Amy Harding and the Mission Behind Ethan’s Hope

Wendy & Rich 0:01
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios, Hartford County Living presents, Conversations with Rich Bennett. 

Rich Bennett 0:27
We 

had a punter yesterday when we were supposed to do, but you know we're recording in January, whether please troops, those all kinds of stuff so we scheduled another recording, we have a young lady 

Amy Harding 0:42
in 

Rich Bennett 0:42
here 

Amy Harding 0:42
this 

Rich Bennett 0:43
recording that Wendy told me said well you need to get her on so of course you all know, Wendy tells me to do something, I'd do it. 

Wendy Beck 0:53
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 0:54
Whatever. 

So I said okay well yeah if you can get her on let's do it. So I'm going to sit back now again I'll ask some questions, but I'm going to turn it over to the host. 

Wendy Beck 1:08
still the co-host but thank 

Amy Harding 1:09
I'm 

Wendy Beck 1:10
you. So what happened honestly is that last September Hartford County has a drug symposium that brings together a lot of the resources, nonprofit and for-profit businesses in the county to go over like drug addiction treatment, sober living, all kinds of things. So Amy and I met there, she was a resource table and Bridge was a resource table and recently I got a chance to go to the location that she has for the nonprofit which is called Ethan's Hope and Amy what's the full name of the organization. 

Amy Harding 1:50
Ethan's Hope, pause and hands, rescues and recoveries. 

Wendy Beck 1:55
Okay and I had never heard of it. 

Rich Bennett 1:57
I could just look at app. 

Wendy Beck 2:00
There you go. and what exactly is that? I want to I want to ask you to explain 

Amy Harding 2:07
Sure 

Wendy Beck 2:07
I guess the mission first of all. 

Amy Harding 2:09
Yes. Well we started the program in 2023 and it was actually my son Ethan struggled with addiction from the time he was 16 until he was 23. He was not a fan of rehabs, he also struggled with bipolar depression and when he was in rehabs, he had a hard time sitting still and it just seemed like a lot of the programs out there unfortunately were just counseling after counseling, meeting after meeting and he just had a hard time with it and one day he came to me and said mom my I don't want to go to rehabs anymore. It's just they don't work for me I'll do anything else and he about my best days in rehab were dog therapy days. And he said that when the dogs came in he just had this calm come over him but he said the problem is that you know there's one dog or two dogs that come in to 30 guys that were in the rehab and he said I'd really love to do you know start a program that for my peers that brings together hard to adopt shelter dogs with those in substance abuse recovery. Bring them together for training so that at the time it was just men his focus was on men in recovery. So that we could train the men to train the dogs and the idea of it was that addiction is a very selfish disease. So through addiction you know the desire is to get your next fix it's manipulating those you love around you to help get that next fix it's not saying that they don't love their family members it's just the addiction the front and 

Rich Bennett 4:31
takes 

Amy Harding 4:31
center stage. So the idea was 

the hard to adopt shelter dogs are the dogs that society has thrown away. They sit in the shelter they're at risk for being euthanized. 

Wendy Beck 4:46
Can I ask a question what makes a dog hard to adopt? 

Amy Harding 4:49
A lot of times in shelters, when dogs come in, they are so afraid, or they've gone through some type of trauma whether they were abused or whether they were astray and, you know, forging for food, starving. There's so many different reasons. So that, by the time that dog gets into the shelter, they don't know they're safe. They don't know that they're going to get a meal every day. They don't know the people that are coming in to help them, they're strangers. So it's anywhere from just fear to some people when they drop a dog off at the shelter. They're embarrassed for, you know, a good reason. And they don't, just basically to say face, they'll say it has a bi-history, or it was aggressive towards my child or whatever. And if that shelter does not have enough trainers to assess and work with the dog, a lot of shelters don't have enough trainers or enough time because they're so overwhelmed, that dog gets, it's labeled like hard to adopt 

Rich Bennett 6:05
which 

Amy Harding 6:05
and they're not, you know, advertised to the public. And those dogs are the first dogs. They're at risk for the euthanasialist. 

Rich Bennett 6:15
Plus, there's also, 

Amy Harding 6:17
we have 

Rich Bennett 6:18
a screen-scess that they go, or at least they should, where know that the humane shelters 

Amy Harding 6:27
do. 

Rich Bennett 6:28
They have a screening process. If somebody wants to come in 

Amy Harding 6:30
and 

Rich Bennett 6:30
get a dog, they got to make sure that that family 

Amy Harding 6:33
is 

Wendy Beck 6:34
a good 

Rich Bennett 6:34
fit for that dog because not everybody is. And unfortunately, now also with the dog, I want to say the dog fighting rings. Back in the day, people going to adopt valks strictly for that. So, yeah, it's a process. It takes some time now, but you're starting, the good thing is you are seeing some people starting to adopt 

Amy Harding 7:00
here, call you there. Yes, 

Rich Bennett 7:02
and 

Amy Harding 7:03
yeah. And hopefully we'll get more of 

Rich Bennett 7:06
they'll 

Amy Harding 7:06
that. But for Ethan's vision, he wanted work with the dogs. The society is thrown away. He said, because that's the dogs that we connect with. And we meaning he and his peers. 

Rich Bennett 7:21
Right. 

Amy Harding 7:22
And at first, when he said that to me, my feelings were a little hurt because we were very supportive, loving family. So, I kind of felt, you know, hurt that he would say he felt like he was thrown away. 

Wendy Beck 7:37
To society. 

Amy Harding 7:38
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 7:39
And not necessarily 

Amy Harding 7:40
Right. He just, you know, with a lot of people that are in active use and even when they're in recovery, they just feel very judged. 

Rich Bennett 7:48
to them. 

Amy Harding 7:49
And it's a lot of it is their own insecurities that they're projecting, you know, out onto the way that they feel. So, being a mom that had for years lived in fear of losing her child, anything that my son should interest in, I jumped on board and so did his dad and so did his brother. Like, we were, oh, you want to do this? We're all in, you know? So, I went back to school to get certified in animal behavioral therapy, specializing in service dog training just so that when we started a non-profit together, we would have the credentials behind it. We knew nothing at the time. You know, we just wanted to help our son. 

Rich Bennett 8:38
Right. 

Amy Harding 8:40
So, in that process, there was a relapse, Ethan relapsed, went to another treatment, came home and his father and I said, you know what? We've tried everything else. Let's move. Let's get him out of his fear of influence. So, at the time, we had lived 25 years in Bel ér. County. 

Rich Bennett 9:03
So. 

Amy Harding 9:03
So, we moved to the Poconos. That's where I, 

Rich Bennett 9:06
that's 

Amy Harding 9:06
where I grew up, around Lake Wall and Paul PAC in the Poconos. And so, in my mind, that was far enough away that you know, he couldn't just walk down the street to find his drug of 

Rich Bennett 9:19
choice. Right. 

Amy Harding 9:20
And it was close enough that my husband could still commute back to Baltimore, where he worked at John Hopkins. 

Rich Bennett 9:30
Okay. 

Amy Harding 9:30
Yeah. So, we went there, and that's where we really, even, and I just dived in, and uhm, we, he picked a shelter that he wanted to work with, uhm, it was actually a rescue, a dog rescue, uhm, and those, he picked that one because 

it was basically, 

Rich Bennett 10:01
wow. 

Amy Harding 10:01
They could live off out their lives, uhm, when I was introduced to these dogs, I really thought the dogs, like some of them, if they got out they would have killed me. 

Wendy Beck 10:12
Oh, why? 

Amy Harding 10:13
Uhm, but Ethan was adamant that that's the rescue he wanted to work with, so uhm, we got that, spoke to them, got them on board, he chose the rehab to work with, which was a men's rehab called Little Creek Recrecarvery. In, uh, Greentown, or in Newfoundland, PA. Wonderful rehab, wonderful staff, they just, very caring rehab, I wish I would have found them years ago. Uhm, so, we did the, all the legal documents together, uhm, just so that, I mean Ethan was really, you know, passionate about this. 

Rich Bennett 10:51
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 10:52
And then, uhm, as many people that are struggling with substance abuse around holidays or birthdays or vacations that are coming up, those are triggers for them. 

