Lisa Desatnik
Running For Animal Causes
It was in November of 2008 when Billie Mendoza retired from a long career with Delta Air Lines, a move that propelled her into a new line of work. Billie’s Paw Joggers dog exercising and pet sitting business has grown into one of the region’s premiere services of its kind. Along the way, her passion for running and animal (human and non-human) welfare has found her volunteering with her feet and her time to raise money for worthy causes. Then, through her business, she founded her own Paw Joggers Animal 
Community Fund as a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting local animal rescues, shelters and advocates. Next weekend, October 15 and 16, is its fourth annual Paw Joggers Run and I’m proud to be a part of it for the third year…this year as the Ask-The-Trainer at its new EXPO on Saturday (from 3 to 6 pm at United Pet Fund in Blue Ash). The Run will be on Sunday morning at Sharon Woods. There are 36 beneficiaries this year!
Billie is one of the most upbeat people you could meet, always filled with positive energy. She has been so supportive of me with my training and it’s great to participate in her event. I wanted you to get to know a little about her. Please see my interview below, followed by details for the upcoming race.
Hope to see you next weekend!
Lisa: Talk to me about your passion for creating this race and how gratifying it is to see its success.
Billie: I believe the passion for creating this VERY charitable and dog-friendly run stems from my 18 years of running FOR charity—the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Knowing I can give back to the people and animals in this great community is extremely gratifying. Seeing the growth of this race is what keeps me and our team of volunteers motivated to continue, make it better each year in turn benefiting our local animal welfare community even more.
Lisa: How difficult is it to organize a race AND run a successful business?
Billie: The most difficult (hectic) part of organizing a run event is the 30 days prior and up to race day. Since the work is all voluntary, it takes a great team of dedicated VOLUNTEERS to pull an event like this together. Race week is the craziest. Running a business and ensuring you have time for family, friends…and your own health are priority. This being our 4th year has made it easier, but it’s those cogs thrown in the wheel, that can easily disrupt the fluid motion. Life happens…and I appreciate every day!
Lisa: Talk to me about your personal race history of participation.
Billie: I was an athlete in high school; cross-country running, track and cross-country skiing and stayed very active into my early 20’s. My son was born and I didn’t start running regularly again until age 33 when I signed up to run The Flying Pig Marathon with Team In Training. Go big or go home right?! Well that was 1999, the inaugural Flying Pig, and I’ve run every “Pig” through 2016, All with Team in Training, raising over $25,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. They call those who run consecutive races “Streakers” so yes, that’s me…a streaker. More importantly, I’ve bonded with the most wonderful people, have had tremendous coaches and the most lovely heroes to run in honor of for through Team In Training. I’ll continue to run for those who cannot until my legs will carry me no more. Running keeps me centered, happy and healthy! Now, off to some carb-loading as I prepare to run the Queen Bee Half Marathon in the morning.
About the Race
The 4th Annual Paw Joggers Rescue Run: is Sunday October 16, 2016 in beautiful Sharon Woods Park. There’s a chip-timed 5K for runners and walkers of all speeds or a relaxing 2K walk (strollers ok), both with or without a well-behaved dog. The run/walk begins at 10 AM; festivities are from 8:30 AM to noon. There are prizes for 13 categories in the 5K.
Register online at http://pawjoggersrescuerun.com. Registration includes a donation to your selected beneficiary, a Technical long sleeve T for the 5K, a long sleeve cotton T for the 2K, and everyone’s favorite shirt for your pup. The wag bag also includes dog toys and treats if you register a dog and a virtual goody bag with online coupons for discounts and freebies for everyone; you click and print the coupons you want. No wasted paper.
New this year: the PJRR EXPO at the United Pet Fund Resource Center : 11336 Tamarco Dr. Blue Ash 45242 from 3-6 pm. Visit vendors with great products and services for you and your dog, canine and human exercise information, ask-the-dog trainer booth, food trucks, late registration and one last packet pickup (no packet pickup on race day), raffles, and meet the people behind the PJRR.
Miscellaneous Race Information:
Both the run/walk and the EXPO are family- and pet-friendly. The EXPO is open to anyone, even if not interested in participating in the Sunday Paw Joggers Rescue Run.
Early online registration fees through 9/30/16 are $35 per person 5K, $25 for the 2K, children under 8 free (no shirt); $15 per dog; fees for humans increase by $10 after that date. Parking is included. You can still register at the packet pickup locations and on race morning but preferred T-shirt size is not guaranteed.
