Help Needed!

I received this from Sister Jo. I was wondering if you could post it on your blog--maybe some people remember David (Kilowatt) and Liz Donohue and would like to help them. Thank you for considering this request. Maria Sammis Vonderheid Dear friends, We just went through our list of contacts and pulled out your names, either because we think you might know David (Kilowatt) and Liz Donohue or because we're thinking you might have some ideas how to help them, or that you just might be looking for someone to share with this thanksgiving or know of others who might be able to help them. Some of you we may have already contacted about their situation, but we just included you anyway in this email. Liz and David live in Skokie, Illinois (north of Chicago). David was electrician on Kelly Miller for many years and was 20 yrs on the road with circuses. Liz was on KM as cook a couple of seasons and that is where they met. David has had alot of medical issues in the past few years and has been unable to work. He receives SSI. Liz worked for years at Seabury Anglican Seminary in Evanston until they had to downsize because of lack of students (she worked in the Admissions Dept). She has been hunting for work for 2 1/2 yrs now, but as you all know, it's pretty rough right now. She had unemployment until it was cut last April or May ... and keeps hoping the government will come up with a solution for all the folks the cuts have hurt. But meanwhile, they are having great difficulty to pay their rent ($885 a month). With the help of some friends they have managed so far but have November's rent still looming in front of them as well as the fear of possible eviction. In April Liz will be able to draw her social security ... and with that they should be able to make their rent payments and manage. It's the meantime that is the problem. If you should have any ideas for them or can help them in any way, here is how you can be in touch with them: David and Liz Donohue 4850 Wright Terrace #2 A Skokie, IL 60077 (847) 983-8160 [email protected] And, of course, don't hesitate to write or call us if you need. We ran out of ideas of how to help and thought to ask you. We realize you may not be able to help with funds, but we thought you would like to know so you can keep them in your prayers. Our thanksgiving wishes to each of you, Gratefully, Jo and Priscilla

From Don Covington

Retired circus elephant spreads tuberculosis to workers at Tennessee's Elephant Sanctuary A tuberculosis outbreak among workers at a Tennessee elephant sanctuary in 2009 is being blamed on one of the pachyderms, even though some of the employees didn't have close contact with the animal.Elephants can carry TB, and there have been reports of them spreading it to people who touch them. In this instance, TB spread to eight employees, though three of them didn't work directly with the elephant, according to a report released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The three worked in an administrative building next to an elephant barn at the refuge in Hohenwald, about 85 miles southwest of Nashville. The 2,700-acre Elephant Sanctuary was founded in 1995 as a place for old, sick and rescued elephants.One elephant in the barn -- a female Asian elephant named Liz -- had been diagnosed with tuberculosis. Investigators believe the TB bacteria spread through the air when the elephant sneezed, or through pressure washing or dust from sweeping the barn of the elephant's waste.The eight employees tested positive on a skin test and received treatment, but are not sick or hazardous to others, sanctuary officials said in a statement Wednesday.Liz the elephant received treatment and is still alive, said Dr. William Schaffner, the sanctuary's president. According to the refuge's website, Liz was a circus elephant for many years, has been at the sanctuary since 2006 and is about 54 years old.Schaffner, a nationally known expert on infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University, is also one of the authors of the new report in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. Other researchers are from the CDC and the Tennessee Department of Health. The authors called for better methods for diagnosing TB in elephants and more measures to protect employees from infection.Schaffner said the sanctuary has made several changes, including increased use of breathing devices. He said he hopes the refuge becomes a center for studying TB in elephants and how it spreads.This week, the sanctuary filed court papers claiming its co-founder and former CEO, Carol Buckley, created a hostile work environment and was lax about workers' health at the site.Sanctuary officials claimed Buckley failed to implement infection controls for elephant caregivers as regulators suggested before the workers tested positive for TB.The claim was in response to a lawsuit filed by Buckley in October. Buckley -- who was fired last year -- is seeking $500,000 in damages and visitation rights to one of the sanctuary's elephants.

