Jack Curtis, living the dream of 6-year-old boys nationwide, spent his birthday meeting and playing with local police dogs, cars and their handlers Thursday, but not without giving a gift himself.
The Vancouver boy, who turned 6 that day, decided he wanted to give his birthday money to the Vancouver Police Department’s K-9 program.
As Jack and his sister, 4-year-old Emma, bounced between playing with dogs, fiddling with patrol car lights and sirens and talking to officers, their mother, Barbie Curtis, explained that she and her husband are trying to teach the kids about charity and giving.
“We decided, after they turn 5, that we weren’t going to do birthday parties and presents,” Barbie Curtis said, adding that the kids find ways to get what they want other times of the year anyway.
They decided they’d take Jack out to an animal shelter or show him some other worthy cause and let him think about it, she said.
“And then he heard about Ike and said, ‘I wanna help the dogs.’ So that’s what we’re doing,” Barbie Curtis said.
Ike, a Belgian Malinois serving with the department, was killed in the line of duty in early September while pursuing a suspect.
Jack, she said, has always loved dogs. The family has a labradoodle and a Yorkie at home.
“His first word was ‘doggie,’ ” Jack’s mom said. “He’s just been obsessed with policemen and firemen, he’s going to be a policeman for Halloween. He loves everything about it.”
Through a connection in the department, the Curtis family learned that a training session for police dogs from around the county was planned for the same day as Jack’s birthday at the SEH America Inc. campus, and Vancouver police invited Jack to stop by.
Jack’s mom and dad decided the cause was important enough for them to chip in too, giving $500.
Since Ike’s death, the department’s K-9 fund has received at least $40,000 in donations. Acquiring a new police dog can cost between $8,000 to $10,000, not including training costs and other expenses.
Curtis said she’s thinking about making an event out of it; when Jack or Emma start having birthday parties with friends, the families can make it a fundraising project, instead of exchanging gifts.
“That way it’s something special to do every year and they’re giving back. And not growing up to be spoiled brats,” she said. “We just emphasize giving back, and he just loves this idea.”
Jack, who attends Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, said he spent his birthday at school, where he got Skittles and other treats.
He said he heard about Ike and the police dogs because his grandfather was a police officer.
“I wanted to be on the newspaper,” he said.
When they were done with the dogs, he said they were going to spend time on the family putting green, play Connect Four and eat pizza.
