The First Time I Met Pagey

By Sandy Cody

During the time I was president of ARFF (1996-1998), my strongest wish for the club was to find a better practice site. We were practicing on the hard-packed dirt of a church parking lot in Wayland where we had to pack and unpack equipment every time we wanted to practice. The space was adequate but tight and narrow.

In the Jan/Feb 1997 ARFF newsletter, I asked members to be on the lookout for a dream practice site. Not long after that, Janet Kennedy called me to tell me about a longtime friend from Carlisle with whom she shared a love of dogs. Janet told her friend about training her Irish Terrier Kevy to do agility at our classes in Wayland. Her friend was fascinated and wanted to try agility with her Golden Retriever Tammy, but since she was in her 80s, she didn’t want to drive that far.

Janet’s friend asked her if some club members might bring some equipment over to her farm and introduce her to agility. Janet made the call to me and within the hour I met the most wonderful person I have ever had the pleasure to know.

That was Rachel Page Elliott. From the outset, Pagey struck me as a kind, open person who welcomed me into her home as if she had known me for years. Janet and I had the most fantastic conversation with her—telling her all about our dogs and agility. We spoke about ARFF and she invited us to come to her farm and use the upper pasture as our practice field for the next year and then we would see how it worked out. Well, ARFF is still at the farm, and we thank Pagey for her generosity every day for that. ARFF has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with Pagey and the entire Elliott family who have been so helpful in so many ways.

Pagey was the first student in our first classes at the farm. Pagey and Tammy went on to earn their AKC Novice agility title.

I enjoyed a wonderful relationship with Pagey and her family. For me, going to her farm was not just about going to practice agility, but to visit with a person who made me feel like family and allowed me to experience a bit of farm life that I had always dreamed about.

Pagey will always be in our hearts. We miss you…