The August Fund

Robert Forto

Robert Forto

@robertforto | Executive producer and co-host of Dog Works Radio

Join host Robert Forto as he welcomes Julie St. Louis and Jeannine Armour of the August Fund to Mushing Radio.

The August Fund is an Alaskan based organization that helps place retired sled dogs into forever homes after their careers in races like the Iditarod, the Yukon Quest and others are over. We speak about how the organization got its start, how they are placing dogs with their new owners and fundraising efforts. We even have a story about August, the sled dog and the the organizations namesake.

Julie St. Louis Bio: 

Julie St. Louis is a free-lance writer and co-founder of The August Foundation for Alaska’s Racing Dogs aka The August Fund.  Julie grew up in Northern New York State where her love for all things snow and dogs began. She studied and worked in the field of TV, Radio, Film Production before moving to Washington, DC for grad school and a job as communications director for the Division of Migratory Bird Management at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Julie credits her 10 years at USFWS for giving her a love for travel, wildlife and the outdoors that ultimately led her to Alaska for what was supposed to be a summer assignment that lured her in to making the Last Frontier home since 2007. A brief foray operating a pet supply store connected her to the world of mushing and ultimately to her love for the canine athletes, or as she calls them, living legends of Alaska’s race trails. Now you’ll find Julie surrounded by a house full of four of her own adopted huskies and any number of foster dogs who laze on the couch and chairs nearby while she works on articles for Courthouse News, The Nome Nugget or networks with potential adopters of retired racing sled dogs.

 

Jeannine Armour Bio:

I live in Homer with my boyfriend and two dogs, Jack and August. I work as the Administrative Wizardess for the Salmonfest Music Festival. I love creating things, mainly out of silverware and am trying to transition from hobby crafter, to make a living crafter…whatever the hell that is. I have a very eclectic work resume…from competitive lumberjack sports, to fueling helicopters, running large equipment, driving Pinzgauers (6 wheel drive Austrian military vehicle) as a tour guide for a sled dog operation, to commercial fishing, as well as making things out of bone and antler. I love anything and everything having to do with witches and Halloween. In my world it’s year round Halloween! My dogs are the loves of my life and half the reason I never travel is because I hate leaving them. I prefer the company of dogs more than most humans and my goal in life is to someday be the crazy old, retired sled dog lady (as opposed to the crazy old cat lady, even though I will have cats too).

Host, Robert Forto’s Bio:

Robert is the training director for Alaska Dog Works where they train dogs for canine obedience, working dogs, therapy dogs and service dogs for clients all over North America. He is also a dog musher and he and his wife operate a 40-dog mushing kennel in Willow, Alaska, called Team Ineka. They can often be seen at local races and leading expeditions in the Alaska backcountry with outdoor leadership students at the University of Alaska. Robert is the producer of Dog Works Radio that has been on the air since 2009 and is currently simulcast on a local radio station, KVRF in Palmer, Alaska. 

Host, Alex Stein’s Bio:

Alex M. Stein is a writer, documentary filmmaker, and storyteller living in Los Angeles while pining for the Northern Lights. He is the author of the personal essay collection NO, MR. BOND, I EXPECT YOUR DREAMS TO DIE and directed the Iditarod documentary MUSH. He was married in Alaska, above the Arctic Circle, at the northernmost saloon in the world, by the bartender. Alex has been a host on Dog Works Radio since 2012 and he can be heard on our mushing broadcasts and during our annual nightly Iditarod coverage each March. 

Links and Resources Mentioned: 

Favorite Quotes: 

For life – Nicolas Chamfort – french writer but restated by many other famous people. “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
For Dogs – Mark Twain – “The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog.”
“I prefer the company of happy people, who are believers in magic and of magical people, who are believers in happy.”

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Robert Forto

Robert Forto

@robertforto | Executive producer and co-host of Dog Works Radio

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