Latest Walk & Wag Updates
Walk & Wag Wrap-Up
WOW! You helped raise $295,000 for our community's most vulnerable animals. Money may not buy love, but the shelter, medicine, food, toys it allows us to provide the animals -- that most certainly is love. And every moment you spent fundraising? Pure, unconditional love. The animals and we cannot thank you enough. Muah, muah, muah! Thank you, thank you, thank you! We look forward to sharing with you the great things we do for the animals over the year.
We're astounded by the turnout on Saturday -- over 1,200 people and nearly 550 dogs came to Walk & Wag! And on such a drizzly day! We're not only humbled, we're doggone inspired by your support. We hope you had a good time, and we'd appreciate your feedback to help us improve next year's event.
To our donors, thank you! To our raffle prize winners and 5K finishers-- congratulations! To our dedicated volunteers, muchas gracias and merci beaucoup! And to our top fundraising individuals and teams, hugs, kisses and huge kudos. We could not have achieved this incredible accomplishment without all of you. THANK YOU!
Check out some fantastic photos here. Want to share your Walk & Wag photos? Upload them here.
May 17, 2015
We did it! Thanks to all your hard work fundraising and supporting HSHV, we not only met our goal -- we licked it! Thank you, thank you, thank you. More to come, including a link to photos. See the top fundraising individuals and teams here. See the raffle prize winners here. See the 5K runners' racing times here or on RunMichigan.
Day-Of Information
- Still need to register? Runners can register at the main pavilion from 8-8:45 a.m.; others can register at the main pavilion at the park anytime.
- Need directions to the park? Get directions here.
- Already registered and need your parking pass? Print your parking pass here. (Please complete it ahead of time.)
- Have donated cash or checks to turn in? You can do that at early packet pick-up on Friday at HSHV (see below), or you can do that at the Check-In/Registration pavilion on Saturday at the park. Be sure to enter them into your participant center to get credit!
- Get a map of the games, activities and vendors as well as a schedule here.
- Get a map of the 5K running course here.
May 15 - 4-7 p.m - Early Packet Pick-Up
Attention all Walk & Waggers: Avoid the lines! Sleep in! Stop in at HSHV on Friday, May 15 from 4-7 pm to make Walk & Wag day carefree. By picking up your packet on Friday, you'll check in for the event, get your bib (if you're a racer), and walk away with your fundraising milestones (e.g., T-shirt, goodie bag). You can also turn in donations then.
Just come to HSHV's education center (immediately to the left when you walk in), and pick up your packet anytime between 4-7 p.m. on Friday, May 15. (Note: if you don't pick up your packet early, head to the pavilion at Walk & Wag and look for the "Walker" or "Runner" line.)
May 13 - We met the match!
Thanks to your fundraising greatness, we met the HSHV Board of Directors' $10,000 matching challenge. We're in the home stretch...
May 7 - 12, 2015 - Final Matching Challenge
It's the home stretch, and we have one final matching challenge to help us all reach our goals. From Thursday, May 7 through Tuesday, May 12, every dollar donated doubles up to $10K, thanks to a matching challenge by the HSHV Board of Directors. Donations to your individual page count toward your individual total; match funds go toward the event total. Donors will want to know that their gifts go twice as far-- be sure to let them know about this match!
Find the "Matching Challenge" email in your participant center, and email it to everyone you know. It only takes a moment and can mean the world to the animals. Thank you!
Kat Ku Photography - Doggie Portraits for a Cause at Walk & Wag
Back by popular demand, award-winning Kat Ku photography will be at Walk & Wag, taking photos of your darling dogs. For only $35 (which Kat is generously donating back to HSHV), you'll get a professional photo of your pup. But you must sign up for an appointment soon! Spaces go fast. Sign up here: http://goo.gl/forms/yfiaHeGFv7
April 13 - 19, 2015 - Donations DOUBLE this Week - $10K Matching Challenge
Double the good you can do! All donations to Walk & Wag this week count TWICE as much (up to $10K), thanks to a generous donation from the Jack & Ginny Sinn Family Foundation. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell the people you meet on the street -- their gift to the animals DOUBLES this week! Donations to your individual page count toward your individual total; match funds go toward the event total.
Login to your participant center and send the "Matching Challenge" email to everyone you know right away! They'll want to know that this week, their gift can mean twice as much to animals in need.
