Memorialize your dog at Run for Research 2008 by posting its photo and story here. The photos and stories will also be posted at the trial. To post a memorial, contact Gayle Watkins via e-mail at Gayle@CanineHealthEvents.org or via mail to 40 Walmer Lane, Cold Spring, NY 10516 along with your $25 donation check made payable to "Canine Health Events." You can also pay on line via PayPal using the button below. Please include the dog's name, date of birth, your thoughts about them, and a photo. Be sure to put your name and your dog's name on the back of the photo. Photos will be mailed back to you.

Memorial Index Click on name to go to memorial

Flyer Torch

Trumpet's Gaylan's Butterfly CD JH AX AXJ WCX OD CCA VC

"Flyer"

9/25/1994 - 7/2/2008

"Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." --George Bernard Shaw

Having Flyer in our lives for over 13 1/2 years was a true gift. She taught us so much but her most important lesson was to honor the dog nature in our goldens. She was a dignified, majestic leader in the dog world and she had no patience for those who treated her like a stuffed bear or a human baby. Through her we learned to value the intelligence, independence and competence of a talented animal. We will never forget, Flyer! Thank you for your dedication, love and children. Through them, we will forever have you in our lives.

Best friend and teacher of Gayle Watkins and Andy Chmar

Gaylan's Sparks A Flyin' TD JH WC

"Torch"

6/11/2001 - 12/21/2003

It has been nearly five years since Torch left us. I remember her short but vivid life as if she were still here but since her death, Torch has guided me to do things that I'd never thought of while she was alive. With Maggie Lukiewicz, I started CHE to honor Torch's memory and life, in hopes of changing the lives of other dogs. Although I'd been breeding for decades when Torch was born, her death pushed me to learn more and focus my efforts further toward producing health, long-lived dogs. I put aside other goals such as more champions if it meant I was breeding into unhealthy lines. I became more educated into the effects of nutrition and vaccinations, learning that I continue today. For a dog that was with us only 2 1/2 years, she truly changed my life. Here is the tribute that I wrote the first year after her death.

Torch was born into my hands and she died in my arms a little over two years later. From birth, she was clearly a special animal. No one was surprised when I decided to keep her since Torch had chosen me weeks before. My education was her life's work and she did it well. Some lessons were very basic to living and working with dogs--trust, patience, humility and humor. She taught me about time--do all you can each day. We had only dabbled in agility and obedience because I was leaving them for the many years that I thought we had ahead of us. But we didn't have the time that I'd assumed would be there. How could I know how wrong I would be?

Torch's health problems started before her second birthday with some bizarre and inexplicable symptoms. It wasn't until early September that we learned the truth--Torch had an incurable, inoperable form of cancer. This is the point that my real education began. Medical options, treatments, research and thinking through alternatives were the start. But that was the easy part. In the end, Torch taught us about dying--how does a dignified, courageous being face death with her head held high, loving those around her and living every single moment fully. She taught me that I could do more than I thought, be braver than I dreamed, and love more deeply than I thought possible. And finally, as my inspiration for Canine Health Events, Torch taught us that one dog, a young one at that, can touch hundreds of people and dogs.

Beloved friend and teacher of Gayle Watkins and Andy Chmar