Nito and Chloe Love Carrots – A Book Reading

Actor Ali MacGraw is very much at home on screen as well as in her other major role in Santa Fe: that of community activist and supporter of important causes. Always a friend of animals, MacGraw’s support for Assistance Dogs of the West has been unflagging for many years.

On my first visit to an Assistance Dog “Graduation Ceremony” at the Lensic, I remember her telling those of us in the audience who were new to this wonderful annual event that this was going to be good for “at least one box of tissues “ for the tears it would produce. Of course, she was right; but mine were tears of joy – joy at seeing what these wonderful creatures had achieved in their training and the great joy that shone from the eyes of the clients (new friends) who received these loving helpmates into their lives.

MacGraw's reading of Nito and Chloe Love Carrots next Saturday at Collected Works will be a treat, indeed. I look forward to hearing that lovely voice tell the children all about Nito, a well-schooled yellow Labrador service dog who finds adventures with his wheelchair-bound little girl Chloe, this time to learn about nutrition and that healthy foods are fun. From protein to grains, fruits and vegetables, this dynamic twosome learns all about the foods they love and those that give energy, help us mend, keep us healthy and make us grow. Chef Johnny Vee contributed to the engaging tale as well with his famous Santa Fe Carrot Cake recipe that appears at the conclusion of the book.

This event brings together three beloved supporters of Assistance Dogs of the West – author Judith M. Newton, Dorothy Massey, owner of Collected Works and, of course, MacGraw, for the reading of this newest installment in the author’s Nito and Chloe series. These charming tales, brightly illustrated by Sue Blackburn, teach young children ages 2 through 6 that anything is possible if you give it a try. Told in rhyme through the eyes of Nito, the books are an easy read and fun to look at.  Other titles, all benefitting Assistance Dogs of the West, are:  Nito’s Tale, Nito Meets Chloe, and Nito and Chloe Get an Invitation.

The reading takes place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 10 at Collected Works, downtown at Water and Galisteo Streets, with all sales benefiting Assistance Dogs of the West. All of the Nito and Chloe books will be available for signing by the author. Unfortunately, neither Nito nor Chloe will be available to sign their books at this event, due to previous commitments, but several assistance dogs will be there for hugs and petting. Bring your children and grand children to this great event.

Assistance Dogs of the West was founded in 1995 with the core value of respect for the unique abilities found in humans and in dogs.  The union of the two working together to improve the quality of learning, to build inimitable resources, to find creative solutions to problems and to improve the quality of challenged lives has been successful for nearly 17 years.  Using a unique model in which diverse student populations support professional instructor/trainers with the dog training process, ADW has attained a record of stellar client placement success and an assistance dog student-training program that builds community, compassion and youth leadership.