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RED ROCK NEWS, Sedona, Arizona Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - 7A
Assistive dog is woman's right hand
Inoch gives Eileen
Koniarsky freedom"
and enhanced life
By Lu Stitt
LARSON NEWSPAPERS
Dogs have served humans
since long before recorded
history, and new ways are
discovered every day to assist
humans, especially those with a
disability.
A Village of Oak Creek
woman is one of the most recent
people to receive an assistive
dog. Eileen Koniarsky brought
home Inoch, a golden retriever
and black Labrador retriever
mix, two weeks ago to help her
with activities she cannot do, or
has difficulty doing. Koniarsky
has multiple sclerosis, which
confines her to a motorized
scooter•
"I had no idea how valuable
having a dog would be. I can't
imagine life without Inoch
now, and I just met him three
weeks ago," Koniarsky said as
Inoch laid his big, black head
on her lap and closed his eyes
as Koniarsky petted him. "He
opens doors and cupboards and
picks things up from the floor.
He can even open the refrig-
erator and take things out for
me. If necessary, he can go get
help."
More than any other animal,
dogs are ready to do whatever
is asked of them, and in return
only ask for a little kindness
-- a scratch behind the ears,
food, water and a warm place
to curl up for a nap. People's
affinity with canines has a long
history. In fact, it is believed
that the successful emigration
across the Bering Strait may
not have been possible without
sled dogs.
George Graham Vest, a
U.S. senator of Missouri in
1855 said, "The one absolutely
unselfish friend that man can
have in this selfish world, the
one that never deserts him, the
one that never proved ungrateful
or treacherous is his dog."
This relationship between
dogs and humans dates back
more than 15,000 years.
Estimates show there are
approximately 400 million
dogs in the world. More than
any other animal, dogs have
earned the nickname, "man's
Tom Hood/I_arson Newspapers
EILEEN KONIARSKY and her dog Inoch demonstrate how the dog can help her with opening the front
door at her Village of Oak Creek home Friday, March 5• Koniarsky recently got Inoch through the Canine
Companions for Independence. The dog is a cross between a golden retriever and Labrador retriever.
best friend."
Knowing how dogs love to
serve, several organizations
train dogs for specific human
services such as police or
rescue dogs, guard dog, herding
or sled pulling, guide dogs for
the blind or deaf, assistive dogs
and, of course, pets.
Inoch received six months of
training at Canine Companions
for Independence in Santa Rosa,
Calif., a nonprofit organization
founded in 1978. The second
week of February, Koniarsky
traveled to Santa Rosa and
participated in two weeks of
intensive training six days a
week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with
a group of other people with
disabilities and several dogs.
After a few days, the staff at
CCI matched the individuals
with their personal dog.
"Inoch and I bonded almost
immediately. Everything "about
Inoch matches up with my
personality. Everyone there was
matched perfectly," Koniarsky
said. "We [Koniarsky and her
husband, Abe] got to meet the
parents."
Inoch has his father's sleek,
black coat and his mother's big,
lovable golden retriever head,
Koniarsky said.
Koniarsky and Inoch are
gradually working together
around the house in the Village
of Oak Creek. She is working
on commaods -- Inoch was
trained for 50 -- slowly so
he does not get stressed. As
Koniarsky's. MS progresses
commands will be added, she
said.
Koniarsky was diagnosed
with MS in the spring of 1999.
She started tripping over rug
edges, slight changes in side-
walk elevations and other small
obstacles most people navigate
without thinking. Koniarysky
didn't think anything was
wrong; there was a rug in the
way, after all.
"Abe and I were engaged at
the time. He suggested I get an
MRI because he saw his father
doing the same things I was,
and he had MS," Koniarsky
said. "So, I had the MRI hnd
MS was the diagnosis."
Ten years later, Koniarsky
was having lunch with friends
and one of the women told her
she was getting a dog from CCI
for hearing and that a dog would
enhance Koniarsky's life.
"I came home, Googled CCI
and the rest is history. That
was July and our graduation
day was Feb. 20 at high noon,"
Kofiiarsky said.
Inoch is a welcome addition
to the Koniarsky household.
They have three other dogs,
all cockapoos they rescued.
Hudson is 6; Sir Dominic,
Hudson's father, will be 12 in
June; and Sadi e is going on 11.
"Inoch is just a big, gentle
giant. They're co-mingling. It
warms my heart," Koniarsky
said as Inoch gently picked
up the set of keys Koniarsky
dropped as a demonstration.
Koniarsky said words are
difficult to describe how she
feels having Inoch in her life.
He has already become an inte-
gral part of her.
"Elation and sheer and
utter gratitude are my highest
emotions for everyone involved
to lead me and others to a more
independent and enhanced
lifestyle," Koniarsky said and
scratched Inoch behind the
ears. "I want to spread the word
to all the people who have a
disability how much help an
assistive dog can be."