Rich Bennett 11:07
Uh-huh. 

Amy Harding 11:09
we were three weeks away from the program starting, like the active program starting, and he relapsed and lost his life, that was the last time 

Rich Bennett 11:21
Uhm, 

Amy Harding 11:21
for him, and he was 23 years old. It was May 7th of 2023. So, in our grief, his family, and I were broken. Uhm, so in our grief, we just, it's how we survived, we just, we're very determined to still start the program. And even though we had, you know, a couple of months to lay, not even, we started it in July, so, uhm, we just went full in, and it wasn't until the active program started, and I started seeing these men, um, partner with these dogs, um, and the effect that it had on these men that I understood. 

Rich Bennett 12:08
Um, 

Amy Harding 12:08
what my son was talking about. And I'm very proud of him because the program worked very well. Um, these men were clearly broken when they got out of the van from the rehab, um, because in the PA program, the rehab would transport the men, and we would meet them at the rescue location. So, um, and I would train the men to train the dog after we had partnered them with one dog, so they would work with the same dog every time they came. 

Wendy Beck 12:40
So, how did the partnership go? How did you, how did you, you know, marry them? 

Amy Harding 12:45
So, because the rehab was, or the, the rescue was already chosen, I went every day to get to know the dogs and work with the dogs, assess the dogs, see if any of the dogs were trained at any length, 

Rich Bennett 13:00
Right. 

Amy Harding 13:00
um, before we brought the men from the rehab over. I knew the, the dogs pretty well for about two months before the men came, um, and I also met with the men a few times at the rehab location. And so, you know, if it was a older gentleman that was more of a couch potato, I would partner him with a dog that was more laid back and wasn't that fan, a fan of hike, you know. And then if it was a younger man that just loved hiking and just loved the outdoors and I would put, I would partner them with a very energetic dog. Now, I also watched, I introduced all the men to all the dogs and I just watched the interaction, I 

Rich Bennett 13:46
Mm-hmm. 

Amy Harding 13:47
just watched to see who had a connection, um, watched the dog's body language, um, And every single man that came on that program from day one, they all gravitate towards the hardest 

Rich Bennett 14:03
yeah. 

Amy Harding 14:03
dogs to adopt. And, um, they really relished and thrived in the challenge of earning that dog's trust. 

Rich Bennett 14:14
I think, and I think the reason this is successful and I know a lot of listeners are probably wondering 

Amy Harding 14:21
about this. 

Rich Bennett 14:22
And this is my thought on it. I want you to chime in. Because you can have, you know, your regular dog at home, the family pet. But these guys and even Ethan, me and I have had that 

Amy Harding 14:36
connection 

Rich Bennett 14:36
same with the family pet as opposed to one of these dogs that you're bringing from the shelter because. 

Wendy Beck 14:44
It's 

Rich Bennett 14:45
just like people, everybody is different. And I think it great me a for more, but I think these guys, when they're with these dogs, they, it's helping them, but it's also 

Amy Harding 14:55
them. 

Rich Bennett 14:55
helping 

Amy Harding 14:56
Yeah, absolutely. And what I was saying before about addiction being a selfish disease. This is the first time in years for some of them that. before they come to the property, they know that all these dogs were at risk for euthanasia 

Rich Bennett 15:14
Right. 

Amy Harding 15:14
and because of them, because of their selfishness, 

Rich Bennett 15:19
Yeah, 

Amy Harding 15:19
of giving up their time, of their, you know, taking time away from their day, even sometimes on the Sundays when they're football games. These guys were giving up that time to come and work with their partner, dog, and they understood that because of them, this dog was not only going to have a longer life but betrayed, be socialized, lead a healthier life, and get a chance to find an adoptive family. You know, it's a second chance, which is what they all want. So and without that man joining the program, that dog wouldn't have that opportunity. So it really they we saw their pride 

Rich Bennett 16:05
grow. 

Amy Harding 16:06
That we saw their self worth grow. We saw men that were angry and fighting with each other at the rehab. Once they join the program, they were celebrating wins together. They were congratulating one another. They were becoming friends, becoming a family. It really turns into like a family group. And then how our program grew so fast was because these same men would go back on a new type of high that they had from working with these dogs and celebrating wins with each other, and they would start talking to the other men in the house just about their day. And then the next time that they would come, there was two more guys on the van. You know, so it was pretty cool to see that. And one of the reasons why we the program is still running there, but we were growing too fast there and we were we didn't have enough We didn't have our own location, 

Rich Bennett 17:16
right. 

Amy Harding 17:16
which was key. We learned because we were learning as we go. 

Wendy Beck 17:19
Now 

Amy Harding 17:19
This is the first. 

Wendy Beck 17:20
the program is still working there is it's 

Amy Harding 17:22
yes. 

Wendy Beck 17:23
Then so 

Amy Harding 17:23
it's under Ethan's hope. Yes. So 

Wendy Beck 17:27
employee that trains 

Amy Harding 17:28
The 

Wendy Beck 17:28
or. 

Amy Harding 17:29
actually the staff at Little Creek Recovery is so amazing and the staff that was bringing the men also were in recovery. So they enjoyed it so much and they were upset that we had to move. So they expressed that they wanted to still do this program so they still vote that staff brings the men because the men are new every 28 days. Some are still in the program if they're in their sober living house or in the area. But they are brought to a shelter that would that worked with us as well, so which was cool. So it's not exactly how the program that we first started runs, but it's still something for them. 

Rich Bennett 18:16
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 18:17
So we moved we decided to move back to Maryland where 

Wendy Beck 18:24
before or after he passed 

Amy Harding 18:26
this was after so we never started an active program when Ethan was alive. He died before the active program. So once we were there and the woman who owned the dog rescue also had a rescue farm and as more and more people came, I think she was just getting nervous because this was her property. And we built out buildings up there for her and the men because it's a two hour session. So really you should only train a dog about 15 minutes at a time because that's their attention span or they'll get 

Rich Bennett 19:04
well. 

Amy Harding 19:04
we don't want them to get bored so in that session they'll train 15 minutes 20 minutes of training they'll socialize with the dog they'll take the dog for a walk or hike if the dogs if there's dogs they get along together they can have like playtime and then there's always 20 minute give back at the end of the session so the program is completely free so we just ask that at the end of each session that the men and now women will be in the program at the end of the session just give 20 minutes back to the farm of their time 

Rich Bennett 19:43
right 

Amy Harding 19:43
whether it's mending offense cleaning up the dog your dog's kennel whatever is needed and that also gives them a sense of doing something selfless and we're building it together so I don't say it's our program and you're here you're just joining it's our program together that we're growing together 

and it it's working very well and so we're just starting the new location we bought this property in Cecil County September of this year 

Rich Bennett 20:24
okay 

Amy Harding 20:25
and so we're in the process of we have a few dogs there already but we're in the process of finishing one out building building new kennels and it's a almost four acres of property 

Rich Bennett 20:40
four acres 

Amy Harding 20:41
four acres in Cecil County in rising 

Rich Bennett 20:45
and dogs got a lot of room to 

Amy Harding 20:46
sun yeah 

Rich Bennett 20:47
run 

Amy Harding 20:48
big pastors there were horses on the property 

Rich Bennett 20:51
okay 

Amy Harding 20:51
before we purchased it and when men and women join the program they're not just who have been struggling with substance abuse they get they're now labeled as trainers when they're on our program so from day one they partner with their dog they become trainers and then if they're in our program for more than 45 days then they're senior trainers and that's just to you know give them that high five like 

Rich Bennett 21:25
people 

Amy Harding 21:25
you do an awesome and you're being promoted it's it's a reward and they're very proud of that 

Wendy Beck 21:32
now 

Amy Harding 21:33
here 

Wendy Beck 21:34
we'll in Cecil County location how do people get referred to the program 

Amy Harding 21:40
so once we went to the symposium the Harper County 

addiction recovery symposium in September word spread quickly we also on social media had followers from people that knew Ethan that knew us from visiting treatment facilities and talking about it so we're a mouth just it's spreading quickly which is great so we're like in Rush mode we want to get all the buildings finished but it's not only it's not limited to rehabs it's also sober living facilities or if you are in recovery there's two stipulations that we have one is we need a commitment because that's healthy for the dog not only just for you but three to four times a week and it's two out like I said two hour sessions and the other stipulation is that you have three other touches in the week with some type of recovery program so we don't want to be your only recovery program 

