Today’s blog is not dog training related nor even dog related. I would like to relay an email I received from my sister in Vancouver on Wednesday morning.

In the midst of supper on Tuesday evening my sister’s oldest son received a phone call from his 16 year old best friend,  who was at the police station. It seemed that his mother had been murdered and his step father was taken into custody, being charged with the murder. With no other family to turn to he called his best friend, my sister’s son. 

The death left  these five Columbian born children (ages 3-16) without anyone else to turn to for help. Some of the children where at home during the time of the murder and were traumatized to say the least. My sister and her husband (who already have four children to care for, the oldest in university the youngest is four years old) decided to take in these five children as Children’s Aid’s only other resource was to separate them into foster homes, something that no one wanted to see happen.

Here is where you guys come in.  Often I get asked to donate money for an advertisement to announce a new agility champion or a memorial for a great dog that has past. All of these require little out lay of money and creates joy for the recipient, it is fun to do. Here I am appealing to all of you to reach out to these kids that neither you nor I have ever met but whom we can rally around during this very dark time of their very young lives.

A trust fund has now been established for the children and I told my sister what a great group of people I have that read my blog every day and that I would ask you all to do what you could.  If everyone that reads this blog was willing to give up the cost of one agility entry to help these kids move forward with the rest of their lives, collectively we would not only be helping out this family, but also helping ourselves. There is nothing more powerful than the energy you create anytime you take a moment to help a stranger. See what you can do, no donation is too small.

Mary-Lynn with 2 of her boys on the first day of Kindergarten.

My sister Mary-Lynn with two of her boys; on the first day of Kindergarten.

You can make a donation by clicking the paypal “donate” button now


or by going to your bank and sending a bank draft to:

 The Royal Bank of Canada

Transit #1200, Account # 5253778  The name of the trust fund is:

For the Children of Lesney Valencia

If financial support is outside of your current financial limitations please take a moment today to say a prayer both for the Valencia children and my sister’s family as they all transition into their new living environment requiring a brand new level of patience, flexibility and co-operation.

Today I am grateful for my sister Mary-Lynn and husband David, who without hesitation, where willing to step up and do what was needed during this time of tragedy.

**NOTE:  Just to be certain you know this is not just another internet scam, here is the link to one of the many stories about this sad event.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/charged+with+killing+estranged+wife/2023012/story.html