CLEVELAND — A national-winning dock-diving black labrador retriever is now helping raise money for the Jamieson Ritter Foundation.
Lue Poplaski and Karen Ritter met in upstate New York when they were teenagers. The two friends have been through good times.
“I remember Karen telling me about Jamieson moving to Cleveland,” said Poplaski.
They’ve also been through the bad times.
It was July 4, 2024, when Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter was shot and killed in the line of duty.
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“Devastation, I was floored,” said Poplaski.
Shortly after the young officer was killed, Poplaski, who now lives in Texas, said she went back home to New York. That’s when she stopped, with her husband and dog Sophie, to see Karen and Jon Ritter.
“They have that spot in their front yard that honors Jamieson. Sophie kept staying at that spot,” explained Poplaski.
That sparked an idea, Poplaski decided to start handing out stickers at competitions to honor and spread the word about the 27-year-old officer who had been killed. She started with 50 stickers, but those were gone by the first day, she said.
Poplaski said that was the beginning of Sophie raising money for the Jamieson Ritter Foundation.
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Sophie qualified for the national competition in Missouri last year.
“I looked at her and said 'You got an angel with you; show everybody what you got,'” said Poplaski.
She took third place in one of the competitions.
“That’s huge because Sophie wasn’t nationally ranked,” said Poplaski.
Sophie has been bringing attention to Jamieson’s story and his legacy. Poplaski has spoken about the young officer and hosted fundraising events.
“I want people to know the goodness in Jamieson; he deserves that,” she said.
Poplaski said that Sophie has raised thousands of dollars for the Jamieson Ritter Foundation.
She is hosting a dock diving event in Texas on July 5 to raise money for the foundation. Additionally, stuffed animals resembling Sophie are being sold to raise money for the Jamieson Ritter Foundation here.
“Then the phone conversation came, when they were like 'Would you let Sophie be Jamieson’s spokesdog?' I said 'I’d be honored,'” said Poplaski.
