Attention Georgia 6th Graders

Put your thinking caps on and grab a pen or pencil. The Georgia Municipal Assocation is holding an Essay Writing Contest for Georgia 6th graders. The essay subject is "If I Were Mayor, I Would...". The deadline is on March 5th, 2010. Essays may not exceed 350 words. One winning essay will be selected from each of GMA's 12 districts. Winners will receive a $250 savings bond and other prizes. The winners, along with their parents and and a teacher, will be recognized at an awards luncheon during April, 2010.

Essays should be mailed to:

Georgia Municipal Association
Attention: Essay Contest
P.O. Box 105377
Atlanta, GA 30348

For more details on the GMA Essay Contest for Georgia 6th graders, visit http://www.gmanet.com/Essay.aspx

2 Pumpkin Carving Contests - Win Great Prizes, Including Braves Tickets

This is a great weekend to get your pumpkins and begin carving them. There are two contests you can enter with one pumpkin so help your kids carve some cool Jack-O-Lanterns this weekend. Then enter your pumpkin for a chance to win prizes. There is an online contest through the Atlanta Braves. You can also bring your pumpkins to The Frederick Brown Amphitheater to be judged for their contest.

Details of the Braves Contest:

Fans can test their pumpkin artistry by entering their jack-o-lanterns in the Braves Pumpkin Carving Contest and be eligible to win a pair of tickets to any 2010 Atlanta Braves home game. A panel of Braves judges will choose the top five entries based on display of Braves spirit and originality, and fans will choose the grand prize winner in online voting beginning on October 26.

Carve your original Braves-themed creation and enter the Braves pumpkin carving contest today at: braves.com/pumpkin. Fans who would like some assistance in their carvings, can also download free Braves stencils from the site.

Pumpkin Contest at "The Fred" in Peachtree City:

You can also bring your carved pumpkin to the Frederick Brown Amphitheater on Oct. 22nd & 23rd. They are going to line the walkway to the amphitheater with the Jack-O-Lanterns for the Not So Scary Halloween Party on October 24th. Details can be found on http://www.localkidfun.com/Calendar.php or http://www.localkidfun.com/SeasonalActivities.php

Free Adventure Pass to Stone Mountain

If you are looking for some cheap family fun for Fall 2009, you can't beat a FREE day at Stone Mountain Park.

John Deere is offering two Free Adventure Passes to Stone Mountain Park, plus one day of free parking (normally $10 per car). The Adventure passes allow you access to all of the premium attractions at Stone Mountain. These include, 4D Theater, Live Entertainment, Summit Skyride to the top of the mountain, Scenic Railroad, River Boat, Sky Hike, The Great Barn and more. Stone Mountain also has a number of free areas to visit so plan to bring a picnic and make a day of it. You can hike on any of the nature trails, including to the top of Stone Mountain. Other Free attractions are the Quarry Exhibit, children's playground, the Confederate Hall Historical & Environmental Education Center and the Lasershow Spectacular. Just stop by your local John Deere Dealer now through September 30, 2009 and test drive any John Deere Mower, Gator Utility Vehicle or Tractor. When you do, you'll receive a daylong parking pass and two Adventure Passes to Stone Mountain Park. The offer is good while supplies last so you may want to call ahead to your local dealer.

Peachtree City Centre For Dance Education Begins Fall Classes

Dance Contempra Centre for Dance Education in Peachtree City begins Fall 2009 classes today with instruction in Ballet, Tap, Modern, and Jazz. Dance Contempra is known in Peachtree City for their fresh, unique approach that produces amazing results in dancers. Many of the instructors continue to dance professionally and passionately pass the love of dance to their students. In the last three years alone Dance Contempra students have auditioned for and were accepted into prestigious programs such as The Rock School, Boston Ballet, Orlando Ballet, American Ballet Theatre (ABT), The Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey, Radio City Rockettes and many more.

Dance Contempra accepts dancers from age 3 to pre-professional. With true “sprung” dance floors, Dance Contempra dancers experience added protection of consistency and cushioning from the floors. According to Founder and Creative Director, Paola Jenkins, "Concrete floors can create many physical problems for they allow no give. A properly sprung floor absorbs energy, preventing overuse injuries." Dance Contempra has taken the extra step to install quality flooring to ensure all dancers, those with professional goals or beginners, the ability to focus on technique in a nurturing environment.