Rich Bennett 22:55
yeah 

Wendy Beck 22:55
apes 

Rich Bennett 22:56
right 

Amy Harding 22:56
yeah so any any type of touch just three other touches because we want to be supporting your recovery we don't want to be the 

Wendy Beck 23:07
only right 

Amy Harding 23:08
only 

Wendy Beck 23:08
got your 

Amy Harding 23:08
point of recovery 

Rich Bennett 23:10
now are you guys working with another shelter or you or also like a foster home for 

Amy Harding 23:16
so this is kind of we have the idea of just working with the 

Rich Bennett 23:22
the 

Amy Harding 23:22
shelters 

Rich Bennett 23:23
dogs okay 

Amy Harding 23:23
so we can pull dogs off of the euphemeralist 

Rich Bennett 23:27
right so 

Amy Harding 23:28
we are speaking to Maryland SPCA we have a couple other shelters that I won't mention until we get 

Rich Bennett 23:37
the right 

Amy Harding 23:38
the go ahead but we've had meetings with a lot of different shelters there are people that call daily that want 

that are that want to go into recovery, but they don't have a place for their 

Rich Bennett 23:54
Mm-hmm. 

Amy Harding 23:54
dogs. They can't go into treatment. So we've had a couple people that we've said okay and we've brought their dogs to the property. Um, but we really, it's not that's not how the program 

Rich Bennett 24:08
Right. 

Amy Harding 24:08
works. I mean, my heart has a hard time 

Wendy Beck 24:10
Right. 

Amy Harding 24:10
saying now, all 

Rich Bennett 24:11
it. Yeah. 

Amy Harding 24:11
beyond But, in 

Wendy Beck 24:13
our houses, that have left because 

Amy Harding 24:15
mentioned, 

Wendy Beck 24:15
someone couldn't take 

Amy Harding 24:16
yeah, yeah, so that, that type, yeah, that type of program is really needed. So 

Rich Bennett 24:22
care 

Amy Harding 24:22
if 

Rich Bennett 24:22
of 

Amy Harding 24:22
anybody 

Rich Bennett 24:22
it. Yes. 

Amy Harding 24:22
out there wants 

Wendy Beck 24:23
Someone 

Amy Harding 24:23
to start a program like that, 

Wendy Beck 24:24
Time, there was a woman in our house and she really wanted to explore that because one of the reasons that she left is that she had two dogs or, I think it was two. And so when someone couldn't watch them anymore, she ended up leaving but she's fine 

Amy Harding 24:37
yeah, 

Wendy Beck 24:38
doing really well. But that was something that she was considering. I don't 

Amy Harding 24:42
right. 

Wendy Beck 24:42
know if that ever 

Amy Harding 24:43
And 

Wendy Beck 24:43
happened. 

Amy Harding 24:43
some people don't understand why we don't do that more 

Rich Bennett 24:48
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 24:48
often. But when you think about our program, you're doing this for a dog that needs, needs a second chance at life, and without this program, they wouldn't have that. So if, if it's a man or a woman in our program, the feeling towards their dog that they're partner with, that bond that grows between them, is going to be very different if it's a dog that you're just basically babysitting 

Rich Bennett 25:20
right, 

Amy Harding 25:20
for someone else, 

Wendy Beck 25:21
right? 

Amy Harding 25:22
So, and these bonds are very strong, and every single person, once they bond with that dog, they ask, "Well, can I adopt this dog?" 

Rich Bennett 25:30
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 25:31
And they answer unfortunately, is no, because we want to keep that idea of you're doing something selfless. 

Rich Bennett 25:41
Mm-hmm. 

Amy Harding 25:41
This dog. So you're not socializing and training the dog for yourself. You're doing it for another family so that 

Rich Bennett 25:51
they 

Amy Harding 25:51
connect with this dog and this dog has a second 

Wendy Beck 25:54
And 

Amy Harding 25:54
chance. 

Wendy Beck 25:54
then that brings back the role of being a trainer. 

Amy Harding 25:56
Yes. And then once their dog is adopted, 

Wendy Beck 26:00
And can I back you up for 

Amy Harding 26:02
yes. 

Wendy Beck 26:02
a second? You said that the dog has to typically be able to do seven commands before they're adopted. 

Amy Harding 26:10
Yeah, it's six to seven commands. Now, they could, an adoptive family could come in after you've taught them three commands, and we give them the option of, okay, we can fill out the adoption paperwork and you can leave the dog to finish the training. Or we're not going to say no to an adoptive family that fits. 

Wendy Beck 26:30
Right. 

Amy Harding 26:30
The fit is judged by the trainer, so it's not just me. 

Rich Bennett 26:35
Mm-hmm. 

Amy Harding 26:36
An adoptive family, like Wendy, if you came and you can say, "I saw this dog, I'm very interested in adopting it," well, that dog's trainer will be the one to sit and talk to you about, "Okay, what is your living situation? Are you in an apartment or do you have a fenced in yard? Are you active? Are you a couch potato?" You know, so are you 

Wendy Beck 26:59
Are you 

Amy Harding 26:59
doing 

Wendy Beck 26:59
home all day? Are you 

Amy Harding 27:00
right? 

Wendy Beck 27:00
at work all day? 

Amy Harding 27:01
"Dog, be kenneled when you're not there." And then that trainer will come to me and say, "Okay, Amy," or they call me Mama Bear, too. But okay, Mama Bear, I met with Wendy, and this is going to be a great fit. We would schedule a time where you could come and they would basically train you what they've trained the dog. All the commands 

Wendy Beck 27:25
Okay. 

Amy Harding 27:26
tell you everything you would need to know about this dog and then basically hand over the leash. 

Wendy Beck 27:31
No. 

Amy Harding 27:32
And that's very symbolic that they've accomplished what nobody else could. They found their dog a wonderful home. And then they could be partnered with their next dog and they could stay in the program for five, six years, ten years if they wanted to, 

Wendy Beck 27:49
right? 

Amy Harding 27:50
As long as they have three other points of recovery. 

Rich Bennett 27:54
"How, because you always hear the phrase, you can't teach an old dog 

Amy Harding 27:58
a train. 

Rich Bennett 27:58
and you're 

Amy Harding 27:59
"How hard 

Rich Bennett 28:00
is it? Because you say you get a lot of these older 

Amy Harding 28:03
dogs. "How 

Rich Bennett 28:03
hard is it to teach them seven to eight different commands?" 

Amy Harding 28:07
Well, it's not that we get older like, old age dogs, 

Rich Bennett 28:12
but even... 

Amy Harding 28:13
Yeah, dogs that have never been trained or are trauma dogs. takes a lot of patience. Uhm, and some of these men have just sat on the outside of a kennel, like kennel enclosure. Uhm, doing scrabble, just talking out loud, reading a book so that the dog can get used to them first, and they very slowly earn that dog's trust. And once you see this hard-to-adopt dog, the joy in a person, 

Wendy Beck 28:46
find 

Amy Harding 28:46
and then, yes, and then joy in, oh, there's joy in being walked. There's a joy in that leash. There is a joy in getting praise from my person. When I do what they're asking me to do, there's joy in walks, there's, you're, 

Wendy Beck 29:05
the dog is learning to live again. 

Amy Harding 29:06
right, 

Wendy Beck 29:07
It's like recovering 

Amy Harding 29:07
absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 29:08
That's all I never agreed with that free. You know, you can't teach an old, an old dog new tricks. I never agreed with 

Amy Harding 29:15
Yeah, I just think there's some very stubborn dogs 

Wendy Beck 29:18
that. 

Amy Harding 29:18
that just take a while longer and end some 

Wendy Beck 29:21
Right, 

Amy Harding 29:21
patience. 

Wendy Beck 29:22
right, 

Amy Harding 29:22
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 29:24
I got to go see this, please. 

Amy Harding 29:26
to, 

Wendy Beck 29:26
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 29:26
yeah, 

Rich Bennett 29:26
I'm going 

Amy Harding 29:27
we're welcome anytime. 

