered print. I am going
to donate that to the silent auction as
it is gorgeous and I know will bring a
good return for us. The cards are lovely
and I have been sharing them with
friends and family who all agree - they
are spectacular. This was such an
inspiring contest and all the photos
were fantastic. Thank you so much for
sponsoring it, and giving us all a
chance to showcase our 'kids'.
— Liz
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Deb
Robers of Allen, TX |
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A Ball Tail
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(5-year-old
Duncan pictured above) —
"Duncan's love for life is displayed in
a tail that never stops wagging. In this moment, his
love of tennis balls has just sweetened this second
in time." |
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Susana
Rivero Wood of
Caracas, Venezuela |
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Cuate's
Determination (2-year-old Cuate pictured
above)
"This picture was taken at a public beach in
Venezuela and while my boy Cuate
and I were playing with his
beach toy, I accidentally threw
it too far away and a wave took
it even farther away. Then my
swimmer boy went and did what he
does best...retrieve! So, this
picture was taken while he was
on his way back with his loved
toy."
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Rochelle, I
loooove the goodies you sent me in that
package that I finally got TODAY (2
months after they were mailed). Those
exquisite prints and the beautiful card
and certificate. And Cuate says WOOF and
YUMMI for the treats! Thank you very
very much for everything. We feel truly
honored to be part of this initiative.
— Susana
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Take me back
to the official contest page.
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