Dance Contempra is still accepting registration. Online registration is available at http://www.dancecontempra.com. A coupon valid for $10 off first month tuition is available for a limited time at http://www.localkidfun.com.

Parent's Night Out - Fun for All!

Peachtree City Gym in Peachtree City, GA will be hosting its last Parents Night Out of the summer this evening Friday, August 7 from 6 pm-10 pm. The event is a fundraiser for Rising Starr Middle School Cheerleaders. The cost is $20 per child, $15 for siblings. It's not too late to attend.

My children, ages 6 and 8 have had a blast at two of the PNO's at Peachtree City Gym. I dare say, they've had more fun on their nights out than we did. They should probably call it "Kid's Night Out". The 8th grade cheerleaders and adult supervisors entertain the children all evening. According to my 8 year old, it's so much fun because they get to jump in the foam pit, climb the rope wall, and just have fun with friends. My 6 year old daughter loves when they play games like, "What time is it Mr. Fox?", "Four Corners", & "Duck, Duck, Goose". She also loves the interaction with the "big girls" who dote on her. My son probably won't admit it, but he likes that part too. When we picked him up last time he commented, "Those girls are so cute!" as we were pulling away.

Although this is the last Parent's Night Out of the summer, Peachtree City Gym and the Rising Starr Middle School Cheerleaders will be holding Parent's Night Out one Friday per month during the school year. Dates will be posted on LocalKidFun.com as well as the Peachtree City Gym website.

Free Thrashers & Hawks Tickets for Reading

Field Trips with Sue, who blogs about inexpensive trips with kids in and around Atlanta, recently posted a blog entry about a summer reading program where kids can earn free Thrashers and Hawks tickets for reading. Click the link for her blog entry with details on how to register for this program - http://fieldtripswithsue.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-thrashers-and-hawks-tickets-for.html

In her blog, Sue mentions that reading programs like this really motivate her boys. I have had the same experience with my kids. I've used the local library reading programs motivate the kids. The library program rewards kids for every 5 hours they read. Reading time is logged in 20 minute increments. They love to fill in the boxes for each 20 minutes they read. It makes encouraging them to read easier. When they're bored, and I suggest they read a book, it's not just mom "nagging" them to read. I only have to mention the extra box they will get to fill in for reading and they rush to pick out a book from our reading pile .

I will definitely be signing my kids up for this program as well.

50% Off Sale at Local Children's Boutique

If you are looking for some great gifts or adorable clothes for your children, here's a sale you just can't beat. Ansley's Attic Children's Boutique & Gifts, located on Main Street in Sharpsburg, GA will begin it's summer clearance sale on July 6th. All summer apparel will be 50% off. Even new arrivals. All shoes will be 25% off.

During the sale at Ansley's Attic from 10-12, The Pottery Patio will be doing hand print tiles for ONLY $3 each. Come shop and get your son or daughters hand on a tile. It's a memory that lasts a lifetime. See you there.

Ansley's Attic will be closed for vacation June 26th - July 5th.
Summer Hours:
Monday - Friday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Tiny Tunes Music Classes

I just received the following email from Jennifer Stuart, owner of Tiny Tunes Music. Tiny Tunes Music offers classes for children in Newnan and Peachtree City. If you have a preschooler and are interested in music classes this summer, read below:

"Attn: Families
I was just made aware this week that some of the classes online were showing that they were completely full when they are NOT! Please EMAIL me ASAP if you are still interested in registering for the summer session so I can get you into a class!

Also our Music Cats- for children 4-5 started this week and the kids had such a blast. You can still register your little ones thru next week if you would like them to take part this summer. This will give them a great foundation before our keyboarding class in the fall! Please email me today if you would like your child to join.

I was also made aware that the non-resident fee at Kedron has been changed from 50% to only 25%."

Click below to view the Summer Session email with Registration details.

