Saturday, April 26, 2025
Howie’s Heart Organization teamed up with Canine Companions on March 1 to raise awareness about the roles of service dogs while fostering a sense of community and encouraging acts of kindness.
This event, which was hosted at the Franklin Square Public Library, was open to all community members, including non-residents. Children, families and friends gathered in the library’s meeting room to create tug toys for service dogs using colorful pieces of felt provided by the organization.
Adriana Galindo, a volunteer with Howie’s Heart who created the event, began planning her ideas last November. The discussion turned into action in January when she set a date with the organization and library, finally sharing it with the community.
Through personal connections, Galindo learned about Howie’s Heart when it was first founded in February 2024, and she has been involved with the organization since their first event.
“It’s really rewarding every time we do an event,” she remarked.
Sandra Slomovitz, a volunteer from Canine Companions, said the organization has collaborated with Howie’s Heart on past events. The idea to make tug toys to donate to service dogs marked the initial step in their planning for this event, she said.
Having events where attendees interact with the dogs, she added, serves as beneficial training for the animals.
All three puppies featured at the event Fritz, Van and Verney are puppies in training. The puppies are raised by “puppy raisers,” she explained, who care for them and socialize them for the first 18 months of their lives.
After this period, she continued, the puppies attend “puppy college, which is an advanced training, where they specialize in various service categories, including hearing dogs, full-service dogs, facility dogs, skilled companions and veterans’ dogs.
The founder of Howie’s Heart, Jennifer Camacho, explained how she and her siblings founded the organization after her father, Howie Conklin, passed away. Her father was passionate about dogs, she recounted, and adopted medically fragile and elderly dogs that had been given up by their owners. This was a reflection of his kind nature, she said.
“Let love be your legacy,” she said. “And that’s what my dad’s legacy is.”
Camacho said because her organization has worked with Canine Companions multiple times for other events, it made sense for them to help Canine Companions the same way they’ve helped her. She hopes attendees left the event feeling inspired to help others, as well.
Evelyn Maglio, a sixth-grade student from Washington Street School, said this is precisely how the event impacted her, and she left wanting to get more involved.
She previously thought service dogs were only for individuals in wheelchairs, she said, but this event significantly expanded her understanding of what their role is.
She also mentioned how eager she was to be involved with the organization, and she’s previously participated in many library events. Her first experience with Howie’s Heart was during a kindness rock project last April, and she has engaged in numerous events since.
The possibilities are endless when people come together, Camacho said. And, she hopes attendees feel a connection to the cause they’re supporting. “I want them to feel a sense of community,” she explained.
She also expressed her aspiration to inspire people to give back to Canine Companions. She hopes some may even consider being a part of the program to train dogs to support their cause. “They really do incredible work,” she said.
Slomovitz noted that after meeting individuals paired with dogs that graduated from advanced training, she witnessed profound changes in their lives. “It’s a no-brainer why I do what I do,” she remarked.
Howie’s Heart and Canine Companions members said they will continue to collaborate on events in the future.
As of now, they are organizing a bake sale on April 26 in Franklin Square to support service animals. More information can be found on their Instagram page, @HowiesHeart, or their website, HowiesHeart.org.