March 30 - April 3, 2015 - Donor-Win-a-Vacation Week
Donors are hard-working people and deserve a vacation! This week, everyone who donates $100 or more to Walk & Wag will be entered in a drawing to win a week's stay in Florida, alongside the Atlantic Ocean! The winner will enjoy a stay May 16-23 (the week before Memorial Day) at the top rated Oceanique Resort in a spacious 1,300 square foot, 2-bedroom, 2-bath villa equipped with a washer/dryer, full kitchen and incredible view. (Airfare not included.) Take a golf trip to the PGA or TPC Sawgrass, spend time at Disney or the other Orlando parks, chill out at the pool or lounge on the beach... just be sure to donate at least $100 to Walk & Wag this week, and you'll be entered to win! The lucky winner will be announced by Tuesday, April 7.
March 24, 2015 - Congratulations, Samantha!
Samantha Banda was won the Red Wings hockey tickets for being a top fundraiser the week of March 18. She joined her friend and HSHV volunteer Nancy Peterson's team (Beaver Island Jewelry), and will be walking with her rescued dog Ed. He's a "black and tan Coonhound/German Shepherd mix -- or Gercoon," as Samantha says. "He is 96 pounds of love with velveteen earls. He is my best buddy. Rescue and adoption are the only ways to go!" Thank you for helping Ed and his fellow furry friends, Samantha!
March 18-22, 2015 - High Score Gets Red Wings Tickets
Hockey buffs -- and friends and family members of hockey buffs -- you can score prime Detroit Red Wing tickets! The person who raises the most money to their Walk & Wag page (online gifts only) between 12 a.m. Wednesday, March 18 and 12 midnight Sunday, March 22 will score two tickets. And these aren't just any tickets; they're Section 116, Row 18 seats. And this isn't just any game; it's April 7 at 7:30 p.m. against the Carolina Hurricanes. So go, team, go -- raise money for the animals, and you could score these tickets for yourself (or for a lucky someone else)! The winner will be announced Tuesday, March 24. (Photo
by @hannahhhsyme)
March 17, 2015 - Meet Calvin, 2015 Celebrity Spokesdog
A record 25 deserving dogs (and their fabulous families) applied to be Celebrity Spokesdog this year. Of course, they're all winners of loving adopters, and they've all got winning personalities, so the choice was "ruff"... but Calvin won by a nose! Read more about Calvin, the 2015 Celebrity Spokesdog, here.
March 11-15, 2015 - Vote for Celebrity Spokesdog
Doggonit, it was "ruff" narrowing the submissions down to only five candidates, but we did-- and now, you must vote! Find out more about the five finalists at www.hshv.org/celebvote, and tell us who you think should win top dog. The Celebrity Spokesdog will appear in HSHV advertisements, and, of course, will lead the charge of Walk & Wag on Saturday, May 16.
March 9-13, 2015 - Donations DOUBLED
Donations count TWICE AS MUCH this week! Thanks to Dunning Toyota, donations toward your Walk & Wag fundraising page (up to $5,000) will be matched from March 9-13th. The matching monies will go toward the overall event goal, but your individual donors' gifts will go toward your individual goal. And your donors will be delighted to know that their gifts will be multiplied two times toward helping fund the care for homeless, abused and injured animals in our community. That's a great reason to give now!
Login to your participant center and send the "Dunning Toyota match" email to your family and friends today. They won't want to miss this opportunity to have their donations mean twice as much.
February 24, 2015 - Celebrity Spokesdog Contest open
Your dog is the best, right? Time to show everyone else!
Enter your pup in the free Celebrity Spokesdog contest, and if you win top dog, you'll parade your pooch in front of all the others at Walk & Wag. Your dog will also be featured in advertisements, posters, newsletters, social media posts, and more. (Last year's contest winner found a spot in a calendar as well!)
Doggie contestants must have been adopted from the Humane Society of Huron Valley, must be friendly toward other dogs and people, well-mannered, and able to attend media events including Walk & Wag. To enter, simply email a short essay on the special merits of your furry friend along with a photo to joyj@hshv.org. The deadline for entries is Monday, March 9. Top entries will be voted on by the public, and the winning canine will be crowned March 17.
Good luck, and may the best dog win!
February 16, 2015 - Welcome, Early Birds!
Thank you for joining us for the 36th annual Walk & Wag; we are so happy you are with us! As you know, this is the Humane Society of Huron Valley's largest fundraiser of the year. The animals in our community depend on you and your Walk & Wag fundraising efforts to get the loving care they need. Please let us know if we can do anything to assist you in fundraising; we're here to support you!
Look out for our announcement to accept entries for the Walk & Wag Celebrity Spokesdog contest (and get those photos and bios ready!)