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs065/1102064816807/archive/1102523526786.html

Coweta County Cobra Football & Cheerleading Announces Play for Free Program

I am constantly going through the pages of LocalKidfun.com to update it and make sure all the information is accurate and complete. While adding some new gymnastics and cheerleading programs on the Sports page and contacting each place to make sure their info. is accurate, I came accross PLAY FOR FREE offer from Coweta County Cobra Football and Cheerleading. What a great idea!

While registering your child in person for football or cheerleading, let the representative know you would like the "play for free" option. You will be issued discount cards to local merchants. If you sell enough discount cards to the public, CCCYFA will waive your registration fee. That's a $150 - $200 savings, and your child will get to be a part of team sports. You must put your credit or debit card information down as collateral for the debit cards you will be trying to sell. CCCYFA will have full details at the time of registration and be able to answer any questions.

Registration ends on June 30, 2009. Live registrations will be held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month at St. Smyrna Baptist Church, Smokey Road, Newnan, ga 30263 / (770) 251-0730

Coweta County Cobra Football & Cheerleading program is for ages 4-14. They compete in the Metro Atlanta Youth Football League (M.A.Y.F.L.). Their website states "Join the fastest growing Youth Football and Cheer program and become apart of something larger than yourself. CCCYFA is so much more than parents watching “THEIR” child play football and/or cheer. We are family bound by a common cause, to raise Tomorrow’s Leaders in Today’s World."

Local Youth Theatre Group to Perform Cinderella - June 13 & 14, 2009

One of my favorite discoveries in researching family friendly activities and events for LocalKidFun.com has been the access to quality family theater in South Metro Atlanta. Just go to the Family Theater page of LocalKidfun.com or view the monthly events calendar to see all that our area has to offer children interested in the theater.

The next local production you might wish to attend is Rodger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella, presented by Backyard Kids Theatre on June 13th, at 7 p.m., and June 14th, at 3 p.m. at Heritage Christian Church in Fayetteville. Tickets can be purchased for $8 from www.brownpapertickets.com/event/64423 (for early seating) or at the door.

Cinderella is the second show produced by student founded organization, Backyard Kids Theatre. The directors, musicians, cast, crew, costume advisor, choreographers, etc. are all youth aged 7-17. They look forward to amazing you with their fabulous talent.

Directed by 8th grader Chase Thomaston, music directed by Stephanie Earle, and starring Paige McCauley as Cinderella, the performance will be fun for the entire family. Other leads include: Camille Edwards as the Fairy Godmother; Ben Papac as the Prince; Micole Mayfield as the Stepmother; Hannah and Abby Feltner as the Stepsisters, Austin and Janina Monk as the Royal Stewards, Michael Reep as the King, and Stephanie Earle as the Queen. The ensemble features: Olivia, Grant, and Evan Krug; Jordyn, Jamie, and Zack Richards; Abby Mortensen; Anna Lee Robbins; Gillian Revoir; Reagan and Avery Grillo; Preston Earle; Payton Edwards; and Rachel Brown. Choreographers are Nora Wilfong and Brent Davis, and the show Pianist is 6th grader, Nathan Hung. For more information about the organization, go to www.backyardkidstheatre.org.

8 Ideas for Keeping Kids Busy While Waiting in Line

Summer is almost near. While we dream of the perfect family vacation, the reality may be long lines or long car drives. Sometimes it's hard to find ways to entertain the kids away from the comforts of home. I have come up with a quick list of tips that will help you keep your kids happy and occupied, whether you're in a long line, in the car or the kids are just plain bored.

1. Teach your kids how to thumb wrestle. Remember thumb wrestling? It was loads of fun when we were kids. How to play: Wrap fingers of your right hand around the fingers of your opponents right hand, leaving your thumbs out; Chant "One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war"; Try to get the opponents thumb pinned down under yours. No using your other hand.

2. Play “I Spy, with my little eye”. The easiest way to do this is to say the color of the object. If you are playing this with younger kids, you can come up with different variations that enhance learning. For example, you can "spy" something that rhymes with ten (answer: pen), you can give extra clues to help them figure out what you are spying.

