Clean Run Magazine - October 2009 - 28

Franklin attributes the $3,900 final donation amount for RFL to the effort of spectators, vendors, and all the clubs who got together to challenge one another. She says, “I was overwhelmed by support and love. I’m lucky to be one of those people to experience love from an entire community.” To see all the participants in the human relay event, visit Franklin’s website at www.pixofthelitter.com. Find out more about Relay For Life at www. relayforlife.org Selling Stinky Dog Brownies Ardis Lukens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has incredible fun mixing up batches of “Stinky Dog Brownies” to sell at any trial she goes to. Her brownies are famous among the lucky dogs competing in USDAA trials throughout the Northeast. They are described as “stinky” with good reason: garlic and cheese are added to four different flavors: turkey, liver, hamburger, and salmon. Lukens says it takes her about three and a half hours to make a batch of all four flavors, bake them, then cut them up and put two each in a bag to sell for $2. After subtracting a small amount to help pay for ingredients, Lukens gives the rest of the proceeds to a worthy cause. People often give more once they know which person, dog, or organization will benefit from the funds. Lukens says, “I take the brownies with me wherever I go, and there never seems to be a lack of people and organizations in need. On a normal weekend, I can collect about $100 if it’s a group I’ve collected from before, but if it’s an emergency or someone really needs help, the agility family always steps up to the plate.” For example, “One of the Virginia Tech students killed in the campus shooting in 2007 had been a volunteer at a local no-kill shelter. Her parents wanted to do something in her memory, so we raised about $2,000 for the shelter in her name.” Lukens says, “It’s the most fun when we raise a chunk of money like we did for the Virginia Tech student memorial and also the Best Friends organization that helped with Hurricane Katrina victims.” Lukens, who is vice president of Live To Run Again, was inspired to begin baking the dog brownies for that organization about 10 years ago. Together with the trial chairperson and people from the sponsoring club, Lukens decides who should receive the proceeds. Recent recipients include the Rabies Challenge Fund, Jack Russell Rescue, and a memorial event for a police dog killed in the area. Human causes are often beneficiaries, too. Proceeds from brownie sales have also gone to the American Cancer Society, multiple sclerosis research, and the Arthritis Foundation. If you are attending a USDAA trial in the Northeast, look for “Stinky Dog Brownies” on the Live To Run Again library table. “Your dog will love them,” Lukens promises, and “selling them helps to make a difference.” For more information, contact Ardis Lukens at picsurthis@comcast.net. Dressing Up the Dogs One of the founding members of The Skyline Agility Club, located in Garnerville, New York, was all about having fun with agility dogs, according to spokesperson Ruth Bryden. It was Alan Dingman’s mission to encourage people to participate in agility with their dogs rather than to emphasize winning. So when the 70 members of Skyline decided to do a memorial fundraiser for Dingman, they thought nothing could be more fun than having costumed teams participate in a Tunnelers event. In keeping with Dingman’s memory, club members chose a tunneling course that any NADAC-registered dog could play on, young or old. Since 2006 the Club has held the Alan Dingman Memorial Tunnel Challenge in conjunction with their May NADAC trial. Proceeds are always donated to the local hospice organization that played a special role at the end of Dingman’s life. Since she (despite the name Alan) lived alone with her beloved Golden Retriever, Shandy, hospice care made it possible for her to remain in her home with Shandy until her death. In the three years Skyline has held the event, the club has been able to donate an astonishing $17,000 to the hospice. Relay teams consisting of two handlers with their dogs contribute $20 per run. The teams are attracted to the event by the opportunity to dress in costumes. Last year’s event featured teams with themes such as “Pajama Party,” “Men in Kilts,” “Silence of the Lam,” and “Birds of a Feather.” Many handlers participate in multiple runs and some solicit outside donations for their teams. Bryden says some teams have raised more than $1,000 in donations in addition to their entry fees. Even some NADAC judges have participated in this non-titling class. The club stops the trial for about an hour in the middle of the day for this anticipated event. There are coveted prizes for the fastest team (with height divisions) and best-costume winners. The most important prize, according to Bryden, is for the team that raised the most money. Bryden estimates that about half the exhibitors take part in this unique event. They especially enjoy bringing their retired dogs out in costumes to participate. She says that Skyline holds other memorial events throughout the year, but this costume fundraiser is unique and extremely popular. The club plans to continue it on a yearly basis. For more information, see the club’s website at www.skylineagility.org. D Martha Faulk, author and business writing consultant, lives in Fort Collins, Colorado. She competes in agility and herding with her two rescues, RebaRae, an Australian Cattle dog, and SallyAnn, an Australian Shepherd. Her Border Terrier EmmaLou, MX, MXJ, is now retired from agility but working on her Master Earthdog title. StevieRay, also a Border Terrier, is competing in agility and Rally. Contact Martha through marthfaulk@msn.com. Wizard of Oz Courtesy of Barry Rosen Men in Kilts Courtesy of Barry Rosen Birds of a Feather Courtesy of Barry Rosen Silence of the Lam Courtesy of Barry Rosen Clean Run | October 09

http://www.pixofthelitter.com http://www.relayforlife.org http://www.relayforlife.org http://www.skylineagility.org

Clean Run Magazine - October 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - October 2009