Wendy Beck 29:28
Well, I went and you had the two dogs that were your babysitting, as you would say. Are they still there? 

Amy Harding 29:35
They're still there. 

Wendy Beck 29:36
And then you had maybe three. 

Amy Harding 29:39
We have Poppy, which is a dog that we actually brought from the other program. She was a trauma dog. Very fearful would not go by anyone. It took me two months to just get hurt or in my trust. There were men in the program that worked with her and she's come so far. And when we moved, I knew that she would be put back into a kennel and not 

Wendy Beck 30:05
of. 

Amy Harding 30:05
have a 

Wendy Beck 30:05
Was 

Amy Harding 30:05
lot 

Wendy Beck 30:05
that the little black dog? Yeah, 

Amy Harding 30:07
Yes, 

Wendy Beck 30:07
okay. 

Amy Harding 30:07
yep. So Poppy's still there waiting for her trainer to come. And so we actually at the at the moment, we have six dogs. And hopefully that will grow into more dogs. We are the max amount of dogs that we want on the property at once is 13 dogs because we don't want to be a dog warehouse. We 

Rich Bennett 30:32
Right. 

Amy Harding 30:32
want this environment to be healthy and healing for the dog as well as their trainers. So we're not going to overload the property with dogs. 

Wendy Beck 30:43
Why did you come up with the 13 just 

Amy Harding 30:45
The 

Wendy Beck 30:45
this 

Amy Harding 30:46
space that we had, 

Wendy Beck 30:47
space? 

Amy Harding 30:48
and we could have we could have gotten more outbuildings, but I just didn't want that it's a I wanted the environment to be calming 

Wendy Beck 30:57
intimate 

Amy Harding 30:58
intimate. So we have a we built a few huge fire pit in the backpasta so that we were opening it up for any NA groups or AA groups that want to come and just have like an intimate setting. If trainers want to bring their NA or AA groups there, they're more than welcome to have their dog at that meeting. 

So but yes, just keep it more intimate and just focus on healing. It's our tagline is healing lives at both end of the leash. 

Wendy Beck 31:32
So 

Amy Harding 31:33
we want to stick with that. 

Rich Bennett 31:35
Do you guys work with any profits besides the 

Amy Harding 31:41
non 

Rich Bennett 31:41
animal rescuer or whatever? 

Amy Harding 31:44
Well, I wouldn't say we'd like to say we're partnering with any like rage against 

Wendy Beck 31:53
today. 

Rich Bennett 31:53
right. 

Wendy Beck 31:54
Yeah, To 

Amy Harding 31:55
work, 

Wendy Beck 31:55
do a 

Amy Harding 31:55
yeah, 

Rich Bennett 31:56
okay. 

Amy Harding 31:56
We want to I want to go and talk to the women in the house about that just and open it up to them. So any rehab or sober living out there they're more than welcome. I go 

Wendy Beck 32:10
into 

Amy Harding 32:12
And 

Wendy Beck 32:12
and individuals can also. 

Amy Harding 32:12
individuals so anyone can call me and I will just put them on the calendar schedule a meeting with them then talk about the commitments that need to be made to join the program. But again, it's 100% free for 

Wendy Beck 32:28
well, that was my next question because it is not 100% free to take care of a 

Rich Bennett 32:33
dog. 

Amy Harding 32:33
No, 

Rich Bennett 32:33
Right. 

Amy Harding 32:33
it's not 100% free for us. 

Wendy Beck 32:36
Okay, 

Amy Harding 32:36
Yes. 

Wendy Beck 32:37
so explain a little bit about that. Like are there funding streams for you guys? I know you did have a fundraiser. I wasn't able to come. I guess that was before 

Amy Harding 32:45
yeah, 

Wendy Beck 32:45
Christmas. 

Amy Harding 32:46
our goal is to have three big fundraisers a year, but where we really, um, where there's a great need and how we're going to keep growing is that we need monthly sponsorships. We need people to commit to, um, I don't care if it's 

Rich Bennett 33:02
Right. 

Amy Harding 33:02
$10 a month or $100 a month, it's, it's something that would be very much appreciated. Um, we will be blessed for anything that you could give and, um, you would be receiving, um, also monthly updates on the, the partnerships that are on our location and we take videos and pictures and because we want, we want our, not, and not everybody can do a monthly sponsorship, we appreciate one time gifts as well and if you don't, if you can't give, we understand that too. A lot of people have other passions that they're, you know, that they want to give and I totally understand that, um, but we would love you to follow our pages and just follow along and keep us in your prayer so that we can grow and, um, because we're not doing any of this alone and, and I've this to other people is that, you know, some people think I'm crazy doing this at, at our age. I'm 

Rich Bennett 34:06
Smart. 

Amy Harding 34:07
50. Oh, 

Rich Bennett 34:08
you're the first one I've heard of doing anything like this. 

Amy Harding 34:11
Um, we're actually the only program in the country that are doing this. Um, 

Rich Bennett 34:15
probably why you're, you're 

Amy Harding 34:16
only one. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 34:18
I've heard it with horses. 

Wendy Beck 34:19
It's, it's very unique. 

Amy Harding 34:21
Yeah. It's the, closest thing I compare compare it to is like the, um, pit bull pit bulls and parolees. 

Rich Bennett 34:28
Yes. 

Amy Harding 34:28
I know there's a couple 

Wendy Beck 34:29
programs. 

Amy Harding 34:29
of 

Wendy Beck 34:29
Oh, okay. 

Amy Harding 34:30
And go 

Wendy Beck 34:30
Mm-hmm. 

Amy Harding 34:30
into, um, jails. 

Wendy Beck 34:32
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 34:32
know, partner dogs. 

Wendy Beck 34:33
Um, it might be the, you 

Amy Harding 34:36
Yeah, 

Wendy Beck 34:37
um, and it's a great dog. 

Amy Harding 34:38
Yeah. I think those programs are great as well. Um, there is not a program that matches hard to adopt dogs with those who are in substance abuse, um, recovery. Have you 

Wendy Beck 34:54
encountered any dog that just wasn't receptive to the train? 

Amy Harding 34:58
Um, not yet. 

Wendy Beck 34:59
Okay. 

Amy Harding 35:00
Thank God. Um, the dogs that we've worked with. like I said, I'm going to give one example. His name was Mr. Bones. He was a giant, um, Dalmatian lab mix 

Rich Bennett 35:13
wow, 

Amy Harding 35:13
for as best as, you know, anyone could guess. 

Wendy Beck 35:16
Right. 

Amy Harding 35:18
he was a very scary, scary dog. 

Rich Bennett 35:22
High. 

Amy Harding 35:22
And, um, he was found in a freezing rain storm starving. And we don't know his history before that. He had a, he was very aggressive. He was very protective of his kennel environment. He was very food aggressive. 

Wendy Beck 35:41
And 

Amy Harding 35:42
Um, So, and that, that dog knocked me on my rear a few times, you know, just by lunging at the kennel. Um, 

Rich Bennett 35:52
wow. 

Amy Harding 35:52
wow. And I think the thing that saved me is because, you know, when I first lost my son and I was in deep grief and just going to introduce myself to these dogs, I didn't have any fear. 

Rich Bennett 36:07
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 36:07
At the time, you know, it just, I didn't care what happened to me in that time. 

Rich Bennett 36:13
And they sit 

Amy Harding 36:14
and, um, yeah. And I sat with this dog and I had patients with this dog. And, um, even when, you know, when I was brave enough to put my hand over the kennel and just see if he would let me pat him, it was a win for me. And I'm, I wasn't struggling with substance abuse. It was just like, I instantly felt like, wow, I did it, you know. So when I saw men in the program do the same thing. It was, it just meant so 

Rich Bennett 36:51
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 36:51
much, you know, to me, to them. And the whole program, just watching these men heal was a saf to my heart. Um, because I, you know, I'm still grieving. I'm 

Wendy Beck 37:02
I 

Amy Harding 37:02
still in 

Wendy Beck 37:03
already 

Amy Harding 37:03
deep 

Wendy Beck 37:03
knew 

Amy Harding 37:03
grief. It's been two years. And, um, I, I love all, all the people in our program. I just, the love that I used to shower on my son. I now shower on these men and women. And, um, my 

Wendy Beck 37:20
how many, 

Amy Harding 37:21
husband, 

Wendy Beck 37:21
sorry, how many people are currently 

Amy Harding 37:23
enrolled? Only 

Wendy Beck 37:24
four, four. That's a lot. 

