Page 33 - Leisure Living Magazine: June 2020 Edition

Lucky’s Legacy: Important Lessons TurfMutt Taught Us
Lucky the TurfMutt is a real-life rescue dog who “pawed it forward” by spending a decade educating children and families about living landscapes—why they are import- ant to people and the planet, how to take care of them, and encourag- ing everyone to get out and enjoy the nature around them. Lucky in- spired people to look at their living landscapes through a dog’s eyes.
Lucky, who was rescued from
a busy Indianapolis roadway 13
years ago by Kris Kiser, President &
CEO of the Outdoor Power Equip-
ment Institute (OPEI), inspired the
TurfMutt environmental steward-
ship and education program. The
program has reached 70 million
students, teachers, and families since its inception.
“TurfMutt provided the vision to see that or- dinary home yards, parks, and school yards have a larger purpose than just our human one,” said Kiser. “They are suburban and urban habitat that supports our ecology and climate, provide homes and food for pollinators and wildlife, and give us a safe and healthy place to play, relax and de-stress.”
Lucky recently passed away while working at the office of the TurfMutt Foundation, which will carry on his mission. Here are the top lessons that Lucky—a dog who lived a full and purpose-driven life—leaves as his legacy.
• Anyone can be a backyard superhero like TurfMutt. Lucky went from being a street dog to a backyard superhero that inspired others, no matter their age, to appreciate and care for living landscapes. Over the last decade, environmental education lessons that support science, technolo- gy, engineering, and math (STEM) standards were distributed to children in grades K-8 through part- ners Weekly Reader, Discovery Education, and Scholastic. Lucky was animated and “cartoonized” in activities and videos.
• Sometimes street dogs become stars. Lucky the TurfMutt appeared on the award-win-
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Lucky the TurfMutt, a real-life rescue dog who educated people about living landscapes.
ning show, “Lucky Dog,” for three seasons along- side Brandon McMillan and Kiser. The TurfMutt program also sponsored the TV show “Ready, Set, Pet.” Lucky’s story was highlighted in Parade mag- azine and featured in a chapter for a 2018 National Geographic book, “Love Unleashed: Tales of Inspi- ration and the Life-Changing Power of Dogs.”
• Being an “outsider” is good for you. Lucky taught by example that getting out and enjoying living landscapes (i.e. being an “outsider”) is the best way to reap the many health and well-being rewards that green space offers.
• Adopt, don’t shop. Animal rescue is part of the TurfMutt education equation. The Turf- Mutt program hosts its annual pet adoption event, Lucky’s Mutt Madness in Louisville, Kentucky, at GIE+EXPO the leading trade show in the outdoor power, landscape and hardscape industries.
• Paw-tnerships are important. Every good superhero has a sidekick, and the TurfMutt pro- gram forged many strategic partnerships over the years. TurfMutt has been listed as a resource by the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
For living landscape facts, tips and fun learn- ing activities from TurfMutt, visit www.TurfMutt. com.
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