Congeniality

After the NEPGP show I wanted to send a thank you note to the show coordinators. They bent the rules for me and let me register late for the contest. When I say late, I really mean four hours before the start of the pre-judging.

Dear Lynn,

I want to thank you and the rest of the NEPGP gang from the bottom of my heart for letting me compete in the mixed and other purebreds class this past Sunday. I was thrilled and honored to have the chance to show off what I've learned since my first bichon contest last year. While I didn't place, I took home a treasury of information that I can't wait to practice. I've grown so much as a groomer and as a person in the last year, and I look forward to making NEPGP a part of my grooming and competing life well into the future. Everyone was so friendly and fun and helpful to me (Marea Tully, Shirlee Kalstone, Linda Claflin, Tony and Toni, Sue Zecco, Jay Scruggs, Mario DiFante, Randy Lowe, Julie Ostoski, Olga Zabelinskaya just to name a few). I even seeded some friendships with people close to my home in Philly, Kimmie and Alex from the model dog booth. The good will of the people in this industry still surprises me since there is so little collaboration or cooperation in my city. Hopefully, I can help to make it better by reaching out to groomers in my area. Overall, I learned, I had fun, I still haven't finished working on my model, Gwendolyn, but we've agreed I won't carry her by the nose any more as long as she doesn't jump off the table.

Best Regards,
J

That last bit about Gwendolyn has a back story. It shall be revealed to you in time. I have no idea if Lynn Boucher ever got that note, but I got the sweetest reply from Linda Claflin.

Dear Jaimie,

On behalf of the Board and members of the New England Pet Grooming Professionals(NEPGP), we welcome you! You will receive your 2008 packet later. Thank you !

Also, thanks for the nice note you wrote to Lynn and members of the staff at the Fall Fest. Those nice notes really energize us to continue our quest for excellence!

All the best--Linda cc

Linda C. Claflin

New England Pet Grooming Professionals (NEPGP )-Show Coordinator