Amy Harding 37:25
Because we're still building, we're 

Wendy Beck 37:27
Right? 

Amy Harding 37:28
still, um, still growing. 

Wendy Beck 37:30
Right. 

Amy Harding 37:31
Um, and getting ready. But my husband, Ethan's father, And I'm telling you this because he shares it all the time, but he's 30 years in recovery. 

Rich Bennett 37:45
uhm, OH. 

Amy Harding 37:46
So, when the men first come in and they have to learn, I have to earn their trust, just the same way as they are trying to earn the dog's trust. And we really wanted to create an environment that is completely non-judgmental for these men and women. I want them to feel loved every time they step foot on the property. I have prayed for them before they even step foot on the property for their healing process. And I hug everyone as soon as they come in the property and at first, you know, the guys were real stiff, like, is this lady, you know? And then I hug them before they leave. And what I was seeing was after, you know, a week or so, the guys would kind of wait, wait, they wouldn't get in the van right away because they knew that they were waiting for the hug. And they just have that support system and not that they don't have a support system in their family, some do, some families are practicing the tough love. So, they're, you know, they're doing the distance thing, which I totally get to believe me, I've tried everything through Ethan's journey. And so there's no, there's no perfect recipe for recovery. There's no perfect recipe for a mother and father to deal with a child or any family member that's going through that. 

But I just know that these people, we all need love. We all need. 

Wendy Beck 39:26
Well, I see such a, I see such a, I guess it's like almost like a mirror image of the person in recovery and the 

Amy Harding 39:34
dog. 

Wendy Beck 39:34
recovery 

Amy Harding 39:35
Absolutely 

Wendy Beck 39:35
because you're showing like this kindness and you're, you know, almost to the dog, you know, just even being able to touch the dog which is something that they are not used to or resistant or aggressive towards. And you have the person in recovery who feels so isolated and feels so heard and and they kind of are coming together and it's really beautiful. It honestly is. 

Amy Harding 39:57
Yeah, and it took, you know, it took a good six months to start seeing what my son had the vision for. And I'm just very proud of him. My husband and I do not take credit for this. We give all the credit to our son and to God for just showing us his vision and seeing how it works. And it's just magical. I think dogs are magic. They have like a healing magic. And once, once they bond to their trainer, it's just, it's just amazing to see this dog. Mister bones that was so just so fearful that he looked like so aggressive. He looked like cool Joe, you know. 

Rich Bennett 40:47
And 

Wendy Beck 40:47
you get updates on the dogs are like that have been 

Amy Harding 40:51
Mister bone has been adopted. The dogs in PA, the first program that we started. Those dogs were adopted and and and they continue to work with dogs and and they're now adopted through the shelter. 

Wendy Beck 41:06
OK. 

Amy Harding 41:07
But I'm excited to see that start to happen here. And we may have a dog for two months that. That has is being trained or we might have a dog that's with us for a year if they just need more patients. 

Wendy Beck 41:22
Right. Not unlike sober living. You know what I'm saying? Some people come in and they're ready to go 

Amy Harding 41:29
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 41:30
right away and some 

Amy Harding 41:30
Right. 

Wendy Beck 41:31
people you know, stay the 

Amy Harding 41:32
Yep. 

Wendy Beck 41:32
course. They benefit. It's more of a benefit for them. 

Amy Harding 41:36
Exactly. And there's no. There's no time limit on it, you know, and there's no we don't rush them. We. And the program's not for everyone, not everyone likes dogs, you know, and some people find a new passion in in training. And we do give. We write job referrals for people that have been in the program for three months. And they can work. So it gives them an option for a career. 

Rich Bennett 42:11
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 42:12
We encourage them to take classes. We. And we just support them the whole time that they're in our program. We just support them in not just. It's not just to our program. We just support them in their in their journey. 

Wendy Beck 42:30
rounded. 

Amy Harding 42:30
Ouh, right. If they're having trouble with their family, if they're having, we just are there to, to, for them to talk with, uh. They start to get another perspective, they start to see their mom, their mom's perspective. Well, my, why is my mom not talking to me or why it's so I give them another, the side of the mom and my husband gives them the side of the dad and my son, my ethans older brother can give them. The side of their sibling. So, and that takes time too, we have to earn their trust 

Rich Bennett 43:03
Right. 

Amy Harding 43:04
and, and realize like, okay, well. They're, they're practicing what they're preaching of non-judgment and unconditional love. And, uhm, my husband is an amazing man who has patience and he will sit down with these men and teach them how to do a check book and teach them how to get their driver's Because some of these men did not know and did not have family to teach them. So he kind of 

Rich Bennett 43:34
starts not even taught in 

Amy Harding 43:36
Right. 

Rich Bennett 43:36
school anymore. 

Amy Harding 43:37
Right. 

Rich Bennett 43:39
It was when I 

Wendy Beck 43:40
Not 

Rich Bennett 43:40
went. 

Wendy Beck 43:40
when I went. 

Amy Harding 43:45
Yeah, so I mean, and even if they were taught in school and they're not really remembering or whatever, it's just. That sounds great. He's, he just will sit down and talk with the guys and go on a hike with them when they take their dogs and, uhm, we still stay in touch with the majority of the men that have gone through our program. Just so that they know that, you know, if you have to go back to another state after sober living or rehab and you can't physically remain close to the dog program, you don't cut you off. Right. 

Wendy Beck 44:22
One, you're learning a skill too. You know, you're learning something that you can carry on in your life even if you get a pet if you even if you don't work in that field, but you get a dog. 

Amy Harding 44:31
Yep. 

Wendy Beck 44:31
You're going to be a better owner. 

Amy Harding 44:33
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 44:34
OK, so you mentioned you said you're 

Amy Harding 44:38
you're 

Rich Bennett 44:39
the organization in the. 

Amy Harding 44:42
Yes, and there's been other states that have reached out to us and they want to do what we're doing in their state. 

Rich Bennett 44:51
Right, 

Amy Harding 44:52
right, which I'm all for if you want to do it yourself or if you want to be under the Ethan's Hope umbrella, 

Rich Bennett 45:00
start other 

Amy Harding 45:01
chapters. Yeah, so we just want to make sure this one's running like clockwork before we branch out 

Rich Bennett 45:08
Have 

Amy Harding 45:08
there. 

Rich Bennett 45:09
you reached out to any of the like dog food companies or the big because you know, let's face it, you always need dog food. So if anybody wants to donate dog food, they can do that, right. But have you reached out to any of the companies or even some of the pet stores, like whether we pick or whatever about. Because you're the only one in the country. 

Amy Harding 45:33
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 45:33
they would a lot of them would jump on it. 

Amy Harding 45:35
I have not and that's a really good idea. I I welcome all ideas. 

Wendy Beck 45:42
hard to 

Rich Bennett 45:42
For 

Wendy Beck 45:43
execute 

Rich Bennett 45:43
ideas 

Wendy Beck 45:43
every 

Amy Harding 45:43
Yeah, we're we're pretty young. We're a pretty young program and like I'm just now learning about all these grants and you know, I'm not a grant writer. And I can't afford to hire one, so I have to learn as we go. Yeah, yeah, so I'm going to look into that. 

Rich Bennett 46:05
idea. 

Amy Harding 46:06
And if there's anybody out there that can help wonderful reach out to 

Rich Bennett 46:10
Well, 

Amy Harding 46:10
me. 

Rich Bennett 46:10
because I'm thinking that the other thing I'm also thinking you have four acres. And funraisers are important. You can't always you can't rely on grants, otherwise you're not going to succeed. But with four acres, it's something that our lives 

Amy Harding 46:25
was 

Rich Bennett 46:26
a pet festival every year. I mean, that may be something you might want to look into. 

Amy Harding 46:31
Yeah, as long as our Cecil County government's okay with it. We did have our our first fundraiser for this location. Was held in November. It's just this past November. And and that was a great turnout. We had a lot of fun. 

