Brittany Murphy from Blue Line Jars

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
I heard communities, thank you somuch for listening. I'm Renee Dinino and
now in studio. Finally, Nally, we have, finally, we have
our friend Brittany Murphy who is thefounder and CEO of Blue Line Jars.
Hi, Brittany, Hi, howare you good. It's nice to see
you you too. Usually I seeyou out at events that are representing our
law enforcement canine teams or comfort dogs. I know there's always a canine involved.

(00:24):
So yeah, you know, it'snice to finally have you in your
tell everybody about Blue Line Jars whoyou are and what you do. Okay,
So I started in twenty twenty oftwenty, about March twenty twenty,
so I started handing out candy jarsto law enforcement officers. It was in
the middle of you know, COVIDand also defund the police. Law enforcement
high hate was very, very high. So I started handing out candy jars

(00:47):
just to show appreciation for the officers. You know that there's still people out
there that care, that appreciated them. But then in twoenty twenty one,
I branched down to canine unit support. I wanted to basically work with canine
When I was younger in like twentynineteen. But then I basically decided to
branch down to canine unto support.We've already vested about four dogs a couple

(01:08):
couple uh first aid kits. Sobasically that's what we do, trying to
support all the police knines. Andhow do you fundraise? Basically mostly out
of pocket. I started basically outof my own pocket, just making calls
and all that. And basically thenwe started when I finally, you know,
now we're registered as a nonprofit,so I have you know, I

(01:30):
can legally accept donations in a waynow, so we have more people donating
through an online platform through our website. So and for those who may not
know, what does it mean whenyou vest to K nine, I mean
I know what that means, butthat's not cheap. Now it means everything
to me. To you know,it almost feels like they're I guess you
can say another like a dog tous, like there are dog, you
know, I first dog A partthat vested a Portland, Connecticut canine Magnus

(01:53):
Like he just very true, youknow, very special to me. You
know, it feels like my owndog. You know, what does it
cost to vest a dog. Sowe go through Brady's Canine, which is
about twelve hundred to raise and thatis a bulletproof vest, protective wear that
a canine would have on during theirtheir night, their shift, right,

(02:14):
so they will you know, they'regoing out to work and if they get
deployed, they would wear the vestand hopefully that would protect them from any
harm. There's many out there,but we personally love loft Defense in Canada,
which they can wear their whole shift. It's not big and bulky,
you know, it's a nice it'sthey can wear it the whole shift,
so it doesn't you know where youknow, wear on their hips and all
that. They can wear it thewhole entire shift. And photography has become

(02:34):
something that you like to do aswell. Yes, So my boyfriend actually
offers free photography to police canines.It's called Badge and Bark based Badge and
Bar Photography. Basically it's a sideproject of Blue Line Jars, so he
does all the photography and everything.The whole website's full of all his photography.
So it's a lot of fun.And you guys recently did a calendar,
yes, and I know one ofa Canaan officer actually got me one.

(02:57):
Really, I'm so excited. SoMilo Cane, I got me a
calendar and I can't wait, andI just I'm so excited. That's a
surprise. I didn't know that.I know he ordered more, he ordered
a lot. My love, Dad'sbeen phenomenal with us. Yes, so
I have one. But if peoplewant to find out more about Blue Line
Jars, how they can help youin your effort and your boyfriend as well,
where's the best place they can go? Blue linejars dot com is our

(03:17):
website, or Instagram or Facebook's blueline Jars right or follow me or you
because we're always cross promoting and sharingand liking your post. We guess how
to get along in the canine world, you got to branch out and help
each other. That's the only wayto get by. That is the only
way to get by. But Ido appreciate you very much. I love
sing you at our events. Ilove getting to know you and your boyfriend.

(03:38):
You guys have hearts of gold,and I know you're doing everything from
the right place. So my whythis keeps me going? You know,
I don't, I don't. I'vethis is actually my first time coming out
with it publicly, but I actuallyhave Asperger syndrome, which is a form
of high functioning autism. And thisis my why. It's my special interest.
So it's what keeps me going,you know, even on the bad
days, I know my purpose isto be here supporting the police canine.

