HISTORY:
On November 1, 1970, the Midwest Bichon Frise Club held its first Illinois match. Reports show that receipts were $158.00, expenses were $96.00 and profit was $62.00. The best adult was Mel-Mars Imperial de Chaminade, bred and owned by Marvel Brown. Virginia Noell Haley, in describing the match, wrote, "A short meeting after the match saw the formation of an Illinois club with a petition to be sent to the BFCA to become an affiliate....All border state members will be welcomed in either the Ohio or Illinois clubs until such time that they can form their own state groups." Founding members included Azalea Gascoigne, the first Charter President of the BFCA, who attended and participated in the match.
The show judge, Albert Lubin, in writing to thank the Midwest Bichon Frise Club for asking him to serve as judge, wrote: "My breed, the Shetland Sheepdog, has a size spread from 13" to 16" with both undersize and oversize being disqualified, and we still, after 40 years in the AKC, have many problems with both type and size. The bichon standard 8" to 12" will, I fear, cause most of your future problems, and it will take some sharp culling to hold the size well." On 11/22/70, at the Park Shore Kennel Club show, in the miscellaneous class, Best Puppy (3-12 months) was Win-Mar's Winsom Wendy. The Best Adult was Gabby de Gascoigne.
On February 14, 1971, the Illinois Bichon Frise Club voted unanimously to change the club's name to the Chicagoland Bichon Frise Club.
The current officers and board for the Chicagoland Bichon Frise Club are as follows:
Vice-President:Judith Peterson
Secretary:Nancy Muklewicz
A Tribute (by Nancy Muklewicz):
On October 12th, 2002, something unusual happened at the Rainbow Bridge. The rainbow had no color - it was pure white, with occassional shades of apricot and gray. All the dogs gathered at the Rainbow Bridge were Bichons. They were there to welcome Laura Fox-Meachen.
Laura started Bichon Rescue over 10 years ago. Her latest list shows that she personally rescued 352 Bichon. From the blind male and three-legged being milled at Rice Lake, to the wild bunch living outdoors, under a porch in Southern Illinois, to the 100+ Bichons found in a home in the Chicago suburbs, to the owner give ups, most of them because the owner just couldn't housebreak the dog. Laura took them from their desperate situations to the vet where they received care and a new loving home, or where their suffering ended. It never got easy for her; she held each dog as it was euthanized, so it would be in loving arms at least once as it drifted off into eternal sleep.
Laura also recruited and directed rescue representatives for many years, coaching them through heartbreak and joy that is rescue. There is no way to estimate the number of Bichons she has helped, nor the number of human lives who have been touched and changed forever by her efforts.
Laura was also a breeder of considerate note, having bred or owned more than 30 show champions, including the following top ten show Bichons: CH. Scamper Gatlock of Druid, CH Foxlaur's Et Tu Brute, CH Foxlaur's Bertha of Druid. Scamper, Bertha, Tubbs and all the others are wagging their tails now to greet her.
