ABOUT US / MISSION STATEMENT / HISTORY / BOARD MEMBERS / PRESIDENT'S REPORT

MISSION STATEMENT
The Friends of Hermon Dog Park exist to enhance the Hermon Dog Park, keep it's environment safe and healthy, teach responsible pet ownership and further humane education, encourage dog training efforts, organize pet adoption events, and help other organizations that provide for the care of animals.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HERMON DOG PARK

December 2002 -- As the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council is forming, informal discussions began among several participants from Hermon, Montecito Heights, and Mount Washington about the desire to locate a dog park in Hermon.

February 20, 2003 -- At a meeting in Hermon, the city's Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) accepts a community proposal to change the name of the Arroyo Seco Park located off Via Marisol to "Hermon Park in the Arroyo Seco" in time for the community's centennial celebration that summer. Discussions also begin with elected officials regarding placing the first city dog park in Northeast L.A. within Hermon.

May 22, 2003 -- City Council District 14 officials and RAP staff members meet with interested parties to measure community support for the dog park in Hermon -- support was overwhelming.

June 24, 2003 -- Outgoing Councilmember Nick Pacheco lists Hermon Dog Park in his transition memo as a funded project ready for review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

July 1, 2004 -- New Councilmember Antonio Villaraigosa, in his 12-month report lists Hermon Dog Park among his staff's accomplishments.

January 2005 -- RAP's CEQA report finds "no significant unavoidable adverse impacts associated with the project."

April 29, 2005 -- Groundbreaking for the first dog park in Northeast Los Angeles.

July 16, 2005 -- Grand opening of the Hermon Dog Park.

September 30, 2005 -- Friends of Hermon Dog Park, now a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization, is organized by original members of the Hermon Dog Park Formation Committee nearly three years after work began to place a dog park here.

BOARD MEMBER BIOS

Wendi Riser, Co-President

Wendi Riser has lived in Hermon nearly her entire life. She began working with Donnette Thayer, our city councilmember, and the Department of Recreation & Parks in early 2003 to get the Hermon Dog Park approved in concept and then saw it through to its completion in July of 2005.

Wendi has spearheaded many other Hermon community projects as well -- such as getting over 100 new trees planted in Hermon's parkways, medians, hillsides and home gardens, getting students to design 2003 centennial street light post banners, the creation of the beautiful Hermon monument sign and managing the city grant that funded it.

The Hermon Advance Team (HAT), the service organization of Hermon, was founded by Wendi and others in 2004. It includes the monthly "Clean Team"-- a group of neighbors that clean the parkways and bridges, as well as a bi-annual community bulky item collection. HAT also sponsors quarterly meetings of the Hermon Safety Committee, a community-wide neighborhood watch to proactively address and prevent crime.

Lastly, Wendi writes a fun and quirky e-newsletter "All Things Hermon" with info on things happening in and around the historic little community. (Want to subscribe? Write to: contact@hermondogpark.com)

Wendi lives with her husband Joseph and her son Hans.

Nancy Nickerson, Co-President

Nancy Nickerson is a Web Producer and a lifelong animal lover. Although she grew up with a dog, she didn't adopt her first pet until she moved to Mt. Washington in the early nineties. As often happens, the cat actually adopted her. Since then she has had 3 other cats and finally adopted her first dog, Tilly, in 2008.

Tilly is an exuberant terrier mix who had been rescued by the Bark Foundation. While at Bark Avenue, she graduated from K9 Connection, a wonderful organization that pairs shelter dogs with at-risk teens. Tilly and Nancy subsequently graduated from Lezle Stein's "Handle With Care" basic obedience class, since Nancy had some catching up to do. Both are much better behaved now and participated in the Pasadena Humane Society's Wiggle Waggle Walk in 2008 and 2009.

Today Nancy and Tilly live with Tiger, a beautiful and friendly tabby adopted from Lacy Street in 2005. Tilly and Nancy can often be found in their backyard entertaining other neighborhood dogs and humans. Tiger prefers to watch from the front steps.

Sherry Uribe, Secretary

Sherry Uribe has been a long time resident of the El Sereno area living with her husband, 3 children, 3 dogs and 3 cats. She has served on various committees at her children's schools and currently works for the County of Los Angeles Public Library. Her children have been active in the sports programs offered at El Sereno Park. She enjoys reading, gardening, and meeting others that share her love of pets and their well being.