Race Headquarters and starting line are at the Cardinal Crest Shelter. There are 2 restrooms within a short walking distance, additional stops along the 5K race course.
This year’s theme: Paws for the USA
General questions email info@pawjoggersrescuerun.com
A Night of CINspiration
Thank you so much to my speakers Kilee Brookbank and Vickie Mertz, and to everyone who attended my September A Night of CINspiration for making this another very special night. Below is a link to the photo album. Please click on the image to begin viewing the photos. Hope to see you at another upcoming event!
Do What Comes From Your Heart
Loveland Twins Honored Nationally
Way to go Alex and Hannah Laman, now 13, who began (with their mom, Angela) their own Cincinnati area non-profit, Adopt A Book five years ago! They have collected and donated nearly 110,000 books for over 100 organizations that serve other kids in need throughout Ohio and Northern Kentucky. And the Loveland twins were just named a 2016 honoree by the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, a national award program that celebrates 25 young people who are inspiring others through their impact! You can read my first post about the Laman’s here.
Bobby, You Just Made My Day!
On the other end of the phone, I hear “Lisa! You just made my day!”
It is the kind of welcome that I have come to expect when I call my long time friend, Bobby Harrison; and pretty high up there on my list of reasons why I value our friendship. This is not only the way in which Bobby approaches our relationship, I have a pretty good indication it is how he sees all of his life, and the people who are part of it.
One could say he has a knack for being at the right place at the right time. But that would not give credit to where credit is due. People like to work with Bobby, and just be in his presence, because he has so many outstanding qualities. In his personal and professional relationships, he exudes genuine integrity and a sense of caring about the welfare of others. He has a rare ability for spontaneously coming up with jackpot ideas for creating impact. And his positive outlook is infectious.
Among those for whom he has created outreach programs include NBA player Tyrone Hill’s Celebrity Basketball Classic and Stedman Graham’s Athletes Against Drugs Program. He has created a statewide HIV/AIDS minority advertising campaign and created a video for Dial Corporation’s 75th anniversary of their flagship brand, Dial soap. His long list of clients (past and present) has included Procter & Gamble, Macy’s, Boy Scouts, YMCA, Honda, and Stedman Graham. And, for the past 23 years Bobby has served as creative director for the Macy’s Music Festival, working with industry greats such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin.
Really, this only scratches the surface of Bobby’s achievements. He is an accomplished musician who, many years back, was in a band that opened for the Jackson Five and the Commodores. He is an artist who draws and paints, and attended the Cincinnati Art Academy. Currently he is pumped about his idea and project that is quickly gaining momentum. It is about building interest in music among school children. Bobby and his team have been presenting it to organizations, businesses and educational institutions. Every time we talk, more organizations are stepping up to become involved. You will be hearing more about it soon.
I look up to Bobby, president of The Harrison Group, as a creative genius who has no fear of looking adversity in the face and saying, “You will not get in my way.” For my dear friend, that foe is non-hodgkins lymphoma. It is something that lives in his body permanently and nearly took Bobby’s life. It has changed his perspective and given him renewed incentive to appreciate everything with stamina and vigor.
Bobby told me his story one day over lunch. It came on suddenly. One day he began limping. Three days later his leg was becoming numb. He drove himself to the emergency room and had to crawl on the ground from the parking lot. The physicians told him he probably pulled his hamstring running, gave him food and crutches and sent him to his own doctor, who, after a five minute exam sent Bobby back to the emergency room. It ended up being the result of a massive blood clot that stopped six inches from his heart. During that ten day hospital stay they found out the underlying reason. Bobby experienced an intense ringing in his head like nothing he could even describe, and he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in his bones. It was the one time in his life that Bobby contemplated suicide.
“But I was lying there and couldn’t get up to go to the bathroom. And I looked out the window and saw birds landing on ledges and realized ‘that is life’. I realized I want to be that bird and be able to fly anywhere. It changed everything. I decided I don’t want to be around negative people any more. I don’t want to have any more arguments. I want to have a good time in life. I never want to live with regret,” he said.
These days Bobby is the one to lift others up. When he gets his chemo treatments, he is the one to make others smile and forget for a little while of the unpleasantness of the moment. When friends are going through difficulty, despite his crazy busy schedule with deadlines and meetings, he is a present spirit with encouragement.
He is an incredible human being who makes the world brighter by being in it. I, for one, am better for having him around.