(03:59):
So also breaking down some of thestigma and stereotype. Yes, you know,
because this is something you've shared withme. You know, I wasn't
going to bring it up, butyou're you're bringing it up. Yeah,
I know, I wanted to publicheads. For a while, I held
back on it, you know,but then recently I started telling more and
more officers because I guess in theend it makes more sense. Like,
you know, I'm so obsessed withthe canine because I'm often no Len,
I'm obsessed. But then wait,stop right there, Brittany, I'm obsessed

(04:23):
as well. So being obsessed withthe kN nine has nothing to do with
your Aspergers. I'm going to tellyou that right now. Okay, but
but you as a human being,if I didn't know that you were on
the spectrum right whatever level you areat, because there are different levels I've
been, you know, we haveautism, the spectrum disorder in our families.
So I'm very familiar with that nonfunctioning. There's all different all different

(04:45):
types, all different types. Butfor for someone like you, it's important
for you to share it because whenwe look at you or are in your
company, we wouldn't know necessarily alot of officers tell me, they're like,
we don't you know, we don'tknow. We wouldn't even know if
you didn't tell me. So,you know, but it's something you've had
to deal with your whole life.How did you overcome it and how did
you you know with your family?When were you diagnosed? If you wouldn't

(05:09):
mind sharing, yeah, no,definitely. So I was diagnosed about in
third fourth grade. My mom's beenphenomenal. My mom vouched for me for
a very very long time, youknow, got me where I needed to
be and helped. And there wasa special band when I was younger that
actually I didn't. I used torepeat myself in conversations, like to try
to get attention from people. Andin about seventh grade I met a band.
They're no longer, but I metthem and held my first ever conversation

(05:31):
with them. Oh wow, Likenot like repeating things, I actually had
my first ever conversation. So theygot me through you know, tough times
too, and probably wouldn't be here, you know, probably wouldn't be music.
Music. Music, Yeah, musicin general. I used to interview
bands when I was younger too,so I ta taken over the world.
Yes there's a place in this industryfor you, Brittany, Yes, yes,
yes there is. It keeps megoing And I just think that you

(05:55):
and your boyfriend make such a greatpower couple in our canine communities. So
he jokes, he's like, he'slike, you're lucky you found somebody that
you know enjoys all this stuff.Because when we first met, he'd even
know what a working line German shepherdwas. Well, and if you told
him, you know, five yearsago, six years ago, that you're
going to be photographing police canines anddoing all this, he wouldn't believe it.
And same with me, Like you'vetold me four or five years ago,
I'd be going to canine training.He got a logo and everything doing

(06:17):
all this. I have my hoodiesyep, exactly designed by myself. Well,
I couldn't be any proud of you, and I'm glad that we got
to know each other. Yes,so many years ago, because I believe
this spring, my Amazing Canine Duoseries celebrates four years. Oh wow.
Yeah. And then being a partof the Connecticut Canine Olympics. I've been
a part of that for twenty eightyears. Oh boy, wow, I

(06:39):
think I'm gonna start putting years onthings. I think that's been almost four
years for Blue Line too. Yes, so we've gotten to know each other
through the panzem you know. AndI remember the first time meeting you in
person. It was really it wasthat jewels swearing in Sarah. It sure
wasn't. Southern Connecticut's thet Unifer CanineJewels. Yep. Yeah, and we
and we have been talking about thisinterview since then. Yeah, pretty much
it's been hit or miss pet sitSo it's like, who knows when I

(07:01):
have time. Well, I've nevermet anyone with a busier schedule than mine,
but that would be Britney Murphy.Ladies and gentlemen, and I do
appreciate you. She is the founderand CEO of Blue Line Jars. Once
again, tell people how to findyou and if they want to donate or
help you vest the next dog,how can we do that? So you
guys can find me on blue linejarsdot com or, like I said,
Facebook or Instagram's blue line Jars.You can find the photography on there too.

(07:23):
We have a link for the photographyas well too, and for donating.
Like I said, on the website, there's a scroll all the way
down there's a donate button you candonate there. We have an Amazon wishlist
online. Do you have treats inyour purse? No? Okay, well
my dog Wolfgang seems to think youdo, so he's trying to break into
your purse. I had to bringWolfe to meet you exactly. I know,
Chris is Matt, I know.Well, you say hello to your

(07:45):
boyfriend. I say thank you toyou and thanks for being in iHeart communities.
Thank you so much