From Don Covington

Water-skiing elephant dies Queenie and Liz Dane water-ski at DeLeon Springs in 1959. Queenie died Monday at Wild Adventures Water & Theme Park in Valdosta, Ga. Dane believes the Siamese elephant was 58. (Liz Dane) Somehow, Liz Dane's dad knew. When Bill Green brought his daughter, then 9, from their New England home to the Trefflich Pet Store in Lower Manhattan in 1953, he knew she'd fall in love with the baby elephant that was to be presented to her. She did. She took one look at Queenie. "I told dad, 'That's what I want,' " Dane recalled Tuesday. And the family brought the Thailand-born elephant home, where they trained her for circus tricks, including the one that made her famous, water-skiing. Queenie died Monday at Wild Adventures Water & Theme Park in Valdosta, Ga. Dane believes the Siamese elephant was 58. The pachyderm had retired from a life of circus service in 2001. A highlight was her appearances on water skis, actually two pontoons welded together, along with Dane at what is now DeLeon Springs State Park. Queenie and Dane worked up and down the East Coast, doing lots of shows for troops and during the holidays. They developed a bond. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Queenie joined a show put on by the late water-skiing hall-of-famer Jim Rusing. She performed with Dane and Rusing's wife, Marj. Queenie was fun in those days, Marj Rusing recalled in a 2009 interview with News-Journal columnist Ronald Williamson. She enjoyed going into the water and spraying it with her trunk. And Dane had much to do with her training. "When you typically see an elephant in a circus, you see a guy giving commands to the elephants and the girls are there for flash," Dane said. "But when Queenie and I performed, it was just she and I alone in the ring." Dane's father died in 1965. Her family kept the elephant for a couple more years, before deciding to sell her to an elephant performance team based in Michigan in 1967. She joined Circus Gatti in 1981 and performed for another 20 years before retiring at Wild Adventures. Dane had lost track of her childhood elephant friend until a burning desire to find out whatever had happened to Queenie led her and her son to search for her. In 2005, Dane -- now a grandmother in Concord, N.H. -- flew to Georgia to reunite with Queenie at Wild Adventures. "She remembered me," Dane said. "She had grown apprehensive of strangers, so when we first got to Wild Adventures, we approached the elephant area, (and) were separated from the elephants by a railroad tie and a cable of fence. We weren't sure what we should do. She definitely showed signs of recognition. "When we saw it was safe for me to go into the enclosure, she put her trunk on my face and on my arm, and soon she appeared content and was rumbling, which is kind of like an elephant's version of a cat purring. "You hear an elephant never forgets," she said. "It's true." Dane returned to see Queenie every year since, remaking a connection few people can claim -- visiting a childhood pet decades later.

From Kari Johnson

Your Opposition to a Ban on Circuses and Rodeos is Urgently Needed. Please pass this on and write a letter to help save circuses and rodeos! _____________________________________________________________________ SANTA CLARA COUNTY TO CONSIDER A BAN OF CIRCUSES AND RODEOS. On February 12, 2008 starting at 9:30 AM, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will hold an advisory hearing considering a ban of rodeos and circuses that use animals in the entire county. A second and final meeting will be held around the end of March. Your attendance is important for the opposition of this ordinance as the number of people will influence the outcome. It is very important to call/fax/email/write to each and all the Supervisors in opposition to the ban at the addresses below before February 12, 2008. Please be courteous and brief in your letters and calls. WHO TO CONTACT: by mail: Board of Supervisors Address 70 West Hedding St. San Jose, CA 95110 by Fax: 408-298-8460 Attention: Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Sample Letter/Fax: RE: Opposition to a ban on circuses and rodeos Dear Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, Please do not to ban circuses and rodeos in Santa Clara County. The animal rights activists behind this ban do not speak for the majority of the American public. We wish to preserve our right to enjoy the tradition of animals in entertainment. There are laws and ordinances in place to protect animals and as long as the animals are well cared for there is no reason for a ban on circus and rodeo. Please vote no. Sincerely; BOARD OF SUPERVISORS E-MAIL AND PHONE CONTACT INFORMATION: SUPERVISORS: Don Gage (408) 299-5010 [email protected] Blanca Alvarado (408) 299-5020 [email protected] Pete McHugh (408) 299-5030 [email protected] Ken Yeager (408) 299-5040 [email protected] Liz Kniss (408) 299-5050 [email protected] Kari and Gary Johnson Have Trunk Will Travel, Inc. 951-943-9227 [email protected] www.havetrunkwilltravel

From Liz Dane #1

Jim%20Rusing%20with%20water-skiing%20elephant, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Buckles - Do you have any idea as to the name of this elephant and who owned her? The picture was taken on the shore of Lake of the Ozarks, in Missouri. The time frame could possibly have been in the vicinity of 1965. The gentleman in the bathing trunks is Jim Rusing who, I've been told by his widow, Marj, trained eight different elephants to water-ski. My Queenie was one of them, but she is not the elephant in this picture. Thanks! Liz From Buckles: "No I sure don't. I would think that the trainer is the gentleman on the far side. Eight elephants are a lot. Good to hear from you again."