3. A great grocery store game is to try to find items for each letter of the alphabet. This can also be played on car trips or while waiting in line as long as you are surrounded by lots of letters.

4. Rhyming Games (think of all the words that rhyme with “bee”), think of as many words as you can that start with a certain letter.

5. Alphabet Categories. Think of a theme like first names and take turns thinking of first names for each letter of the alphabet. Once while waiting in a long line to get into a zoo, we tried to think of animals that started with each letter of the alphabet. That was difficult, but fun. Not sure if we finished before we got out of line.

6. Bring a pad of paper and a pen or pencil. Draw a squiggly line or a shape. Have your child finish the picture by drawing anything they want out of the mark you made. Then they can draw a squiggle and have you finish the picture. When you've finished your picture that they started, you can ask them what they would have made from the squiggly line.

7. Start a story with "Once Upon a Time...". Take turns adding on to the story. Have fun listening to your child use his/her imagination.

8. Talk to your kids. Have a nice conversation asking specific questions about their day or their dreams. You may have to prompt them. Ask about their favorite thing to do with Daddy, Mommy or Grandma. If they still won't talk to you, kids love to hear stories about when they were younger. Tell them about time when they spit up on a family friend and everyone laughed.

If you need more fun games to play with your kids, here are another blogger's ideas:

http://healthy-family.org/caryn/161

APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

Public Invited to PCA Fayette Benefit Dinner, Tuesday, April 28at Four Seasons International Restaurant in Peachtree City, 5-9pm.

Fayette, GA - This April, Prevent Child Abuse Fayette (PCA), part of FACTOR (http://www.fayettefactor.org/) joins Prevent Child Abuse Georgia and Prevent Child Abuse America in raising awareness for child abuse prevention. PCA Fayette Coalition held a very important training on April 14, 2009 at Christ our Shepherd Lutheran Church for Mandated Reports and First Responders. The topic was not easy as it dealt with an issue we think will never happen to our children, our relative’s children, or anyone we know for that matter. But it does, all too often. The topic was child sexual abuse. 1 in 4 girls are molested by their 18th birthday; 1 in 6 boys are molested by their 18th birthday. Any child abuse, but especially sexual abuse, leaves wounds and scars for a lifetime. The training, Darkness to Light, helped us look at steps to better protecting our children and how to advocate for them.

The next PCA Fayette event will be a benefit dinner at the Four Seasons International Café, 114 Huddleston Rd., Peachtree City, GA 30269 on Tuesday, April 28 from 5-9pm. Many community leaders have graciously agreed to assist FACTOR/PCA Fayette in raising awareness and funds for our community Child Abuse Prevention coalition. The public is invited to enjoy a delicious meal that night served by the volunteer community leaders. They will be your waiter/waitress for the evening! All tips and donations will go to support the work of the coalition. Four Seasons International Café, www.fourseasonscafeptc.com offers great food in a relaxing atmosphere, with a menu filled with Mexican, Chinese, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. The night’s musical entertainment will be provided by local youth. Come, enjoy and support the work of Fayette’s Child Abuse Prevention Coalition. Your gift helps build a better future for our children. FACTOR is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.

Preventing child abuse means reducing the risks that threaten the health and safety of children, and increasing the strength of factors that keep families and communities strong. These protective factors are conditions that help assure the well-being of children and families. According to PCA Fayette Coalition, protective factors are positive attributes that strengthen all families and include such things as love, nurturing, acceptance, and protection. Becky Smith, Executive Director/FACTOR says, “As communities, we have a responsibility to one another. If we work together, we can help parents recognize and effectively address challenges, and we can collectively invest our resources in supporting all families.”

PCA Fayette partners; DFCS, Health Dept, CASA, Integrated Family Services, DJJ, Fayette Youth Protection Home, Promise Place, REACH Headstart, Fayette School System, Christ our Shepherd, Oasis Counseling, Mom on a Mission, www.LocalKidFun.com- all share core values - valuing children, strengthening families and engaging communities. The coalition mission is to plan and implement activities and events that bring awareness and education regarding the “why and how” of preventing child abuse in our county.