Ursula Brown, Treasurer

Ursula Brown immigrated to the U.S. in 1966 from Germany via Mexico, Costa Rica, and Central America. She was raised near her grandparents farm post-World War II. She now owns a Property Management/Real Estate office and her home in Highland Park includes ducks, chickens, birds, dogs, and cats-all abandoned by their owners.

Animal welfare has always been close to her heart, from her childhood spent with farm animals to seeing how some people neglect or abandon their animals when they move. In an effort to advance animal welfare and contribute to a better community, Ursula originally spearheaded the effort to establish an off-leash dog park in Eagle Rock. Unable to locate suitable land in Eagle Rock, but with solid support from city agencies, the cause was picked up by the community of Hermon who successfully carried it to completion.

Ursula’s professional and community affiliations are: Member of Northeast L.A./Glendale Board of Realtors; Fraternal Order of the Eagles Auxiliary; Eagle Rock Lions Club; Eagle Rock Center for the Arts; B.L.E.N.D.; Damenchor Frohsinn; Officer, Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce; Board Member, Collaborative Eagle Rock Beautiful; Board Member, Northeast Awareness Team (NEAT).

Kathryn Spofford, Director

Kathryn "Kat" Spofford was born in Houston, Texas. Her uncle, a veterinarian, presented her with her first Terrier. She grew to love all dogs but especially terriers and she's owned 6 terrier breeds over the years.

She moved to Los Angeles soon after she married and she and her husband currently reside in Highland Park with their two dogs, Henley and Spencer. Both of their dogs are CGC certified and working actors. As Kat says, "They bring me smiles everyday. I rescued Henley and Spencer from The Houston Sheltie Sanctuary in Houston 5 years ago. They are half Shetland Sheepdog, half Jack Russell Terrier. The dogs know around 30 tricks!"

After moving to Highland Park in 2008, Kat's first order of business was to find a dog park near her home. Kat says, "I discovered Hermon Dog Park and became a member soon after."

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER BIOS

Phyllis M. Daugherty, Advisor

Phyllis M. Daugherty, Director of Animal Issues Movement and Humane Training, has been involved in animal protection/welfare, spay/neuter and rescue/shelter work in Los Angeles since 1987. She currently produces documentaries and training films for law-enforcement and sheltering agencies on investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty and illegal animal fighting and speaks at training sessions and community event. She has been a guest columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News, and frequently writes on local animal control issues, animal cruelty and its connection to domestic violence, human trafficking and other crimes against humans.

In 1989, Ms. Daugherty produced a film entitled, "Early Age Spay/Neuter" in a cooperative effort with Dr. W. Marvin Mackie, showing the benefits of sterilizing pre-pubescent dogs and cats. This was followed in 2001 by a documentary called "Overcrowding California Animal Shelters" and in 2003 by "Investigating and Prosecuting Illegal Animal Fighting", which presented the steps needed to successfully prepare animal cruelty and illegal fighting cases for court. Her latest films are "How to Start and Run a Spay/Neuter Clinic" and "QuickSpay" (in which Dr. Mackie demonstrates high-volume spay/neuter methods for cats and dogs).

Phyllis has served on the Los Angeles County Animal Care & Control Foundation Board since 2003. She has a BA in Social and Criminal Justice and extensive specialized training in animal control and animal-handling techniques. She is an Associate Member of the California State Humane Association and a member of the National Illegal Animal Fighting Taskforce. Ms. Daugherty is also a member of the LAPD Human Trafficking Taskforce.

Lezle Stein, Advisor

A graduate of Animal Behavior and Training College, Lezle Stein is AKC-certified as a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers as well as a member of the Southern California Dog Trainers Forum.

Lezle's extensive experience also includes American Red Cross certification in Pet First Aid and CPR. She has also participated with her own dog, Lucie Bell, in obedience, agility and shepherding training.

Lezle is the volunteer adoption counselor & dog rehabilitator for Downtown Dog Rescue, Los Angeles ' rescue group for homeless people & low-income people and their dogs for the past 8 years. A firm believer in community involvement Lezle, is also the Director of Animal Welfare for the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council. She recently was selected by Councilman Jose Huizar, to sit on the board of The Los Angeles City Council Spay & Neuter Committee. Lezle has written dog training advise columns for the Highland Park News, Glassell Park News and the Mt. Washington Association. She has also studied with Dr. Nancy Scanlon, who specializes in holistic veterinary medicine through acupuncture and herbs.

