Mel and Sam’s first dog, Telluride, lost her battle to hemangiosarcoma after 9 extra months of adventure and life. Treated with chemotherapy and immunotherapy by Dr. Kai Shiu at VES, Tellie beat the odds and enjoyed many extra walks, treats, toys, cuddles, mud puddles, and swim sessions (she LOVED the lake). Losing Tellie inspired Mel to seek opportunities to help others struggling with canine cancer. Melanie is proud and humbled to be part of Czar’s Promise, a group driven by passion that will make the lives of Dane County dogs, children, and families suffering with cancer, better.
Married to Sam for 10 years, the couple’s passions beyond golden retrievers and construction, include snowboarding, snowmobiling, boating, wakeboarding, and anything to do with Madison, Minocqua, and Colorado. In fact, her dogs are named after favorite ski resorts – Telluride and Breckenridge. Owning her name, Brecken is truly a snow dog; however, despite spending endless summer days on the dock at the Minocqua lake house, Brecken – scared of the waves – chooses to lounge rather than swim.
Melanie is a dog-lover, adventure enthusiast, and committed career woman. She holds a civil engineering degree from UW-Madison and is a General Manager for The Boldt Company, a nation-wide construction firm headquartered in Appleton, WI. Although she specifically manages Chicago operations, her Group is also responsible for Milwaukee and Madison, which keeps ties close to home. Her husband, Sam, also makes his career in the construction industry and works for the family’s company, SCS Contractors.