“Individuals from all walks of life can, and must, take an active role in the work of child abuse prevention,” says DePriest Waddy, Chief Executive Officer of PCA Georgia. “Investing in the well-being of all children is a sound investment. When families are healthy and strong, communities are healthy and strong. It’s that simple.”

Some ways that Becky Smith says communities can strengthen families are:

• Partner with parents. Parenting is hard work! Understand that all parents have strengths and help them build on those strengths.

• Help parents identify networks within their family and community for emotional support, encouragement and assistance.

• Promote PCA Georgia’s confidential an anonymous 1-800-CHILDREN Helpline as a source of information, support and access to community resources.

• Advocate for programs and policies that support children and family stability.

• Give of your time and resources to organizations working to build strong families and healthy communities To find out more about building protective factors within families call PCA Georgia’s Helpline at 1-800-CHILDREN (244.5373). Information is also available at www.fayettefactor.org or www.pcageorgia.org.

UNICEF Offers Kids a Chance to Win a $5,000 Scholarship

I received an email from UNICEF today regarding a contest they are currently running for creative kids under the age of 14. It's an annual contest where children submit a greeting card design. The winning design is turned into an official UNICEF greeting card, sold exclusively at Pier 1 Imports stores across the country during the holiday season. See the 2008 winning picture on the right.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the cards sold at Pier 1 go to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to help in its mission to decrease the number of preventable childhood deaths from 25,000 each day to zero.

The winner receives a grand prize $5,000 scholarship, and $500 worth of art supplies for their school. This year's theme is "Joy to the World". Click this link for more information on the Pier 1 Imports/UNICEF greeting card contest

Be sure to download an entry form soon, because the contest ends March 6th.

Upcoming Speedway Children’s Charities Kobalt Tools 500 Events

Atlanta Motor Speedway Chapter set to host Clay Shoot and Fast Talk

The Atlanta chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities will host two fundraising events preceding the Kobalt Tools 500 on March 8, the 2^nd Annual Clay Shoot on March 5 and the Fast Talk presented by AutoTrader.com at Club One on March 6.

The 2^nd Annual Clay Shoot will feature instruction from the USA Olympic Shooting team and 2008 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Benson will be in attendance in addition to other NASCAR drivers and celebrities.

The SCC Clay Shoot will be hosted at the Cherokee Rose Sporting Resort in Griffin, just minutes from Atlanta Motor Speedway, and prizes will be awarded to the top-three finishers in each of three divisions. On-site registration begins at noon on Thursday, March 5 or you can register in advance online at www.speedwaycharities.org.

One night later, Fast Talk presented by AutoTrader.com will include dinner, drinks and a viewing of Georgia Power Qualifying Night from one of the most unique and luxurious seats in NASCAR, Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Club One. The event will also feature a post-qualifying question-and-answer session.

The question-and-answer session will feature notable NASCAR luminaries, including Speedway Motorsports, Inc. owner Bruton Smith and NASCAR president Mike Helton, among other speakers. The event will be hosted by Performance Racing Network’s Doug Rice. Fans wanting to attend can register online at www.speedwaycharities.org.

Updates to the NASCAR drivers and celebrities attending these events will be posted to www.speedwaycharities.org as confirmed. For more information on either event or Speedway Children’s Charities, please contact Shaun Birindelli at shaunb@atlantamotorspeedway.com.

Making a difference in a child’s life is the focus of Speedway Children’s Charities and we strive to do this in collaboration with the non-profit organizations we support nationwide.

Individually, SCC’s local chapters identify the needs of children in their communities and award grants to local organizations that address them.

Decorated Canine Disc Throwing Performer, Gail Mirabella, Shares Insights and Wisdom on Dogs, Kids, & Doing the Work You Love

Gail Mirabella entertains audiences of all ages with her fast paced and fun act, “Dynamo Flying Dogs”. She is currently touring with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The circus will be appearing from February 13^th through 22^nd at Phillips Arena in Atlanta.