Hamms Beer #4

Hamms-5, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Using the money they earned doing TV commercials, Earl and his wife Liz to bought a string of saddle horses and started “Holidays on Horseback,” a concession that offered guided trail rides into Cuyamaca State Park, which borders on Descanso. (When the movie CITY SLICKERS came out, they became the focus of much local media attention and did boom business as a result!) Earl (seen here riding my horse Bart) and Liz later sold their business and moved to Pinedale, Arizona, where Earl passed away a few years ago after a long battle with leukemia.

#17 Family Pix

"Queenie" and Green's daughter Liz.

From Don Covington

Ringmaster Norman Barrett inducted into circus hall of fame Published Monday 25 July 2011 at 10:18 by Liz Arratoon British ringmaster Norman Barrett has been inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame, one of the circus world’s highest honours. The announcement was made at the Hall of Fame’s annual Circus Greats awards dinner and induction ceremony in Peru, Indiana in the US on July 23.Barrett, now 75 years old, said: “I am honoured and delighted to receive this accolade both for myself and for British circus in general. I’m fortunate that I love what I do. I love every performance and never get bored because the audiences are always different.”The accolade comes a year after the Blackpool-based ringmaster was awarded an MBE.Barrett first appeared in the ring at the age of 12 in Harry Cody’s Circus, working with Cody as a clown. His career includes 25 years at Blackpool Tower Circus - 17 of them with Charlie Cairoli - six at Blackpool’s Superdome and two with New York’s Big Apple Circus. He has been ringmaster with Zippos Circus since 2001, where he also presents his signature budgerigar act.The Hall of Fame was established in Sarasota in 1957 and moved to Peru in 1985. Inductees’ circus achievements must be “stellar, inspirational, unique and legendary”.

"Big Burma" #1 (From Liz Dane)

With Mills Bros. Circus

From Liz Dane #6

Scan00000010019, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. (For those unaware, this is Lalea Ray, Barbara's mother.) Buckles

Banner Line #7

Banner-1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. "This may be 1952, the year I put up the banner line and sold side show tickets. Mel Lewis making a bally, with Llama Liz accompanied by Charles Weathersby and his Syncopators." Buckles

Hoochie! Coochie! Rootie! Tootie!

Mel Lewis and Llama Liz accompanied by Charles Weathersby and his Dixieland Band.

From Liz Dane #2

Scan00000010025, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. "Queenie and me waterskiing at Ponce De Leon Springs at Ponce De Leon Springs, Florida in 1958-59. (I might add that Ms Dane is the daughter of the late Bill Green owner of the Rare Bird & Animal Farm- Fairlee, Vermont) Buckles

From Elizabeth Dane

Buckles – Loved seeing your Blog with Queenie yesterday. Please let Barbara know I still think of her mother quite often! She was “Madam Ray” or “Mrs. Ray” to me. Never “Lottie” or “Lolly” as my Dad used to call her. Liz "Mrs. Ray and her Seven Rays Of Sunshine. Buckles

Kelly-Miller Spec 1950's #10

Scan000010608 - Copy, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. And away we go! The lady was known as Llama Liz. Some of you Dailey Show people might remember her.

Liz Dane with "Queenie"

From Liz Dane #5

Scan00000010016, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. "Appearing at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach."

Leo The Lion!

I am looking for information on Volney Phifer (1898-1974) best known as the trainer for MGM's Leo the Lion. I noticed some comments back in 2009 about Earl Hammond and his connection with Volney. I knew both and am in contact with Liz's daughters. We are all trying to find more info on Volney and the correct info on Leo as there are many versions. Any help anyone can give, any photos, any contacts would be very appreciated. I can be contacted directly at [email protected]

From Liz Dane #7

Scan00000010020, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Liz Dane #4

Scan00000010017, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.