We’re almost at the end of our 20th anniversary series about what makes Old Dog Haven so successful, and there’s one more very important factor that needs mentioning before we wrap up the series next month.
Old Dog Haven is very fortunate to have a large community of supporters that value our heart work and do what they can to help our dogs. I should say here that I’m not just talking about our local community, but western Washington, the rest of the U.S. and even Europe. Even though we’re a regional nonprofit we have a large footprint. For example, not long ago we received a donation from a riding club in England who held a fundraiser just for our dogs.
We think about our community as extended family. Our community loves what we do to help our dogs and they want to help with their veterinary costs and to encourage people to sponsor dogs. An example of this kind of support comes from Shane and Adam, owners of Paddywack in Mill Creek. Every year during the month of February Paddywack holds a month-long sponsorship drive to encourage people to sponsor our dogs. Each year the success of this commitment brings in thousands of dollars for our old dogs.
And then there’s Shadow’s Forever Friends in Bellingham. Jason and Jennifer Sonker hold a Hike-A-Thon every year in memory of their rescue dog, Shadow. Each year the hike is even more successful than the previous year and our dogs benefit from the dedication of Shadow’s friends.
How about vodka for dog people? Tito’s handmade vodka, based in Texas, finds its way to ODH through donations, and in the same spirit of generosity local pubs like the Brewmaster Taproom hold special beer for dogs fundraisers to help our dogs.
Dog clubs and associations in the Seattle area, like the Puget Sound Labrador Retriever Association hold fundraisers for our dogs. Real estate agents like Martha Faulkner donate a portion of sales proceeds to ODH
And the list goes on: Many businesses hold fundraisers for our dogs, and individuals do birthday fundraisers on Facebook. Kids request donations to ODH rather than presents for their birthdays, they have lemonade stands that profit our dogs, and they share their allowances with our dogs.
Our friends in the media (like KING 5, KOMO 4, KIRO 7 and KCTS in the Seattle area have been supporters of ODH for years, especially in the beginning years.
I could go on and on to tell you about the kind of community support ODH receives, but let’s just say that we’re grateful to everyone in our community-extended family for their dedication to the welfare of our dogs. Paws up to all of you!