In 2005, Gail – who had also worked full time for many years in the pharmaceutical industry – decided to leave her “day job” to focus on her dogs and her love of everything having to do with them. In addition to her many public appearances, she has been much in demand to teach courses in agility, obedience, disc and flyball. Gail Mirabella has garnered regional titles in canine disc competitions throughout the United States, and has won the right to attend several world finals and founded the New England based Yankee Flyers Dog and Disc Club, of which she remains president.

Gail was a member of the Purina^® Incredible Dog Team for five years, traveling the country sharing her expertise, giving demonstrations and entertaining crowds at sporting events, festivals and fairs as well as on television’s Today Show, Tonight Show and Late Night with David Letterman.

Candace Robichaux, owner of LocalKidFun.com had the chance to talk with Gail recently. Surrounded by her 12 dogs, many of whom she rescued from shelters, Gail spoke candidly about how she made the leap to working with her dogs full-time, tips on travelling with dogs, why dogs are important for kids and some quick training tips you can use at home.

Q: A few years ago you left your corporate job to pursue your passion for your dogs full-time. What made you finally decide to leave the security of your job and go join the circus?

A: I had been doing agility training and working dogs for a long time on a part-time basis. I’m always stressed about leaving my dogs when I have to go to out for a short time. I wonder what they are up to. When my mom passed away 10 years ago, I realized that life is too short to be stuck behind a desk all day. With the emotional support of my family, I decided to finally do what makes me happy. My family supported me because they know once I put my mind to something I get it done. At first I was planning on opening a dog training facility. I set myself up financially when I left my job and knew I could always go back to the corporate world if I had to. When you do make that leap, you will look back and ask yourself why you didn’t do it sooner. My advice to others: figure out what you are passionate about, secure yourself financially, then take the leap into doing what you love. You will never regret giving it a try.

Q: You have been traveling with your dogs to many different cities on your tour with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Can you give us some tips on traveling with pets?

I am first and foremost a firm believer of safety with the dogs. I currently have 12 dogs. I purchased a large cargo van and a crate for each dog. The crates are secured to the walls of the van and to each other. I can’t stress strongly enough how important it is to secure dogs in a crate or seatbelt while in the car. I’ve had 5 friends who were in terrible car accidents with their dogs and the dogs were killed. One person had a fender bender and their dog was killed because it was on his lap and the airbag crushed it. You wouldn’t put your two year old in a car without securing them. You should do the same for your dogs. It’s not just for the dog’s safety. You wouldn’t want a 30-50 lb projectile flying forward and then back into a child that might be in the car. Also, don’t ever let your dog stick their head out the window. I was a vet tech for 7 years and can recall many animals coming in with eye injuries due to something flying into their eye or a branch slicing their eye open. Safety is number one.

Q: Dogs thrive on routine. How have you managed to keep them on a schedule during your travels?

My dogs still eat twice a day, at the same time every day. They get let out often. I have kennels set up in my trailer and the dogs get fed in their crates. I also set up a yard outside my trailer at each location. If it’s warm out, I leave the door to the trailer open and they can come in and out as they please. I am sitting on the couch in my trailer surrounded by dogs right now. The key to keeping the dogs happy is trust. Dogs don’t stress out if they trust their owner or handler. Also, having multiple dogs helps. They keep each other entertained.

Q: Have your dogs ever disobeyed your command or made a big mistake during a performance? How did you get them back on track?

A: I do agility and Frisbee in the show. It’s very high paced and high energy, if they make a mistake it’s usually a handling error. I train the dogs by the American standards of dog training - teach them basic obedience first then the tricks like Flyball, Frisbee, agility, etc. I typically use herding breeds and a couple rat terriers in the act. When they make a mistake, it’s not the dog. They are out to please you. Their reward is the fun, catching the Frisbee is the reward. Recently one of the dogs missed a Frisbee because he looked down at a carrot left by a previous act. I never have trouble getting them back on track because they love it so much. When they miss, it’s no big deal, but when they catch a Frisbee, the crowd goes wild. The dogs look like they are having a blast and they are.

Q: How do you recognize what mood your dogs are in?

