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| Truman and Moses |
He was known as a gentle giant, this frequent guest to
West Baden Springs Hotel. Moses Railing and his “brother” Truman were well
known at the resort among guests, and staff alike. Moses, a black Newfoundland
had been coming to the hotel for more than 10 years with his owners Jim and
Karen Railing of Indianapolis. The family visits the hotel about a dozen times
a year, which means Moses stayed at the resort more than 100 times – no wonder
he was a celebrity.
“He could
look into your eyes and connect; he understood how you were feeling,” Jim
explained. Meagan Nolley, Resort Customer Service Center Manager agreed. “I get
tears thinking about not looking into his eyes anymore. He was more than just a
dog to me.”
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| Moses as a Puppy |
Staff and guests alike always looked forward to the
arrival of the Newfies. One of the most popular questions at the West Baden
Springs Front Desk – “Is Moses here this weekend?”
According to Jim, “West Baden was his favorite place to
be. He knew where we were a few miles out and would be ready to greet everyone.
He adored the chance to meet so many people. When he was here, Karen and I
would sit in the atrium and let him visit with friends and guests. He would lay
down so kids would feel comfortable approaching him, and they loved to lay on
him. Everyone loved him.”
When Moses wasn’t visiting at the resort, he was a very
active fellow. Moses was certified in three levels of water rescue including
lifesaving, boat rescue and direct retrieve. “He loved being in the water,” Jim
remembered. Moses was also trained to track by scent and do draft work, at one
time making a mile-long pull with eight people in the cart.
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| The Eyes Have It |
But Moses was more than brawn and intelligence; he was a
certified therapy dog. This meant that he was allowed to visit nursing and
retirement homes, medical centers and children’s hospitals. He was trained not
to lick, to maneuver around wheel chairs, walkers and hospital beds, and to
remain calm around loud noises and alarms. “Moses seemed to understand what
these kids needed,” Jim said. “He’d lay down on the floor and let the kids pet
him or just lay down by him. He brought brightness to terminally ill children,
and happiness to older folks. He could look in someone’s eyes and knew how to
make them feel better.”
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| Moses Checks In |
Jim and Karen have so many wonderful memories of their
time at the resort with Moses. “West Baden chef Ethan Smith made Moses a bacon
birthday cake,” Jim said. “The staff had birthday hats and presents; it was
great!” Jim said. In fact, one of the items on the doggie menu is Moses’s
Meatloaf – a canine favorite. Moses also made sure to visit with Santa because he always
had a few suggestions about his Christmas presents,” Jim laughed.
Then there’s the iconic photo of Moses “checking in” to the hotel; paws resting
on the Front Desk counter as he receives his room key.
“I just want to say that Karen and I so appreciate the
Cook family, the hotel staff and the guests, all with their remarkable
welcoming attitudes toward our dogs. French Lick Resort has become a part of
our, and our dog’s lives; it’s very special to us.”
By Joy Neighbors