JULY 21 • 2022 | 13
with people and loves kids, which was really
quite a surprise,
” Ellias said.
Whenever Ichabod is around kids, Ellias
says he wants to meet them and interact with
them.
“He is patient and engaging, moving from
one child to the next rather methodically
after they pet him,
” she said. “He has a sense
of when kids are nervous, and he stays back,
yet seems to know when to engage with
those wanting to touch him.
”
Ellias knew Ichabod would be the perfect
candidate to be a therapy dog. “I got him
certified by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs
(ATD), and he didn’t have any issues going
through that process.
”
By November it was official, Ichabod was
certified. Quickly after the certification, ATD
started to send Ellias opportunities of where
she could take Ichabod. She fell in love with
visiting the Friendship Circle for story time.
“One of the foundations of Friendship
Circle’s mission is to provide acceptance
and acknowledgement of each individual’s
inherent value regardless of our exterior dif-
ferences,
” said Bassie Shemtov, director and
co-founder of Friendship Circle. “Gayle and
Ichabod provide the perfect opportunity to
continue this conversation with the students
that come to visit the Weinberg Village.
”
Then Ellias heard that Oxford Schools was
looking for therapy dogs following the tragic
shooting that left four students dead and
seven others, including a teacher, injured on
Nov. 30, 2021.
During the visit, Ellias said people would
ask about his disability, where he came
from and the bad things that happened to
him in life.
“Ichabod teaches me and others how to
integrate what we’ve been through into who
we are and how to carry it with us, but that it
doesn’t have to define us,
” Ellias explained.
Inspired by Ichabod’s story Ellias decided
to publish a children’s book about his journey
titled Ichabod — Where is the Glory? All pro-
ceeds benefit NDLB.
Since publishing the book in April, Ellias
and Ichabod have traveled throughout
Michigan reading his story at places like the
Friendship Circle and at local schools.
“Students gather at the Friendship Circle
for a read-along with Gayle and Ichabod,
”
Shemtov said. “They hear Ichabod’s story of
perseverance while getting to be in his pres-
ence. It’s a powerful time of reinforcing the
values we stand by: that everyone is so valued
and can make the world a better place.
”
During their visits, Ellias reads Ichabod’s
story and then talks to the class about animal
safety. They get a chance to learn how to
approach animals and meet Ichabod.
“I wanted to combine my career with my
love for animals. Ichabod’s story encapsu-
lates rescue, disability, animal welfare laws
and being empathetic to animals,” Ellias
said.
“I wrote this book as a tool for parents,
teachers and therapists. It’s a great way to
teach empathy to kids.”
Recently, they visited Anderson
Elementary School in Trenton and after the
visit the students wrote notes to Ellias and
Ichabod.
“One child in the classroom wrote that
Ichabod shows us all that there’s always
hope. That really touched me. It made me
think, okay, he did his job.”
Ichabod is now a working dog and has
plans to have regular visits in the fall with
Beaumont Elementary School in Waterford.
Ellias says this is just the beginning and
hopes she and Ichabod can visit more places
and show everyone that a traumatic expe-
rience or a disability doesn’t have to define
who you are.
Ichabod’s story is available on Amazon, www.amazon.
com/Ichabod-Where-Glory-Gayle-Ellias/dp/B09YR6RD8Q.
You can also continue to follow Ichabod’s journey on his
Instagram page @Ichabodndlb
Ichabod at Home Depot stops to
smell the flowers.
Mrs. Kellie Teska’s fifth-grade class at Anderson
Elementary with Ichabod and Gayle Ellias.
Ichabod enjoys his new life!