A: I can just tell if they start looking around, their ears go down, their tails drop, etc. I may already know about something that stresses out a particular dog from practice. I have one dog who stops whenever she sees a shadow. I never get mad at them. I figure out what I can do to keep them from stressing. I build them up & build them up with positive reinforcement until they are ready. I rescued one dog who had very little human contact. She was a basket case and I took her on as sort of a project. Now she performs in front of thousands of people and the music and lights. It took a long time, but we developed a very strong bond. I make it lots of fun for the dogs and use lots of positive reinforcement, lots of treats. If they start stressing out, I back off on that trick and go back to something they feel more comfortable with. One time I put a dog out there that just wasn’t ready, but I needed him as a backup. He didn’t perform all the tricks well, but he was out there jumping around and having fun and the crowd went wild anyway.

Q: Besides your dogs, what is your favorite animal or act performing in the circus?

I love the elephants. They are majestic, huge and able do things that you wouldn’t imagine like sitting upright on their hind legs. A neat trick they do during the act is when a couple of elephants lay down and smaller ones slide down them. It’s a lot of fun to watch and you can tell the elephants are happy, with their ears flapping. Backstage the elephants are calm and cool and each has its own personality. They are very intelligent. Sometimes I work with the elephant handlers to try to teach one of them to catch a Frisbee. There’s one who can catch a stick with his trunk. It would be cool to someday have the elephant throw a Frisbee and a dog catch it.

Q: My dog takes off every time we let her off the leash or gets out of the fenced back yard. What is your advice for handling this situation and what tips can you give other people when training their dog?

A: With this problem, I would go into a fenced area and begin working with your dog on recall. If you always use the word “come”, change it to something else. I use the word “here”, it sounds a lot more pleasant and higher pitched. A dog shouldn’t come on its name. Dogs should always look at you on its name. For example, call “Jake”, when the dog looks at you then throw a treat. If the dog crosses a busy street and you call their name you don’t want them running back across the street to you. Their name should cause them to pause, look at you and wait for the next command. For your treats, use something good like a piece of turkey hot dog or cut up string cheese. All positive reinforcement is the key. Then when you’re not in the fenced in area use a flexi lead and let them roam as far as they want. Then call their name and say “here”. When they come to you give them a treat. Eventually this may teach them to stay with you and listen to your recall commands. If they do take off, the best thing you can do is run in the opposite direction. Otherwise, it becomes a game for them and they think they have the pack following them.

Q: You entered your first junior dog competition when you were 10 years old. Why do you think dogs are so important to kids?

A: Dogs offer a bond. I had lots of friends, but there was something special about the bond with my dog that couldn’t be replaced. It made me mature and really helped with my self-esteem through my teenage years. I was seeing a psychologist when I was young because I had very low self esteem. The psychologist actually told my parents to buy me a dog of my own instead of just the family dog. For my 14th birthday I got a wolf hybrid named Timber. He lived for 14 years and even went to college with me. I had someone to talk to and cry to, someone always with me. It gave me self-worth, something relying on your for friendship. They are always happy to see you, never make fun of you, no matter what your hair looks like or if you have ugly shoes, the dog doesn’t care. Having a pet can give kids some direction. Another option is the local 4H clubs. Some 4H clubs have competitions at agriculture or state fairs. When I was doing Frisbee shows with my dogs independently at state fairs, I loved to see the 4H competitions. There would be a young child with a chicken that he groomed and trained. The pride in the child’s face was priceless.

Christmas with the Police ~ Giving Opportunity for Fayetteville, GA

This post is courtesy of Fayetteville Police Department MEDIA RELEASE


Fayetteville Police Officers Host “Christmas with the Police”

The Fayetteville Police Department will be conducting a “Christmas with the Police” event this holiday season. The Fayetteville Police Department will select families that may not be able to have Christmas otherwise, to celebrate the holidays with. Officers of the police department will meet with family members to get gift ideas. They will then shop for gifts for the families. Members of the Department and the families will have Christmas dinner, open presents and go to Dixie Land Amusement Park.
The Fayetteville Police Department has been conducting a similar program for the past five years. In the past events we found many of the kids bought not just for themselves but for their parents and siblings.

If you are interested in making a monetary or gift card donation to the program please contact Lieutenant Debbie Chambers at 770-461-4441.