It all started waaaaaay back in early June of 1997. A group of Basenjis. . .along with their owners. . sat down to enjoy a wonderful gourmet (vegetarian) lunch while attending a dog show in the Hudson Valley. While we were all sitting around, munching away and chit chatting we began to realize that since we felt like a club, acted like a club and met with each other regularly. . .like a club. . . then we might as well BE a club! That is how the Rip Van Wrinkle Basenji Club was formed. We are the first Basenji Club in the tri-state area of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey.

Now the fact is that none of us can say 'Rip Van Winkle' without it sounding just wrong!

The Rip Van Wrinkle club is affiliated with the BCOA. Our membership includes over 100 households from the New England, New York, & New Jersey area, as well as around the USA. We have several memberships abroad and in Canada. We also have newsletter exchanges in place with many clubs worldwide.

Through our recent raffles & posters, we have been able to contribute nice amounts of $$$ to the Basenji Health Endowment, and we have also supported BRAT, B.E.A.R. and Karen Jones' Rescue efforts. Our club is a member of the American Dog Owners Associaton, Inc.

We are very proud of our newsletter, the "Rip Van Wrinkler", which is a blend of the members' art, stories to delight and amuse and a serious focus on the health of our Basenjis. Our editors are Tamara E. Allen - Peon Contributor in Chief, Karen Sahulka - Copy Editor in Chief and Susan Kamen Marsicano - Editor in Chief.

For more information about the Rip Van Wrinkle Basenji Club