CCI offers the dogs and all
training, along with related
expenses such as housing and
food during the two-week work-
' shop free of charge. The money
comes from donations and
sponsorships from individuals,
corporations, foundations and
community organizations, such
as Dean Koontz, the Charley
Schultz Foundation and the
Walt Disney Foundation.
Lu Stilt can be reached at
282-7795, ext. 122, or e-mail
lu @ larsonnewspapers corn
Sedona has plethora of
parks in which to play
With spring just around the found on the city Web site.
corner and a cool breeze in As mentioned above, the
the air, now is the perfect time Sedona Community Pool is
to visit your local city parks, located at West Sedona School.
The Department of Parks and This facility i s run by Parks and
Recreation is responsible for Recreation and is open season-
the upkeep of six parks ally. This year, the pool
within the city limits, will open on Saturday,
We have three pocket May 29. The complete
parks, two traditional schedule will be avail-
parks and one park of able on the city website
unique historical value, by Saturday, May 1.
Depending on your Programming wilt
needs and wants for the include masters swim,
day, we graciously invite lap swim, recreation
and remind you to visit swim, Red Cross swim
your parks. City Talk lessons, water "aero-
Interested in a short bics and more. We are
stroll, relaxing on a pleased to host the
park bench while taking AaOl Sedona Swordfish swim
in the great views, or WELSH team and Sedona Red
browsing over local ... Rock High School swim
flora? Don't miss out team as well.
on a visit to out pocket Try us out this summer
parks. Chose from three: and see which programs
Arroyo Pinon Botanical Garden, work for you and your family.
Jack Jamesen Memorial Park or Beautiful views, clean, crisp
Greyback Park. Directions and water and diverse programming
photo galleries are available make the community pool the
on the city's Web site, www. right place to be during those
SedonaAZ.gov/parks. hot summer rfionths.
Perhaps your idea of fun is Though we hope you will
playing a game of catch, taking get outdoors and enjoy our
the kids to a wonderful parks,
playground, or there is another
__.j____13eautifulviews, option to be
enjoying
some
hiking trails? If involved with
you find yourself clean, crisp your local Parks
nodding your and Recreatiorl,
head yes, then our water and diverse department,
traditional parks The city of
Sedona Parks
should provide programming make and Recreation
what you need.
Commission has
Sunset
Park
the
cmmuniy 1,,1cOOt two openings for
has a basketball
two-year terms
court, tennis the right place to ending Monday,
courts, play-
Dec. 31, 2012.
grounds, ramadas be during those hot Here is your
and an open grass
chance to make a
field for playing, summer months, real difference in
The largest of
your community,
our parks, Posse helping to design
Grounds Park,
has a variety of amenities to keep the future of our parks and
you entertained. There are tennis recreation programs. So take an
and basketball courts, softball active part in your city govern-
fields, sand volleyball, hiking ment, meet new people, have
trails, a playground for the kids fun and have a positive influence
and plenty of picnic ramadas, on the future of Sedona. Check
out the City's Web site for an
Also located within this park application and more
are Sedona Dog Park, Sedona information.
Teen Center, Sedona Community See you at the park.
Pool and the Jack Malmgren
MemorialSkate Park, City Talk, written this week by
The majority of park ameni- AdministrativeServicesDirector
ties and fields may be reserved. Andi Welsh, appears on the
Reservation forms, instructions, second and fourth Wednesday of
fee schedules, maps, rules as well every month in the Sedona Red
as park photo galleries can all be Rock News.
Living rusts i
ResH and Cam
WWW,RESCAREHOMECARE,COM
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STILL PROCRASTINATING? TRUST FROM ANOTHER STATE?
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 m
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Most people have heard of living trusts, but few understand how they work. Now
you have the opportunity to attend a free one hour seminar on Living Trusts,
taught by Michael L, Holdsworth and Taylor R. Nelson, Northern Arizona estate
planning attorneys. During this informative, easy to understand presentation, you
will learn the following: l
i The nuts and bolts of living trusts .
What happens if you die without a trust
or will .... ;:!.
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• How the new Arizona Trust Code changes
current laws i i
• How wills and trusts differ and the '
advantages and disadvantages of each l
• Situations where a living trust may be i,,c4B
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death tax exemption
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if your spouse remarries after you die
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and retirement plans
• HOW trusts prepared in another state are
treated under Arizona Law
Michael L. Holdsworth, Attorney
at Law, has taught thousands of
area residents about wills and living
trusts. A native of Northern Arizona,
Mr. Holdsworth limits his practice
to Estate Planning, and emphasizes
a common sense, plain English
approach to the law of trusts and
estates.
Taylor R. Nelson, Attorney at
Law, limits his practice to Estate
Planning. Mr. Nelson is a native
of Arizona and dedicates himself
to the highest quality of service to
his clients.
Reservations Required•
Please call our 24 Hour ..o,,.: ,
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*PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT a sales presentation for annuities, insurance or other financial products.
ii iii i iiii [ III I [ I II