{"id":1761,"date":"2013-04-19T10:44:03","date_gmt":"2013-04-19T14:44:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/?p=1761"},"modified":"2013-04-19T10:44:03","modified_gmt":"2013-04-19T14:44:03","slug":"just-what-the-doctor-ordered-a-toast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/2013\/04\/19\/just-what-the-doctor-ordered-a-toast\/","title":{"rendered":"Just What the Doctor Ordered: A Toast"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"blue2andDrP\"<\/a>Last weekend, my veterinarian, good friend, and Butler University graduate, Dr. Kurt Phillips hosted a\u00a0retirement\u00a0party for me at his clinic in Carmel, Ind., Woodland Animal Hospital. (He also has a practice in downtown Indianapolis at the Mass Ave Animal Clinic.) It was a great event with the usual attributes, cake, balloons, picture-taking, but there was also a very poignant moment that took me by surprise, when Dr. Phillips presented me with a toast.<\/p>\n

It was so touching and heart-felt, I asked if I could share his remarks on this blog for my fans to read. Certainly, it’s a piece that makes me feel good, but more importantly, I think it illustrates the commitment and care I have received from Dr. Phillips over the years. Enjoy the read.<\/p>\n

Dr. Kurt Phillips ’92 – Woodland Animal Hospital\/Mass Ave Animal Clinic – April 13, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to welcome you all here today to celebrate with Blue II as he sails off into a restful and relaxing retirement after nine great years of service to Butler University as our official mascot.\u00a0 I am so very happy to see all of you here today:\u00a0 friends, colleagues, clients, patients, family and Butler fans and supporters.\u00a0 It is an honor to play a small role in Butler’s mascot program and I am glad that you all came out today to support it and Blue II.<\/p>\n

Nine years ago, I met Michael Kaltenmark and the new puppy that was slated to be the second official mascot for Butler.\u00a0 I had reached out to the university 2 years prior to that when Blue I was on the scene and offered to be her veterinarian.\u00a0 I had the most wonderful four years of my life attending Butler in the late 80\u2019s\/early 90\u2019s and I wanted to give back to the University.\u00a0 I figured this was the best way I knew how to do that.<\/p>\n

I was so thankful when Kelli Walker, Blue I\u2019s caretaker, called me back to say that she would be delighted to bring Blue I up to Carmel from campus for her veterinary care.\u00a0 Blue I, as many of you know, was a cool dog, but her tenure at the University only lasted a few years.\u00a0 When Kelli decided to move to the west coast, Blue I went with her and luckily, her breeders (Frank and Jeane King) were willing again to donate a second puppy to the University.\u00a0 This is where Blue II, the dog we all know and love, came onto the scene.<\/p>\n

From the start, this dog grabbed everyone\u2019s attention and worked his way into our hearts.\u00a0 My family has such fond memories of hanging with Blue II at football and basketball games and events such as the Bulldog Beauty Contest.\u00a0 We remember the fun times having him in our home when Michael and Tiffany needed some time away.\u00a0 We loved coming to campus and seeing him roam around with Michael; always enjoying the love and affection of student and visitors to campus alike.<\/p>\n

Blue II has been so completely successful in becoming \u201cAmerica\u2019s Dog\u201d mainly because of his awesome good looks, his wonderful temperament and his winsome smile.\u00a0 But in addition to these awesome qualities, Blue II has become everyone\u2019s favorite mascot largely in part due to the amazing upbringing, training and love that he has been shown by the Kaltenmark family:\u00a0 Michael, Tiffany and most recently: \u201cMaster Everett\u201d.\u00a0 Without this amazing family, Blue II would have turned out like any other college mascot:\u00a0 a dog in a kennel only shown to the public during halftimes of major sporting events.\u00a0 Instead, Blue II lives in a loving home with amazing people.\u00a0 He goes to work everyday to Butler\u2019s campus (a place that I consider home)\u00a0 and he is surrounded by loving supporters every day, all day.<\/p>\n

Blue II has attended countless sporting events from lacrosse games to soccer matches to being a mainstay at Hinkle fieldhouse for several\u00a0 amazing seasons of Butler Basketball.\u00a0 He has his own Facebook page and a Twitter account with more than 12,500 followers!!!!\u00a0 He has appeared on national television numerous times and has been highlighted in countless newspapers throughout the years.\u00a0 His popularity is mainly due to his personality and looks, but his dad, Michael has been integral in getting him this national recognition,\u00a0 and oh yeah. . . two back to back runs to the Final Four by our men\u2019s basketball team surely didn\u2019t hurt!<\/p>\n

Throughout these amazing nine years, I have been honored and blessed to be a part of this dog\u2019s journey.\u00a0 A deep friendship has developed between the Kaltenmark family and my own and for that I am eternally grateful to Blue II.\u00a0 I am so very proud of the moniker, America\u2019s Dog, that has been bestowed upon Blue II and he deserves it.\u00a0 Blue II, not only our you \u201cAmerica\u2019s Dog\u201d, but I claim you as \u201cmy dog\u201d as well.\u00a0 You are a part of my family, the Woodland Family and the family of so many adults and children who love you so very much.<\/p>\n

So, it is without further adieu, that I would like everyone to raise their glasses to America\u2019s Dog.\u00a0 May you sail off into retirement with the love and support of your family and friends, with your new buddy, Trip, at your side and a big rawhide bone to carry with you whereever you go.<\/p>\n

To Blue II !!!!<\/p>\n

Not much more to say to that, but thanks and cheers! Dr. Phillips, you’re the best!<\/p>\n

Some dogs are deathly afraid of going to see the vet. I absolutely love going to see Dr. Phillips and his staff and now you can see why. Dr. Phillips always takes great care of me, so much so that I feel like I could keep on going as mascot. But it’s time to hang it up, so I’ll take my title as America’s Dog and enjoy watching Blue III (Trip) do all the work.<\/p>\n

Cheers!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last weekend, my veterinarian, good friend, and Butler University graduate, Dr. Kurt Phillips hosted a\u00a0retirement\u00a0party for me at his clinic in Carmel, Ind., Woodland Animal Hospital. (He…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":614,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5629,52574,52528],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1761","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogging","category-school-spirit","category-special-eventsopportunities"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1761","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/614"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1761"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1761\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1772,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1761\/revisions\/1772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1761"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1761"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/butler-blue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1761"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}