Lezle continues her education through frequent seminars and training with Lucie Bell, who has become her faithful "demo dog" companion. Also now, Lezle and her dog Jesse are involved in doing fun nose work (scent detection) and agility too!

Mark Legassie, Advisor

Mark was born in 1963 in Ashland , Maine and grew up with lots of dogs, cats, and aquarium fish. His love of animals came from his grandmother and mom, who both instilled a responsibility to care for helpless animals, especially the sick and needy.

After moving to L.A. in 1999, Mark has worked as an Arroyo Seco Board member to help homeless animals, first with a Pet Adoption Festival in August 2009 with L.A. Animal Services North Central Shelter.

Mark also founded the F.A.S.T. the Friendly Arroyo Seco Trappers www.fasttrappers.org dedicated to reducing the stray cat population in Northeast Los Angeles using the Trap-Neuter-Release methods approved by the ASPCA.

Mark joins the Adsvisory Board as the FHDP have committed to assist F.A.S.T. by being their fiduciary agent, enabling them to get more donations with our tax-exempt status, while fulfilling our mission to further humane education and assist those organizations in the animal care community.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

Last year was a year of working towards larger projects and goals while continuing to enjoy ongoing events.

• Throughout the year we lobbied the Department of Recreation and Parks to try and get just a few natural looking agility pieces such as a fallen tree log, and river rock boulders placed in the dog park for dogs to play on and around. At this point Recreation and Parks feels it would make major maintenances, such as moving the decomposed granite flooring back up the slope impossible.
• We continue to follow-up with Recreation and Parks as to what can be done to mitigate the water fountain ponding issues.
• In January, 2010,the Board of Directors of the support organization, Friends of Hermon Dog Park (FHDP), announce the selection of El Sereno artist Ismael Cazarez and his project “River Dogs,” to be funded with FHDP’s 2009 award from the City of Los Angeles Community Beautification $10,000 Matching Grant and placed in Hermon Park in the Arroyo Seco.
• At our Adopt a Valentine Adoption Festival 45 pets get adopted.
• We sponsor Yappy Hours for people to get better acquainted with each other and with what we do. More people come out to these events giving people a better chance to visit with more old and new friends. Our monthly Yappy Hours have celebrated Chinese New Year, St. “Paw”dy’s Day, Spring Bonnet Festival, Memorial Day, Going Hawaiian, Back to School and “Howl”oween.
• Our website www.HermonDogPark.org was updated to include a “support us” section with online donations via credit card or PayPal.
• National DOG FANCY magazine names HDP #7 of the nation's TOP 40 dog parks
• We have new “classic” logo Friends of Hermon Dog Park t-shirts made
• We have a “Rock On” Party – placing river rocks around all the new trees in the dog park.
• In August, WOOF Dog Boutique at 3172 Glendale Blvd. Atwater Village (L.A.) 90039 has a Benefit Shopping Day for Hermon Dog Park to help raise funds for the Hermon Dog Park. Owner Diane Serafino is a pet’s best friend
• We took a position on a request of the City to lift the number of dogs a person is allowed to have in the dog park. We voted to support having no limit of dogs ONLY between the off-peak hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday - Friday in City dog parks. Dog walkers, sitters, and foster organizations that usually have more than 3 dogs during those times would still have to obey all the same rules posted at the entry gates and enforced by General Services Police and the L.A. Police Department, Animal Services, and Park Rangers.
• We begin to implement 3rd Saturday Clean-Ups for just one hour – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The time goes towards our Art Grant Fund.
• We purchased 10 cardboard carriers for Friendly Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Trappers to help with getting trapped and fixed kittens adopted and into their new homes.
• We put up new signs at the park to remind everyone how they can join Hermon Dog Park’s support organization, and that we were named #7 top dog park in the nation. Yay!
• We had a booth at Angel Dogs Foundation Health Care Expo at WOOF Dog Boutique
• To get more people to know about Hermon Dog Park, we marched with our dogs as the Santa Paws Squad in the North East Los Angeles Holiday Parade.
• Lastly, we’ve worked to enlarge the Board of Directors and plan a large fundraiser so we can do some of the many ideas we have heard to help us meet our mission.