Brandy and Val

It’s that time of year again when we remind everyone that at Brandy and Val, LLC our mission is “to do good where good is needed.”  With that in mind, we reiterate that we hope to make a difference in the lives of animals and children through our volunteer work and charitable giving from the sales of our children’s books and toys.

Our list includes the following animal sanctuaries, rescues and aid dogs:

Pets Alive:   A family favorite for years.  Located in Middletown, New York, this sanctuary saves and cares for many in need.

Best Friends:  Instrumental in coordinating the rescue efforts of animals after many natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  Val is a Hurricane Katrina survivor.

National Search Dog Foundation Deployed teams to help in the rescue efforts after 9/11.  Helped provide rescue and psychological support and love to the first responders.

Fortunate Pooch and Lab Rescue Our local favorite where Brandy and Val were both adopted from.  Located in Palatine, IL, a suburb outside Chicago.

Happy Holidays to All and Best Wishes for 2012.

Ilene, Brandy and Val

(photo credit: Ron Vesely Photpgraphy)

Through Cyber Monday.  ORDER ONE OF ANY BRANDY AND VAL PRODUCTS and get one FREE!  Profits from sales help animal rescues such as Best Friends and Pets Alive.   Don’t delay.  Order online at Brandy and Val

BRANDY AND VAL:  the original book

BRANDY AND VAL’S FAVORITE THINGS

BRANDY AND VAL’S SPECIAL STORY 100% of profits from this book help Fortunate Pooches and Lab Rescue in Palatine, IL, the shelter Brandy and Val were adopted from

MINI-BRANDY and MINI-VAL plush toys

Summer is finally here, although, at times, it doesn’t much feel like it.  There’s been lots of rain throughout the country but we try to focus on the sunny, warm days that we can all be outside to play!

Brandy and Val wrapped up their pet therapy school year on a very positive high note.  The kids really responded this year and were much more comfortable and interactive in the pups’ presence.   The strides taken are a cumulative process and  we can’t stress how important we think our work is to the kids.  They have really warmed up to them and we can see how much they appear to enjoy having Brandy and Val around and interacting with them.

Our work on the top of pet therapy was featured in two articles this past spring.  One on the website Acting Balanced which is hosted by a mom with a child who has Autism Spectrum Disorder.  The other appeared in the Calgary Herald.  We are grateful for the opportunity to speak about what we do and spread the word about how pet therapy dogs enhance the lives of others.

Continuing on with that theme, Brandy and Val will be making another appearance at the Center For Independence camp the end of the month.  The campers are comprised mostly of children who have CP (Cerebral Palsy) and MD (muscular dystrophy).  We enjoy bringing added happiness to their day.

As our mission is “to do good where good is needed” we hope you will continue to remember that with the continuing sagging economy, many pets are being neglected and abandoned.  It is through the sales of our toys and books -BRANDY AND VAL, BRANDY AND VAL’S FAVORITE THINGS and BRANDY AND VAL’S SPECIAL STORY — that we also help animal sanctuaries throughout the country such as Best Friends and Pets Alive.   In addition, 100% of the sales from BRANDY AND VAL’S SPECIAL STORY go to support Fortunate Pooches and Lab Rescue, the shelter that both Brandy and Val were adopted from.  SOOOOOO, feel good knowing that you are helping and animal in need with every item purchased from us!

As always, thank you for your continued support and enjoy the season!

Ilene Fine, Author

Brandy and Val, Real Dogs with Real Tales

I know they're for me!

Yeah, I can smell the treats in there

We hope you remembered love ones this Christmas past as well as those in need!  Our gift list included Fortunate Pooches and Lab Rescue, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and Pets Alive.  It is through the sales of our books and toys that we can continue to help others.  Thanks for your support.

BRANDY AND VAL, REAL DOGS WITH REAL TALES

December update

Brandy and Val packing away
To get the books shipped for Xmas Day
If your order’s not in, do not delay
Give us a click & we’ll ship it today.

Consider that a portion of sales from Brandy and Val, LLC are donated to help animal rescues throughout the country.  100% of the sales from BRANDY AND VAL’S SPECIAL STORY are donated to Fortunate Pooches and Lab Rescue, the shelter Brandy and Val were adopted from in Palatine, IL. Pet’s Alive in Middletown, NY, and Best Friends in Kenab, UT, are also recipients of funds.   The students in all of Brandy and Val’s pet therapy classes also received gifts this year of Brandy and Val books and toys.

Without everyone’s continued support, we would not have been in a position to make this happen.  Thank you!

We hope everyone has a wonderful, healthy and safe Holiday Season and Best Wishes for 2011.

Ilene Fine, Author,

Brandy and Val, the dogs!

