I was required to travel to South Dakota to oversee a photo shoot at a printer customer facility for Kodak's B2B ad campaign.  I mentioned this trip to our CMO, Jeff Hayzlett, who is from S. Dakota, and he insisted that I visit Crazy Horse.  I, of course, said "sure", not truly knowing a thing about Crazy Horse.  I just know that I want to see Mt. Rushmore.

Our travel commences, and we get out to Rapid City and head straight to our sightseeing mission: Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse.  Mt. Rushmore is quite a sight; we take pictures from the every vantage point and angle.


The monument is described as "a memorial to our four greatest presidents - Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt". It is an amazing sculpture indeed.



Then we went to see Crazy Horse. We were blown away!



First of all, the thing is HUGE. Although it is not completed, and will not be completed, likely, for a long, long time, the mountain carving is the world's largest sculpture standing at 563 feet high, 641 long and is three dimensional.



The heads of our four greatest presidents would fit in the hair of Crazy Horse.



Aside from its size, the story of Crazy Horse, and the Ziolkowski family, is amazing and extraordinarily inspirational. Korczak Ziolkowski, a prize winning sculptor, was invited by Lakota Chief Standing Bear, in 1947, to carve a mountain so that "the white man knows that the red man has great heroes, too".  Korczak, and eventually his entire family, took on this request and made it their lifework. The sculpture is only the beginning.  The Crazy Horse Memorial is a nonprofit education and cultural project created as a tribute to the North American Indians, all tribes. It will include a University, Medical Training Center, Indian Museum and, of course, the amazing sculpture.




In addition to the personal tour we got of the sculpture, we were honored by the company of Ruth (Mrs. Ziolkowski) and two of the daughters, Jadwiga and Monique.



They were the most delightful, selfless, down to earth bunch of people I've ever met. So, thank you Jeff, for insisting I go, I feel like a better human being for it.

For more info on Crazy Horse go to: www.crazyhorse.org

If you are a fan on the Kodak Facebook Page, you may have noticed some changes the past few days.

It has been transformed into a place that celebrates relationships and provides tips, videos and discussions on how to strengthen and deepen yours.

One of the first things posted is this study on the state of relationships. For instance, did you know although Facebook members report an average of 136 friends, they only count 6 people they trust enough to share their innermost feelings with. You can read more from the study here...



There are also some fun things like photo challenges - this week the challenge is photos of grads. If you have a favorite photo from graduation - new or old - share it on the Kodak Facebook wall and the funniest, most heartwarming and all around best shots will be included in the Kodak Grad Photo Album.

If you aren't a fan yet, take a moment and join in! It's time to smile!

Sometimes in life you need to look back and remember in order for you to move forward.  Let me introduce myself.  My name is Regina and I am a dog lover! 



Those of you that are dog lovers too know the impact that these animals have in our lives.  You also know capturing these memories on photos keeps them in our hearts forever!

I want to share with you the life and times of our current Bernese Mountain Dog, Freeport, and our new Bernese Mountain Dog, "Mr. Cooper".  Before I can bring smiles and laughter to your faces with the antics of these 2, I have to bring you back to where it all started.  I thank Kodak every day for the memories that they have allowed me to capture and re-live!  Remember when the 'Scan Van' was in Rochester?  I have thousands of photos now on Kodak Gallery to do with as I wish.

1996 - Kunik - our first Berner - Larry and my first dog together - my first pure breed dog - my little 25 pound puppy!  He came into our lives full tilt!  He loved life, loved children, and loved snow!  And I really think he loved us.



His picture is all over the world from tourists asking to pose with him, especially in Niagara on the Lake.  His impact on the casual bystander was mystical!  I remember a time when he helped a child get over his fear of large dogs.  It took Kunik 30 minutes of lying down and allowing this little boy to hesitantly touch at first then crawl and finally hug him in the end.  It brought tears to all who took the time to watch this miracle.  He would have made a great Therapy Dog.

1999 - Geddy - our Landseer Newfoundland - a playmate for Kunik - a Father's Day gift for Larry.  She was our little princess, our snuggler, a lady's lady! 



She loved Kunik, loved life and loved snow, and I'm pretty sure she loved us too.  She would have made another great Therapy Dog.

We lost Kunik in 2005 to cancer;  we lost Geddy in 2008 to cancer - devastating on both losses.  Unspeakable heartache.  So much we learned from them; so much we didn't get to do - Pet Therapy was one of them.

2006 - enter Freeport. 



Geddy was lost without Kunik, but I don't think a new puppy in the house was in her plans. 



I can't say she loved Freeport, but she protected him and taught him well.  He grew up with her his first 2 years then she was gone.  I think he still looks for her when he sees another Landseer Newf!



The opportunity arose to train as a Pet Assisted Therapy Team through the Humane Society's Lollypop Farm.  I jumped at the chance to do with Freeport what I should have done with Kunik and Geddy. 



We passed and are now registered as a Therapy Team and a Reading Education Assistance Dog Team, where students actually read to the dogs!  What a great program.  The children love him!



2009 - moving into the present:  On June 16th, our newest addition to our family has come into our lives -  Harraseeket's Mr. Cooper!  At 8 weeks old he's a puff ball!  Another puppy for Father's day - go figure!



Follow along with me as I share the antics of raising Cooper with Freeport and preparing him to become another Therapy and READ dog. 



If nothing else, it will make you smile, laugh, shed a tear for those we have loved before and love now, and maybe, JUST maybe, want to bring out those memories, in whatever format you have them in - photographs, digital images, videos - and remember!