Despite severe thunderstorms and hail the previous night, and wind gusts in excess of 30 mph that morning, the Mighty Texas Dog Walk drew huge crowds. Overall, there were nearly 3,000 walkers.
Looking around, there were dogs of every size and breed represented, with an equally diverse group of people who brought them. However, all were there to enjoy a 3-mile stroll, while also helping to financially support Texas Hearing and Service Dogs with donations and sponsorships totaling over $80,000. Happily, there were quite a few Hearing and Service Dog graduates, who participated along with their trained canine alumni.
Texas Hearing & Service Dogs extends are heartfelt thanks to all of the wonderful dog lovers who brought their best friends to the Mighty Texas Dog Walk! Also, huge thanks to our sponsors, staff and volunteers, and to the generous people of Sunset Valley who welcomed us as guests in their lovely city.
5 comments:
Had a blast again, thanks for all the hard work regarding the dog walk. My 9 year old never slowed down...as normal.... she thinks she has to beat others to the finish line.
See you next year, Charles
Hi friends at THSD,
We left Alvin, TX ( 30 minutes south of Houston ) at 5:00 AM on Saturday with Krissie 5 yr old F Shih-Tzu and Cody 2 yr old M Choc Lab bound to Austin for the Texas Mighty Dog Walk.
What a great time we all had ! We arrived at the Stadium at 8:30 am and got our T-shirt bags of goodies and took off walking. We were so impressed with the company we were in ! What a great experience it was for the four of us. All the other walkers and all the other dogs were just so friendly. We enjoyed the walk so much and just wanted to let you guys know - What a great job all who put this event together and thanks to all the volunteers! We will be back next year ! What a great cause !
And then, our Local News Station Fox 26 came on Sunday @ 9:00pm and had a small clip of the Texas Mighty Dog Walk !
You know, well I guess most of you don't, that I start working on the Mighty Texas Dog Walk 9 months ahead of time.
It's a huge job and sometimes I wonder how I'll do it!
Seeing everyone smiling and enjoying the day totally makes it worth all the hard work and praying for good weather!
Our sponsors really put their faith in us and I am so glad we keep getting the huge crowds, so they get lots of visitors to their booths.
News 8 Austin outdid themselves in helping us spread the word. I mean hourly mentions on the weather - how great is that! VERY!
And, of course, how could we ever get things set up so smoothly without the help of our brilliant Volunteer Coordinator Ann Paclik! That's "stuff" like the tents and tables + 100 volunteers helping all over the place. Those water stops don't just create themselves!
Plus Sunset Valley is SO wonderful to work with. Did you know sales tax is LESS in their stores? You save $ just by shopping there!
Next year will be our 10th! I think it's going to take a huge GRASS ROOTS movement to outdo ourselves.
The thing about Texas Hearing & Service Dogs is -everyone puts their whole heart into this organization. All we want to do is do better - get people their dogs in a timely fashion, get the dogs out of the shelters, use the positive training and make sure the people getting the dogs really understand how to work with them.
It takes a huge amount of work. And the people who devote themselves to THSD deserve to have a decent salary and benefits. Because taking care of our staff means these devoted people can afford to continue to work for us and continue to do a super job rescuing and training Hearing & Service Dogs.
The Mighty Texas Dog Walk is a cornerstone of how we earn our funds. So when you walk, you contribute directly to keeping us going.
Thank you again for sharing your donations and heart with us!
Sheri Soltes
Founder & President
Texas Hearing & Service Dogs
Hi Sherri, and All the trainers, at THSD, it's Hunter, and Dusty, we wanted to write you, to say, we had a BLAST! at the Mighty Texas Dog Walk, we only hope next year will be a lot warmer. I have already told my friends, that next year they should come so we can break the world record for the number of dogs walked. I will be sure to keep you posted on the things Dusty and I are doing, we are a busy bunch, and we are going to be even busier this summer.
Keep up the amazing work, helping people with disabilities become more independant as we can get. I treasure you all in different ways.
Sincerily,
Hunter Adkins, and Dusty, her beloved Prince Charming!
Wow!! Just found this blog! I am not as computerate able as others!
This was the first Mighty Texas Dog Walk for Noble and I. We, or course, brought our family, Bert, mother, Grandmother and mother-in-law. They are our support system and we go no where without them!! We all agreed that we had much more fun than it was cold!
Great thanks to all the wonderful angels at THSD who put this Mighty Texas Dog Walk together. What GREAT organization!! From wonderful sponsors to a great lay-out!! The hotel that you secured for us to stay in was extremely accomdating to our sweet Noble, and it was SO close to the festivities! It was evident that an incredible amount of careful planning has gone into this wonderful event.
Thank you also to each and every person who came and participated. Noble, Bert and I were speaking with a lovely reporter at the start line as the walk began. We were both amazed and awed at the number of people and dogs that kept pouring by. It was really cold and windy, yet there were more and more people and their sweet dogs going through the start gate. All with smiles and laughter. I cannot tell you how deeply this tendered our hearts. We had planned to finish our interview and then join the walk. However, the interview lasted quite a while, and while we were there we kept watching all the people that had come out in support of THSD, in support of us, of Noble and I.
We decided that we could not join the walk, we chose instead to sit at the finish line. My heart was so tendered towards each person that morning that I wanted to thank each one as they crossed the finish line. I wanted each person to know that their participation, no matter how big or small had contributed to me having my Noble.
Each of those people, each of you, changed my life. Had changed Noble's life. Had brought him to THSD where he could learn and become a valuable Service Dog to a person in need. Had brought him into my life, where he has found love, a home and a purpose. Isn't that what we all need in life? What we are all searching for. Thank you, to each and everyone who participated in the walk. Your contribution has made THE difference.
To the sponsors. You are amazing! I have been at events where the sponsors fold up because the weather isn't perfect. Bless you all, you not only stayed and stuck it out, you were all so generous! I have NEVER attended an event with such generous sponsors! Thank you for your support and generosity! What a way to encourage the people of the walk! They will certainly remember you with the best of all thoughts through out the year! You will certainly encourage them to return next year and look for you!
To the town of Sunset Valley, what a beautiful place. I was even able to meet your lovely mayor! What an honor for me! Sunset Valley is a place of sweet respite in the middle of Austin. We found the people delightful as well as the town itself. Thank you Sunset Valley, you are a wonderful host!
Noble and I,along with our family in tow, are looking forward to next year's Mighty Texas Dog Walk!!! We will not miss another one! You will know us by the Thank you sign we will be wearing on my wheelchair!!
Love to all,
Shannon & Noble
xxxooo xxxooo
Post a Comment