Wendy Beck 46:52
She kind of is experiencing a little bit of what rage is with like not so much, you know, the nimbism not in my backyard. 

Amy Harding 47:02
Yeah, 

Wendy Beck 47:03
even though it's very, very, very different. People just don't necessarily always understand other people are trying to 

Amy Harding 47:12
what 

Wendy Beck 47:12
accomplish, especially in the recovery. So unfortunately, you know, we all have to deal with 

Amy Harding 47:20
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 47:21
that. 

Amy Harding 47:21
I try to remind myself that when someone comes at me aggressively or with the attitude not in my backyard or with an eye roll or whatever the case may be, it's because they hear the word addiction. 

Rich Bennett 47:40
It's mm-hmm. 

Amy Harding 47:40
Such as the dog rescue or fostering. It's, it's the word addiction. I just have to remember that when somebody's so negative about it, I, I just have to say, 'okay', well I am so happy that you don't understand. 

Rich Bennett 47:58
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 47:59
Because 

Rich Bennett 48:00
not everybody 

Amy Harding 48:01
Not everybody does. And, and that's okay. I just, you know, it shouldn't be this 

Rich Bennett 48:08
does. 

Amy Harding 48:08
hard 

Rich Bennett 48:08
It 

Amy Harding 48:08
to good 

Rich Bennett 48:09
shouldn't. 

Amy Harding 48:09
in the world. 

Rich Bennett 48:10
But too many people still have that mentality. 

Amy Harding 48:13
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 48:13
That would never, 

Amy Harding 48:14
never happen to our family. That would never happen to you. Right. 

Rich Bennett 48:17
Yes. It had, and we've said it before. Addiction doesn't have a face. 

Amy Harding 48:21
anyone. Right. 

Rich Bennett 48:21
It can happen to 

Amy Harding 48:24
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 48:25
Uh, you think, technically think about it. I'm just going to 

Amy Harding 48:28
go on to 

Rich Bennett 48:29
addiction over all. Everybody has an addiction. Some type of an 

Amy Harding 48:35
addiction. But 

Rich Bennett 48:35
what we're seeing 

Amy Harding 48:36
here, 

Rich Bennett 48:38
especially when it comes to addiction, it's probably the biggest one out there. And people 

Amy Harding 48:46
just 

Rich Bennett 48:48
open up your mind and realize it can happen to anybody. 

Amy Harding 48:51
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 48:52
What? I just, 

Wendy Beck 48:52
at any age, 

Rich Bennett 48:53
yeah, 

Wendy Beck 48:53
you 

Rich Bennett 48:53
at 

Wendy Beck 48:53
know, it's 

Rich Bennett 48:54
any, 

Wendy Beck 48:54
not 

Rich Bennett 48:54
oh 

Wendy Beck 48:54
just a 

Rich Bennett 48:54
yeah, 

Wendy Beck 48:55
bunch of teenagers. 

Rich Bennett 48:55
Well, even with newborns now, you think it bad. 

Amy Harding 48:58
Because 

Rich Bennett 48:58
if somebody 

Amy Harding 49:00
has, 

Rich Bennett 49:01
somebody gives birth, but they were still used in or whatever, they've already shown that the new environment. 

Amy Harding 49:09
Right. 

Rich Bennett 49:10
Yeah. But, oh, this is I'm excited about this. 

Amy Harding 49:15
Good. That's, I want to get, 

Rich Bennett 49:16
again, 

Amy Harding 49:16
Wendy. 

Wendy Beck 49:17
I 

Amy Harding 49:18
want to get people excited about it. 

Wendy Beck 49:20
It is. It's cool. It's really 

Rich Bennett 49:22
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 49:22
cool. I mean, you know, okay, I have a dog, which you everybody knows. I have a dog. He's my first dog ever. As an adult, I got him. He's 13 years old now. I had no idea how to train him. He trained me. You know, and he's 

Rich Bennett 49:36
a 

Wendy Beck 49:37
he's a he's a good boy. I mean, he is. We, you know, he's my longest relationship with a man. 

No. But, you know, over time, we kind of learn to, you know, live with each other. Just because he was a he's a very stubborn breed. He's smart. And he, you know, wants it to be his idea. So, you know, when you don't know how to train a dog, you just, 

Amy Harding 50:03
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 50:03
you don't know. 

Amy Harding 50:04
Sure. And when you don't know how to train a dog, dogs are very smart. 

Rich Bennett 50:08
Yes. 

Amy Harding 50:09
So they know, well, okay, I'm just going to sit here and be stubborn. 

Rich Bennett 50:14
They know what they can get away. 

Amy Harding 50:15
Yeah. Oh, sure. Oh, 

Rich Bennett 50:18
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 50:18
sure. Yeah. Absolutely. So it's, it's definitely makes a dog more adoptable when someone online is seeing our social media and they're seeing what this dog 

Wendy Beck 50:30
And 

Amy Harding 50:30
can 

Wendy Beck 50:31
okay, 

Amy Harding 50:31
do. 

Wendy Beck 50:31
so you didn't go over this because I think we went in another direction. What are the commands? Tell me the commands. 

Amy Harding 50:36
So it's sit, it's stay, shake, lay down, go to your place and heal. 

Rich Bennett 50:44
Go to your 

Amy Harding 50:45
bit. 

Rich Bennett 50:45
place. 

Amy Harding 50:46
Yeah. So, which is great. So if somebody's coming to knock on your door or you have company, 

Rich Bennett 50:54
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 50:55
they're just, they look like little yoga mats, basically. So it's something that anyone can, can get. We send them with the dogs when they're adopted. 

Wendy Beck 51:05
Like a little 

Amy Harding 51:05
But a 

Wendy Beck 51:06
carpet or something? Or is it, 

Amy Harding 51:08
Yeah. Well, we use the, we use cut up yoga mats, but anybody can you at home if you're training your dog, you can use a piece of carpet, anything, 

Wendy Beck 51:15
okay, 

Amy Harding 51:16
something that the dog will know 

Wendy Beck 51:17
is there 

Rich Bennett 51:18
right? 

Amy Harding 51:18
is their place. 

Rich Bennett 51:19
A lot of people use a crate which 

Amy Harding 51:20
Yeah. Somebody can, somebody can use a crate. There are dogs that need to be created that are destructive, if you go to work, whatever. But it is, it is training them go to your place so that 

Rich Bennett 51:34
I like that. 

Amy Harding 51:34
when the door bell rings, go to your place and what we train them on location. We'll have to be reinforced in the home. Now we have our vision for the barn that's on our property is part of that is going to have a TV and a couch so that during the downtime of those two hours, if they want to go and watch TV with their dog so the dog will get used to a more home 

Wendy Beck 52:07
Right? 

Amy Harding 52:07
environment. Yep. 

Rich Bennett 52:09
I'm sorry. I thought you meant for the dog's, 'cause I was going to say 

Amy Harding 52:13
that's 

Rich Bennett 52:14
a great idea because dogs love to do 

Amy Harding 52:17
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 52:17
that. 

Amy Harding 52:18
sure, 

Rich Bennett 52:19
ehm. 

Wendy Beck 52:19
Well, hang out with their trainer. 

Amy Harding 52:21
Yeah, and some people don't like their dogs on their furniture, which is fine, but, uh, 

Wendy Beck 52:25
try to stop it. 

Amy Harding 52:26
Yeah, being adopted, 

Rich Bennett 52:28
yeah. 

Amy Harding 52:28
They're, they're going to be, you know, a couch-friendly dog because 

Rich Bennett 52:32
But there are dogs that 

Amy Harding 52:33
they 

Rich Bennett 52:33
just 

Amy Harding 52:33
bond. 

Rich Bennett 52:33
love to watch TV. 

Wendy Beck 52:35
My kitty cat was washing 

Rich Bennett 52:36
My, 

Wendy Beck 52:36
it. Okay. 

Rich Bennett 52:37
my father had a boxer that he got from my younger brother and my father trained this boxer good. That dog would know every time when Walker Texas Ranger would come on. Seriously, he would because at one time my sister was down in Florida watching that the dog is barking like crazy. My father's in bed and my sister asked my father's like, what is wrong with Bowser? Well, do you have Walker on? We don't have, we got Turner Walker Texas Rangers, time for Walker on him wants to watch it. He was fine. 

