Here is our story....

I will try to give you a little background information to help answer any questions that come to you about how the "Love Puppy" program got started. 

In 1979, my husband and I had a little blonde haired, blue-eyed baby girl named Jennifer. Jennifer was born with Cystic Fibrosis and spent a great deal other life in the hospital. So, I have a first-hand knowledge of how traumatic a hospital stay can be for a child and for the family too.

Jennifer was a very outgoing little girl. She was the official hostess of the pediatrics ward at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lewiston. When a new kid was admitted it was Jennifer's "job" to go to their room and welcome them. She would show them where the toy room was and what kind of ice cream they had and which nurses were the fun ones and which ones were all business. When the Wishing Star Foundation asked Jennifer what her greatest wish was, she never hesitated for a minute. She said, "I want to be a nurse". So, she became a nurse. Not a pretend nurse, but a real nurse!! The local nursing college helped perform the capping ceremony and she received a diploma, pin, and nurses cap identical to those that the real nurses received. The ceremony took place at St. Joseph's Hospital and over 100 people attended. Her doctor gave the commencement address and her favorite nurse did the capping ceremony. She also received a nurses uniform complete with cape, nurses shoes,medical bag, and a badge identifying her as nurse Jennifer, Pediatric Hostess, St. Joseph's Hospital. That night she went on rounds with her doctor. These rounds became part of her daily routine and her bedside manner was always a hit with the other kids. She was a very giving child. She would go to school with a new sweater or a new toy and come home without it. When I questioned her about it she would tell me that Julie, or Hillary, or Annie liked it, so she gave it to them. She loved the Toys for Tots and would save things all year to give at Christmas time. Jennifer loved stuffed animals and her favorites were her Pound Puppies. The week before she died she had her Grandpa and Grandma take her to the store so that she could get a new little pup. She named him Kooler and she held him in her arms until she died and he is buried with her. 

I had bought material and a pattern to make a pound puppy for Jennifer.  Unfortunately, she became ill again and off we went to the hospital. The material was pushed back in the closet and forgotten. After she died, I was boxing up some of her things to give to the Wishing Star Foundation and I came across the pattern and material. I didn't want to use the material for anything else, so I decided to make a puppy and give it to St. Joe's to put in their play room. I showed the puppy to one of my girl friends who owns a fabric store. She offered to buy it from me and then I had enough money to make three for the hospital. Then I sold those three and had enough to make 9.    The rest is history.

To date, I have made over 32,000 of the critters. I have a picture in my mind of 32,000 little kids in their pajamas, holding their "Love Puppies" and looking up to heaven and Jennifer. She would have really have loved the whole idea of giving puppies to all of her little friends.

Thank you for taking time to let me share my story with you.   Perhaps a child you know would find comfort and friendship in a "Love Puppy" of his or her own.   I know that through our "Love Puppy" program, Jennifer's memory will continue to touch the lives of others, just like you.

                                                                                                                         -   Carolyn Haning

JENTA INDUSTRIES

P.O. Box 509
Grangeville, Idaho 83530
(208) 983-2378
Toll Free: 1(800)289-4869