If you want a best friend, you should get a dog.
That’s how it all began a few years ago (2021) when Wadsworth Community Radio co-host Tom Stugmyer fell in love with a 25-pound Aussie-doodle and named him Augie.
The very next day, Tom brought his new best buddy to work with him and the rest is history.
Over the days, weeks, months and now years, Augie has become a Wadsworth Community Radio staple. Almost like our mascot, ready to greet every guest who walks in our door.
Tom has taught Augie so much, and perhaps Augie has taught Tom even more. Augie barks and Tom meets his every command!
Some time ago, Tom built Augie a little window bench behind his seat inside the studio so his best furry buddy could look outside while he worked. That’s when Augie really started to become a celebrity.
Sometimes Augie barks at passersby, who usually wave or come up to the window. His joy has even spread to the street, where traffic stops at the light to wave and smile at the doggie in the window.
Recently, someone took a photo of “the radio dog” in the window and posted it in the Wadsworth Neighbors Facebook group, saying how it makes her day seeing him!
The post received more than 360 reactions and dozens of comments. One of my favorites was a parent saying she and her son drive by and have named him Snowball because they didn’t know his real name!
Bus drivers and kids look over and wave to Augie with great delight weekday mornings! It seems many people now look for him in the Wadsworth Community Radio studio window on their way to school and work.
Michael Izzo, a third grade student from Sacred Heart School in Wadsworth, is interested in journalism and told his teacher about Augie. He then asked if they could find out more information about him and write a story! So, the school contacted us at the radio station and Tom and I excitedly got to talk with a second and third grade class about broadcasting and journalism — and of course, we brought Augie!
Augie strutted his stuff around all the kids, showing off his tricks with his doggy daddy and giving puppy kisses and jumps to so many students! It made all of our hearts soar seeing the joy one little dog brings.
It was exciting to know so many students have an interest in journalism, which is part of Sacred Heart’s enrichment electives. There are 12 students participating in The Tiger Times Jr., the school’s newsletter, this quarter. Michael is one of the staff writers and his piece on Augie was published on Friday! We absolutely love the article and the quote from Tom that Michael used in his story, which you can enjoy below!
At Sacred Heart School, journalism students of the youngest age are taught the three most important reasons you write: to educate, to entertain, to inform. The questions the kids asked were so insightful, fun and curious! My favorite was the first question asked: “What was the most important story you ever covered?”
That was such a GREAT question! My response was when the Wadsworth High School girls basketball team won the state championship a number of years ago because of the excitement it brought everyone who lives in Wadsworth and all of the fun events to celebrate afterward.
In the end, I think a furry friend and the student can teach us so much: A dog brings joy you just can’t get enough of — and happiness comes from noticing and enjoying the little things throughout life.
