Hi everyone. I thought I'd run this by you. I want to do something similar to what Barbara Walters does on one of her television shows. She does a special where they pick the 10 most influential people of the year starting with # 10 and working her way up to the #1 most influential person. I thought it might be fun to do that with our most diverse group of people on this List. Now it doesn't have to be the top breeder of champions. It can be anyone you think deserves recognition for outstanding service to the GS Dog. Not to make it complicated, I decided to ask for just 5 peoples names and the reason you're voting for them. If you want to do more, than go right ahead. They don't have to be in any particular order. I'll tally up the votes. Oh yeah, and because it's the holidays and keeping in the spirit of giving, I will donate $25 to any animal rescue, shelter, etc. that the winner so chooses paid through PayPal to that shelter or rescue. So please put your thinking cap on and lets see who will be crowned our person of the year and while you're doing this, know that it's for a good cause. Thanks folks. Happy Holidays, Barbara Galasso My List follows: DAWN RESTUCCIA: Dawn gives unselfishly of her time to rescue efforts. She spends ungodly hours working to try to save the unwanted and forgotten about dogs. She posts several times a week on many GS Lists and many times gets much "grief" from some people, but still she pushes on. Many an animal owes their life to her. SUSAN CASEY: Susan is our new editor of the GSD Review, but ask her how she got there, and she probably wonders herself. Susan has had to take a lot of abuse while she was applying for this position. But she acted like a lady through it all, and never defended herself. She's proven herself worthy of the position by the excellent quality of her work. BARBARA WILLIAMS: Class, teacher, writer, lover of the breed are just a few superlatives I can write about this lady. Barbara writes such beautiful and educational pieces for the GSD Review as well at the GSD Quarterly. She's the head of our health and genetics committee. Ask her a question pertaining to this, and she'll get you an answer. She's a woman who truly cares about our breed and the people who love it. Although she has been "under the weather" this year after her operation, she's never too tired to talk to you or answer one of your e-mails. Truly a great lady of the breed. And did I say "Class?" EVAN GINSBURG: Evan comes on the List practically every day with his sometimes "outlandish" wit. He always has such a positive attitude. I rarely (if ever) can remember him saying anything negative. He always answers all of your e-mails. How unselfish of him to do the blog from the National every year for those of us who can't make it to enjoy. Also many times he sends us the results from other dog shows that he attends throughout the year. Our prayers go out to him for a sucessful operation and recovery. NANCY HARPER: Nancy has a true love of the breed and wants to better our club for the "newbies" as well as the "oldsters!" She worked tirelessly to improve the futurity system so that all people could enjoy it. She realized that many people couldn't afford to hire professional handlers for the futurities. We spoke and she listened. Starting this year, everyone has a choice.....show with a handler or show where handlers can't. She also worked diligently on the mentor program for the new people in the breed. -- Barbara J. Galasso CHIEFTAINS GERMAN SHEPHERDS Visit my website at http://chieftainsgermanshepherds.com -- Barbara J. Galasso CHIEFTAINS GERMAN SHEPHERDS Visit my website at http://chieftainsgermanshepherds.com ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2006. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - www.showgsd.org ============================================================================