Dog also needed his ice cream too. And had his own pill. I mean, dogs, 

Wendy Beck 53:20
they could become part of the family. 

Rich Bennett 53:21
Well, they are, they are family, and which, and that's another thing. I wanted to bring up because I'm glad it's the people are in the lab to adopt the dogs. And here's why is because you know, they grow that attachment to that dog and if that dog passes, they may relapse again and that's something you don't want 

Amy Harding 53:46
to 

Rich Bennett 53:47
see happen. 

Amy Harding 53:48
Yeah, that, 

Wendy Beck 53:49
that you never know. I mean, 

Rich Bennett 53:50
well, you don't, yeah, 

Wendy Beck 53:51
there's all kinds of reasons for. 

Rich Bennett 53:52
Well, there are, but I mean, a dog, a dog is family. I mean, I've seen people when they've lost their dogs. 

Wendy Beck 54:01
They're just, oh, yeah, 

Amy Harding 54:02
I've lost some dogs and I mean, I've had dogs my whole life and when, when they pass, it's just it's heartbreaking. 

Rich Bennett 54:10
Oh, it is, it's the last dog I have was probably 20 years ago, and I've growing up, I've always, always had a dog. And I had to have her put down. I couldn't even take her into that because we were, had just had that attachment. 

Amy Harding 54:27
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 54:29
something with rescue dogs. I don't know what it is, but she was a rescue. 

Amy Harding 54:33
I always say that rescue dogs, they have this appreciation. 

Rich Bennett 54:37
Yes, 

Amy Harding 54:39
that is very um, tangible. 

Rich Bennett 54:42
Yeah, it just, she was, oh man. I'm sorry. 

Wendy Beck 54:49
So tell us where we can find out more information about Ethan's hope. 

Amy Harding 54:54
So you can find, we have a website page that's Ethan's hope. Pause in hands.com. And on our website, you can.com 

Rich Bennett 55:04
or dot work, 

okay.com. 

Amy Harding 55:08
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 55:08
Okay. 

Amy Harding 55:08
And through our website, then you can find our Facebook page or Instagram page. And that's, you know, the website is the website, not much has changed besides addresses since we started it. But our social media pages like Facebook, Instagram, um, you'll see videos and pictures of the 

Wendy Beck 55:32
Yeah, 

Amy Harding 55:32
dog. 

Wendy Beck 55:32
I just saw the new dogs. I was like, oh, 

Amy Harding 55:35
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 55:36
And you guys are 501c3. 

Amy Harding 55:38
We are yeah. And we do, um, if there are people in recovery that, you know, they, they've tangled with the law. Some get in trouble. Um, if you're in our program, we have written letters to judges. I've, I've gone to court and sat there and spoke, you know, for our trainers, um, that are in our program because people need to be reminded that someone that is actively, you know, reaching for that second chance. And, and, you know, committing to a program like ours is the judge needs to see that. 

Wendy Beck 56:17
And I think that we have realized that there's not one size fits all recovery. And you know, you have your treatment, and then you have your IOPs, and the actual, you know, I always call that that, you know, like the stabilization, when someone gets into recovery, they're kind of like, okay, they're under protected sobriety, and then they get to leave, and it's their choice to pick what they want next, and there's not really that many options. That sober living is, I think, a wonderful option. I think that a lot of people can benefit from it, and if you're not in a rush to get back to something, you know, of course if you have kids, I understand that, but, you know, starting over, you need to give yourself the grace to be able to do that, but as far as, like, different options for recovery programs, there's not that many. You're inventing something that's a home like equan therapy's been there for a while, but it's not, to my knowledge, as intense as this. 

Amy Harding 57:18
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 57:19
it can cause at the wild zoo, I think. 

Wendy Beck 57:21
You're 

Amy Harding 57:21
good. That's good. We want, we welcome it. 

Rich Bennett 57:25
You're gonna need to write like a guidebook on how to do this. 

Amy Harding 57:30
on. I'm in the process 

Rich Bennett 57:31
Oh, come 

Amy Harding 57:32
just so that I hand it to 

Wendy Beck 57:37
the trainers. 

Amy Harding 57:38
Well, now, to hand to the other states that 

Wendy Beck 57:41
I'm 

Amy Harding 57:42
asking about it, because I don't want, I mean, anybody can do this, but it's easier for them to have the guidebook. 

Rich Bennett 57:50
Yeah. 

Amy Harding 57:51
So I'm, like I said, in the future, we're very open to having them come under the Ethan's Hope umbrella, but if any organization wants to do it on their own, I would hand it over 

Rich Bennett 58:08
easily, 

Amy Harding 58:09
because I hope that there's, I hope it's in every state. I want this to, I want people to have access to it. I'm seeing a very, I only get to see a small number of people that are in their recovery journey, that join our program, but I know that there's millions out there that just need this new path of hope. 

Rich Bennett 58:33
Yes, 

Amy Harding 58:33
because there's so many just like my son that the standard, you know, program that rehabs go by. I'm not saying anything negative about them because they do work. They've been proven to work. It just wasn't something that caught that captured 

Wendy Beck 58:51
Well, 

Amy Harding 58:51
my 

Wendy Beck 58:52
and 

Amy Harding 58:52
son. 

Wendy Beck 58:52
let's, let's just, you know, take a little bit of a look at what you're saying here. A rehab like I said, 

Amy Harding 58:58
that's your stable. 

Wendy Beck 59:00
that's where you go. That's where you go to detox to understand your disease. It does not cure you. 

Rich Bennett 59:06
No, 

Wendy Beck 59:06
No, it does not. It's what you do after that, kind of like aftermarket on a vehicle, you know, like what, what pieces do you need to fix what's going on? And, you know, again, in sober living, or equan therapy, regular therapy, this type of program that you're doing, and then we have, I don't 

Rich Bennett 59:24
K 

Wendy Beck 59:24
have 

Rich Bennett 59:25
nine therapy. 

Wendy Beck 59:27
K nine therapy 

Rich Bennett 59:28
that's 

Wendy Beck 59:28
made 

Rich Bennett 59:28
technically what it is. 

Wendy Beck 59:30
And then there's, there's farm based recovery as well, which we have won in Hartford County. I'm not sure you're familiar with them, or not. And, you know, different people respond to different things and animals are a big deal to people. 

Amy Harding 59:47
Yeah. I really think that key to recovery is finding something that you're passionate about, finding something. And some people, it's like changing one addiction to the other. Some people get addicted to going to the gym. Some people get addicted to religion. Some people, it seems like if you dive into something that I see longer recovery periods. From people. 

And I believe that we're all here for a purpose. And just like how I feel now, if I have to be in this world without my child. I need to have a purpose here. And my purpose is I want to uplift people. I want to, I want to help the people that struggled like my son. And if I wasn't around and my son was here struggling, I would hope that other people would want to uplift him and help him through his journey. Sorry, I'm getting emotional. But my son saw something 

that he knew would work because it helped him calm him. I obviously didn't save his life. But he hoped that this program would save his peers. When he would stay in a rehab, because he left rehabs early, 

Rich Bennett 1:01:24
Right. 

Amy Harding 1:01:24
or he would go missing, when he would stay in a rehab, it seemed like those times he stayed because he felt someone else in that rehab needed him, whether it be to make them laugh, or just to hang out with, or he just, that was his heart. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:46
Right. 

Amy Harding 1:01:47
So I'm just determined to keep this program going, to keep it growing, to share it with other people that they can do it wherever they are, and a lot of the men that were in our program and had to go back to other states that were far away, are volunteering at their local shelters, doing what they learned how to do while they were with Ethan's Hope. So 

Wendy Beck 1:02:15
do they receive any kind of certification? Have you created like something, just, 

Amy Harding 1:02:20
no, not certification, 

Wendy Beck 1:02:22
Ethan's Hope's, you know, you're, 

Amy Harding 1:02:24
yeah. 

Wendy Beck 1:02:25
Soap trainer? 

