Ricky Burton-Romero has been a dedicated volunteer with Live Like Roo for many years. His journey with the organization began when Sarah assisted him in adopting a deaf dog named Penny from the CACC, whom they renamed Izel upon adoption. Izel was a cherished and faced health challenges that required the removal of her spleen and a portion of her kidney in which she became a Roo Dog. Despite this, Ricky's commitment to Live Like Roo only deepened over time. He has supported the organization through advocacy, donations, volunteering, and even spearheading a card drive. Tragically, Izel passed away due to a burst tumor, but Ricky continues to honor her memory through his ongoing efforts with Live Like Roo. Beyond his Live Like Roo volunteerism Ricky has played a pivotal role in his community for over 8.5 years, collaborating with neighbors to establish the Wild Onion Market, Rogers Park’s only community-owned grocery food co-op. In his downtime, Ricky channels his creativity into crafting handmade greeting cards, a passion he shares through demonstrations on his YouTube Channel, Instagram and showcases at street fairs and pop-up shops. Ricky is married to his husband Tony and shares their home with two dogs, Ivy (formerly known as Ivory) and Imogene Nickels (formerly known as Maddie), both lovingly adopted from the CACC.
