Boy who donated horse wins Be KOOL award

The Chandler Republic
Jan. 29, 2008 08:16 AM

A sixth-grader who attends Shumway Elementary in Chandler is the latest Valley student to be selected as a Fulton Homes Be KOOL, Stay in School nominee.

Andrew Jentlie is the program's winner for the week of Jan. 28-Feb. 3 and is now eligible to compete for a $4,000 college scholarship.

Andrew, who was nominated by his great aunt, was diagnosed with Type 1 juvenile diabetes at age 9. He was featured in a Chandler Republic story last year after he decided to donate his miniature pet horse, Zig-Zag, to an auction to raise money for diabetes research. The horse garnered a winning bid of $6,000. The winners then decided to give the horse back to Andrew, who still has him.

The Fulton Homes program accepts student nominations throughout the school year, choosing weekly winners who are all eligible for a $4,000 college scholarship, awarded at the end of the academic school year.

Valley residents can nominate students currently enrolled in sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Information: www.fultonhomes.com, click on Fulton Foundation and then click Youth Education.

Chandler boy parts with pal to help fight diabetes

Eugene Mulero
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 26, 2007 04:55 PM

It was a painful moment last year when Paul and Denice Jentlie's son, Andrew, was diagnosed with diabetes.

Denice Jentlie said the news changed their lives - more visits to the doctor, constant treatment and a change in diet.

Through it all, Andrew at least had Zig-Zag, a miniature horse that had been his pet for four years.

Now, after a few months of adjusting to a life with the disease, the Jentlies have reached a point at which they are ready to give back to the medical community that has helped them cope with Andrew's condition.

As part of the silent auction at today's Promise Ball in Scottsdale, an annual fund-raising gala for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Zig-Zag will be one of the items up for bidding.

Zig-Zag is one of six miniatures the Jentlies keep on their Chandler property. Zig-Zag also has been one of Andrew's closest friends.

Now, about 900 attendees at today's fund-raiser will have the chance to take Zig-Zag home. They must promise to love him, enter him in contests and let him play in a proper field.

The choice to give up Zig-Zag was difficult for Andrew to make. Since he was diagnosed with diabetes, he has wanted to help find a cure for the disease. In some ways, that has become the 10-year-old boy's main priority.

Andrew's mom said she suggested her son's horse could be a way to help. After initially feeling conflicted, Andrew soon decided that donating Zig-Zag would be a way to increase awareness about miniature horses as well as helping fund diabetes research.

"It took me a day to think about it. I like him very much," Andrew said. "But I realized Zig-Zag could help find a cure."

The Jentlies have lived in southeast Chandler since the early '90s. They moved into a larger home in recent years to have space to keep "mini" horses on their property. They call their home, "Mini Distractions" because their "minis" help distract them from life's concerns.

Miniature horses like Zig-Zag are under 38 inches tall or about the size of a large dog.

Andrew and his dad have shown Zig-Zag, a light brown and white 4-year-old registered miniature show horse, at festivals and contests since he was a yearling. Denice Jentlie said he has always placed in the top five in every class he has been entered.

Andrew and his family plan to attend today's event but admit it won't be easy to let go of this member of their family. But Andrew has made up his mind.

"Zig-Zag is a character; we've enjoyed having him as a pet and a youth show gelding, he will do just about anything that is asked of him," she said. "(Andrew) will be sad to part with Ziggy, but he knows that his new family will give him a wonderful home."

The starting bid for Zig-Zag should be about $3,000, an amount organizers say can have an impact. The successful bidder must meet prerequisites showing they can provide the adequate care for a "mini."

Boy who donated horse for auction will keep his pet after all

Eugene Mulero
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 30, 2007 01:42 PM

A 10-year-old Chandler boy who offered to donate his miniature horse for a charity auction will get to keep his pet, thanks to two generous bidders.

Last week Andrew Jentlie, who has diabetes, made one of the toughest choices in his life. He offered to give up Zig-Zag, his miniature horse for the past four years, to be auctioned in a benefit for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

On Saturday Andrew's parents, Paul and Denice Jentlie, brought the animal to the foundation's fund-raiser in Phoenix. Nearly 900 people attended the black tie affair.

Two Valley families pooled resources to purchase Zig-Zag with a winning bid of $6,000. But they did so on one condition - they wanted Andrew and the horse to stay together.

"I was stunned," said Denice Jentlie.

Andrew jumped up when he learned what the families wanted to do with Zig-Zag. Denice Jentlie said he then turned to her with a happy look on his face and said, "We're stuck together like glue forever."

Denice Jentlie thanked Laurie and Bud Florkiewicz and Lou and Pat Adimare, the couples that offered the winning bid, for their contribution to the foundation and her family.

Organizers said the silent auction, which featured about 150 items, helped raise more than $2 million for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

The Jentlies said Zig-Zag, a trained show horse, is back home on their property in southeast Chandler. They call their home "Mini Distractions" because they say Zig-Zag and their five other miniature horses help distract them from the pressures of everyday life.

Now that Zig-Zag and Andrew will remain together, Andrew wants to keep helping those with diabetes. So the Jentlies have decided he will become a therapy-horse - much like dogs who visit hospitals.

Miniature horses are under 38 inches tall, or about the size of a large dog.

"Zig-Zag behaves phenomenally around people," she said.