Amy Harding 1:02:25
that would be a great idea to do that, the only thing that we've done so far is the referral letters about their 

Wendy Beck 1:02:33
Right, 

Amy Harding 1:02:34
time as a trainer with our organization. 

Wendy Beck 1:02:36
Right, which is basically the same. 

Amy Harding 1:02:38
Mm-hmm. 

Wendy Beck 1:02:38
Okay, 

Amy Harding 1:02:39
and we also sign off on community hours that are needed, 

Wendy Beck 1:02:42
okay, 

Amy Harding 1:02:42
for men and women. 

Wendy Beck 1:02:43
Well, that's good to know too. It's good to 

Rich Bennett 1:02:46
know. Did you want to do the 

Amy Harding 1:02:47
question? 

Rich Bennett 1:02:47
last 

Wendy Beck 1:02:48
Sure, you want to do 

Rich Bennett 1:02:49
it? Oh, you want me to do it? 

Amy Harding 1:02:51
Oh 

Rich Bennett 1:02:53
no, it's easy. Actually, do you have anything to add before we get to the last question? 

Amy Harding 1:02:58
No, I'm just, I just want to thank you both for this opportunity and thank everyone for listening and if it's not with Ethan's Hope, just find something that you're passionate about, that you can donate to whether it's through finance or time and just find joy in every day by uplifting someone else that maybe in need. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:20
And where do people go again to donate or become a sponsor? 

Amy Harding 1:03:24
So they can go to our website at ethenshopepauseenhands.com. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:29
Is ends spelled out? 

Amy Harding 1:03:31
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:31
Okay. 

Amy Harding 1:03:32
Yeah, in, in title of our name, the answer the symbols. But, and if you're, if you're on just want to find us on Facebook, it's ethenshopepauseenhands rescues and recoveries. And you have to type out at least ethenshopepauseenhands because there's a lot of other ethenshope 

Rich Bennett 1:03:51
where 

Amy Harding 1:03:51
it ends out there. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:53
Okay, so those of you listening do so. All right, this is easy. Pick a number between one and 100. 

Amy Harding 1:04:00
23. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:04
Really? 

Amy Harding 1:04:05
Yeah, that was 

Wendy Beck 1:04:07
the 

Amy Harding 1:04:07
age of my son when he passed. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:09
Okay, this is just too weird because the last person I had on picked that number. 

Amy Harding 1:04:13
Oh, really? 

Rich Bennett 1:04:14
Yes. 

Amy Harding 1:04:14
Maybe it's a lucky 

Rich Bennett 1:04:15
number? It might be. Did it look to see if it's an angel in 

them? 

Really? 23? 

Amy Harding 1:04:25
You want me to go to with another one? 

Rich Bennett 1:04:27
All right, so what's a part of yourself that you're still exploring or trying to understand? And actually with 

Wendy Beck 1:04:35
I 

Rich Bennett 1:04:35
everything, 

Wendy Beck 1:04:35
don't think it's good. 

Amy Harding 1:04:37
Yeah. I would say 

the biggest thing that I'm exploring right now is how grief can affect my faith. I was raised in a Christian home. I am a Christian. I believe in God and Jesus and heaven, the promise of heaven. And when I lost my son, I was very angry with God. I questioned my faith until I realized, okay, well, if you're still screaming cusses up at God and fighting with him daily, then he's there and he's listening. And my grief is still very raw, but even in my anger with God and and questioning my faith, I can see how God is is putting all the puzzle pieces in place to allow this program to grow. The people that he puts in my life, like you two are a perfect example. Rage against addiction. People that work with Wendy also helped, even though that their focus is on women, they were so gracious years ago when I knew nothing. 

… on, uh, resources, giving me resources, helping Ethan get beds in rehabs, uh, that probably saved Ethan's life at the time. And to be sitting now doing a podcast with Wendy back the founder of Ragey. Jen, like, 

Wendy Beck 1:06:25
My glam, 

Amy Harding 1:06:27
but I mean it's, it's, that's a puzzle piece to me that is 

Rich Bennett 1:06:31
yeah. 

Amy Harding 1:06:32
god, you know, working and making something that was a horrible tragedy in our lives in my family's lives and now seeing because of Ethan's vision, even though he's not here. He helped so many people through his journey and this was his vision and I never would have thought of this. I never, this was not what I wanted for my lot in life. You know, my husband and I want to retire and travel and we're going to be doing this, but because of everything that's happened, I have such a strong desire and motivation in my heart to help a Of those that are struggling with the same things that my son did whether it's addiction and the combination of addiction and mental illness and helping other families that are just starting their journey with a loved one that I remember that feeling of not knowing anything, not knowing who to call where to go, um, what to do. So to be able to be a sounding board for the newbies in, in, you know, the addiction journey is I can't say anything else that but that it's God working a tragedy for good. And I know that I'll see my son one day. 

Wendy Beck 1:08:08
We appreciate you coming in here. I know it's hard and it is very, you know, raw like you said and it does get better. It shifts. It doesn't mean that you're not going to miss him. It doesn't mean that, you know, he wasn't somebody that, a great significance in your life. But when you have this greater purpose, it was given to you for a reason because someone knew that you were going to be able 

Amy Harding 1:08:37
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 1:08:37
to. And I believe that wholeheartedly because I would have never imagined myself in the situation that I am and still even today, I'm like, I don't want to do this anymore, but, you know, there's a purpose that behind it that keeps, that keeps the organization going. And it's not always easy 

Amy Harding 1:08:54
every day. 

Wendy Beck 1:08:55
I still cry. I sat at your, your dining room table, and I cried my eyes out when I was there. I was like, Oh my gosh. It's been 10 years, and I don't allow myself to do that. But it was a safe space. And, you know, 

Amy Harding 1:09:07
And 

Wendy Beck 1:09:07
and I appreciate 

Amy Harding 1:09:08
I create a safe space for everyone that steps on our property. And I, I'm going to keep fighting addiction so that another mom doesn't have to bury their child, or another sibling doesn't have to, you know, get married without their best man, you 

Rich Bennett 1:09:28
that. 

Amy Harding 1:09:28
know? 

Wendy Beck 1:09:30
And we talked about this when I was there, and the tragedy of it is that it affects generations to come in your family. You know, we're still healing from it, you know, you're just going to heal from it for the rest of your life. 

Amy Harding 1:09:45
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 1:09:46
And it's going to look different each day. 

Amy Harding 1:09:48
Yeah, Ethan's girlfriend at the time, found out she was pregnant three days after Ethan passed away. And, um, now Ronin is going to be celebrating his second birthday tomorrow. 

Wendy Beck 1:10:02
Oh, 

Amy Harding 1:10:03
and to see that little man walk around this location and play with the dogs, and just, you know, he gets first thing he gets up in the morning, and we have two dogs that, their mom is in treatment right now. And their names are Scooby and Daphne. And the first thing he does when he wakes up is Scooby. Nini, like he just wants to go down and and see those dogs and Ronin is going to know his dad through this program. And he's going to know his dad because he might not have his dad, but he's got so far. He's got, you know, 36 men that ask about Ronin all the time. And he's going to meet women that are going to love on him when they're at our location. And it's Ethan's legacy and it's in Ronin and it's in this program. 

Rich Bennett 1:11:06
Thank you for listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and learned something from it as I did. If you'd like to hear more conversations like this, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. And if you have a moment, I'd love it if you could leave a review. It helps us reach more listeners and share more incredible stories. Don't forget to connect with us on social media or visit our website at ConversationsWithRichBentit.com for updates, giveaways and more. Until next time, take care, be kind, and keep the conversations going. You know, it takes a lot to put a podcast together. together, And my sponsors help add a lot. But I also have some supporters that actually help me when it comes to the editing software, the hosting, and so forth. There's a lot that goes into putting this together. So I want to thank them. And if you can, please, please visit their websites, visit their businesses, support them however you can. So please visit the following. Full Full Circle Boards. Nobody does charcuterie, like full circle boards. Visit them at fullcircleboards.com, Sincerely, Sincerely sincerely so your photography. Live in the moment. They'll capture it. Visit them at sincerelysoyer.com. The Jopitan Lines Club, serve in the community since 1965. Visit them at jopitanlinesclub. org. And don't forget the e at the end of Jopitan because they're extraordinary.