peace4paws
Jennifer Cece Bellon (Chairwoman):
Owner, Jennifer Cece Vocals (www.jennifervocals.com)
Jennifer has always loved three things: exercise, music,
and animals. Jennifer teaches yoga and Pilates at various locations in
the New York - New Jersey area such as Westwood Health and Fitness, Premier
Fitness, American Woman, CGI, and Juluka Yoga Studio. For over fourteen
years Jennifer has been teaching voice and piano lessons; please refer to her
website www.JenniferVocals.com for much more
information about that and about her thirty years of vocal performance
experience. Briefly, Jennifer performed in the Metropolitan Opera Chorus
when she was eleven years old. After that, she performed as much as she
could whenever she could. She received a vocal scholarship to the University
of Richmond.
She won first place in her division in a NATS opera contest in New Jersey in
2000. In addition to her operatic training, she sings big band style jazz
and traditional Broadway style musical theatre music. Most recently, she
sang and danced in the Enchanted Players production of Best of Broadway at the
Darress Theatre (www.epi.org). In addition, with EPI, she
played Rapunzel in Rapunzel at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Sleeping Beauty in
Sleeping Beauty at the Darress Theatre (www.Darresstheatre.org), in addition to New
York City credits. Soon she will perform at Park Art (www.park-art.com) in NewYork City with
Rosemary Waltzer and Matt Sullivan. Jennifer enjoys doing all of her
“exercising” and performing when she is not tending to her two dogs, Brownie
Isabella and Freddie Gloves, as they come first, and they are her reason for
organizing and co-organizing peace4paws.
"Until he extends his circle of compassion to
include all living things, man will not himself find peace." -- Dr.
Albert Schweitzer
Susan Weinrich Boudrot has been an animal lover since the day she opened her eyes. When she was young, she would constantly bring home animals that needed her love and attention. Susan went to Stockton State College for environmental studies. After school, with the help of her family, she decided to open a pet store called Westwood Pets. Over the past 28 years, Westwood Pets has grown into a well-known and respected business that has serviced many animals and their human friends. Susan and her employees are very compassionate and knowledgeable when it comes to nutrition, training, and behavioral issues for all their furry, feathered, and scaly friends. Westwood Pets has reared and fostered cats, kittens, and bunnies for two organizations, FOCAS and Huga Bunny. The pet store also works with various other organizations to help animals in need such as CLAWS and C.A.T.S. Susan is a very busy woman, but she feels that there is no creature too small that doesn’t deserve every ounce of love she has to offer.
Mandy Grant:Owner, Juluka Yoga Studio and School (www.julukayoga.com)
When Jennifer and Denise shared their interest in helping the cause of animals in despair, I was delighted at the idea. I am so proud of their efforts and those of all the other teachers at Juluka who have worked toward making this fundraiser a success. I truly believe that yoga is the answer to so many problems in our world; it raises our consciousness, opens our hearts, and enables us to realize the innate compassion and love that exist in all of us. Although the teachings and theories of yoga are thousands of years old, they still apply to us today.
I initially came to yoga to get fit, a better body, and, if it made me more relaxed that was an added bonus. I was not aware of all the other precious gifts I was to receive along the way. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to teach yoga. I have been blessed to experience the guidance and teachings of some of the most wonderful yoga teachers out there. They have included the well-known, like Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Shiva Rea, John Friend, Duncan Wong, Dharma Mittra, David Life, and Sharon Gannon. I have also been taught by less well-known names, but their guidance, teachings, and inspiration have meant more to me than they will ever know.
Vicki Charron:
I’m 44 years old and I actually took a Yoga class once! I have worked professionally in the food industry as a caterer and chef, the health care industry, working with TBI (traumatic brain injury) and the corporate world as an office manager. Recently, I left corporate America and took a position as Head Chef at a local Country Club. I am now working at starting my own personal chef service. However, what has always been a constant in my life is my love for animals.
I was involved with an animal rescue project a few years ago. I helped trap feral cats to have them spayed/neutered, given rabies and distemper vaccinations, and released back to their colonies. After this, I tried my hand at fostering kittens. This backfired though, so my husband and I are now the proud parents of 13 cats! It’s a big responsibility but also a labor of love. It always amazes me how intelligent and responsive these animals are and how much love they give back.
Unfortunately, there are many more animals out there that are not lucky enough to find a good home. Instead, they wind up living as feral animals or they wind up in shelters or laboratories. I involved myself with “peace4paws” to help bring attention to this issue and get the message out that people need to first, spay and neuter their animals, and second, they need to be aware that too many animals suffer needlessly in these shelters, laboratories, and research facilities. If we can save even one animal from this torture then this effort on our part will have been worth every minute! My hope for this project is to bring awareness to animal cruelty and hopefully, put an end to it.
Amanda Burke:
Owner, No Tricks Just Treats (www.atreat4dogs.net)
I have always experienced a deep connection to animals. Growing up, I knew that one day I wished to have a home full of many species, not knowing that this desire could translate into a career! Sidetracked from my true calling I graduated from CUNY Hunter with a major in Sociology, minor in philosophy. Before, during and after I held a number of jobs in high end catering, working with a cast of hundreds to serve a myriad of famous and talented persons.
I currently live with 3 dogs and 2 cats. I helped my Shih-Tzu raise a litter of 7 puppies, and fostered numerous other animals until finding them great homes. After volunteering almost daily for 6 months at an Animal Shelter in Flagstaff, Arizona, I finally comprehended my mission in life. After returning to my home state of N.J., I became a certified NJ Animal Control Officer. Soon after, I learned great things from my Mentor- esteemed Dog Trainer and Animal Behavior expert- Steven Diller in a 3 month/ 400+ hour hands-on internship. An Applied Animal Science and Vet Tech Course rounded out my formal training.
Dedicated to learning, reading and attending seminars on a regular basis, I keep up to date on new methods and ideas in POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT as well as in science and healthy products for your pet. More importantly, building healthy Human- Pet bonds within different families requires kindness, patience, sincerity and malleability- characteristics I believe I possess.