*United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

It’s that time of year when everyone ramps up their charitable giving.  At Brandy and Val, LLC, our mission is “doing good where good is needed” and we practice that mantra year round as there is plenty of work to be done 24/7, 365 days a year!  With donating a portion of sales from our books to animal shelters and through our pet therapy duties, we hope to benefit the lives of animals, children and their families.  There are SO many good charities and causes out there do you ever wonder though, what a $100 donation can do?  Find a cause and MAKE IT HAPPEN for others this holiday season.

REAL SIMPLE magazine, in their December issue, had a really interesting page showcasing a few that I’ll share here:

BEST FRIENDS an animal sanctuary that Brandy and Val supports, can microchip 10 cats

READING IS FUNDAMENTAL can give away 50 children’s books in their effort to promote literacy (another cause Brandy and Val supports through Open Books in Chicago)

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS provides 3 first-aid kits, 24 blankets and 10 surgical scissors to communities in medical need

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY an organization who helped re-build hard hit areas affected by Hurricane Katrina and helps create housing worldwide can purchase 1 toilet, 2 hard hats and 3 hammers with your $100 donation.  (Val is a Katrina dog which is why we mention the Katrina connection)

A few others not in the article include:

CITYMEALS ON WHEELS can provide 20 holiday meals for home-bound elderly ($128 donation)

PETS ALIVE Animal sanctuary (we support them, too!) can sponsor 2 senior dogs in need of additional medical treatment to improve their quality of life

REAL DOGS WITH REAL TALES

Welcome to the Dog Days of Summer!  Brandy and Val are enjoying their ice cream to beat the heat and we hope you are having your own “fun in the sun.”  Our big news is that Brandy and Val, LLC just celebrated its’ first anniversary.  We are very proud of our accomplishments this year in “doing good where good is needed.”  To name a few, the following charities have benefited from the sales of our products: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary; Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary; Prader-Willi Association; Cabrini Connections Tutor-Mentor Connection and, of course, Fortunate Pooches and Lab Rescue, where Brandy and Val were adopted from!  So, a big thanks to all of you who have supported us throughout our first year and who helped make this possible.

Continuing to make news with our fabulously fun books and toys for tots, we appeared this past month in PET PRODUCT NEWS and NATURAL DOG.  If a child you know doesn’t have one of our books or toys yet, order one now as they make great diversions for the kids while on car rides, at the beach or anywhere toddlers become restless, in other words, EVERYWHERE!

We would LOVE for you to comment and suggest stories for our blog, “What We are Barking About” and don’t forget you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter, too. Also, look out for our article in the September edition of Women’s World magazine. I hear it will be on newsstands in mid-August.

In closing out the month, Brandy and Val also want to say thanks to the Center for Independence Camp for allowing us to read to and work with your special children.  We hope that through our pet therapy duties, we can enhance the lives of children in some positive way!  Please contact us at info@BrandyandVal.com if you would like Brandy and Val to visit a school, library or children’s program in the Chicago area.

Enjoy the rest of the summer.  As always, thanks for your support,

Ilene Fine, Author,

Brandy and Val, Brandy and Val’s Favorite Things, Brandy and Val’s Special Story

Mini even has pink pads and a pink nose!

Aren't we handsome?

OK, I’m partial to dog books, especially funny ones and ones that have cute pictures of mans best friend.  I also love books that “give” back in some way to those in need or requiring extra love and care!  So, here goes my one and only plug for why Brandy and Val books and toys make great gifts:

100% of profits go to animal rescue

IN THE FEEL GOOD CATEGORY:  Brandy and Val books and toys donate a portion of sales back to animal rescues in our community and nationally.  100% of profits from BRANDY AND VAL’S SPECIAL STORY are donated to the shelter we adopted the dogs from: Fortunate Pooch and Lab Rescue.  Other rescues and pet sanctuaries we donate to include:

• Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
• Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary
• Animal House Shelter

The books were originally written for a child afflicted with Prader-Willi Syndrome and, therefore, a donation is also made to The Prader-Willi Syndrome Association.

We're fun to play with

IN THE ENTERTAINMENT CATEGORY: They’re for toddlers (ages 3-5 is perfect) so they have to be cute, amusing and fun!  The books use actual, unstaged photos of Brandy and Val in action that children can relate to, especially if there is a pet in the family.   Brightly colored pages hold their interest and the tabbed pages make it easier for little fingers to turn the pages.  The plush toys that look like the dogs are cuddly and kids can use their imaginations to make up their own stories about Brandy and Val.

THEY’RE EDUCATIONAL: The simple themes in each book can be opened up for further discussions.  Topics like sharing, being a family, healthy eating, pet adoption, to name a few and, along with the Mini-Brandy and Mini-Val toys, the stories can be “acted out.” Color and shape recognition can be taught since each page is easily identifiable with a single predominant color and most pages have one or two primary shapes in their layouts.

OTHER NIFTY STUFF: Brandy and Val books and toys are easily put into a tote for travel!  Keep your kids occupied at restaurants, on planes, wherever.  Books are compact 4 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ and toys can be squished in anywhere.  We are also affordably priced.

We have lots of Favorite Things