Time to get your pooch out of its baby-stroller and onto the track!
The Seeing Eye Doggy Dash is scheduled for Oct. 5, 2014, in Morristown. Start training!
Actually…the event’s title is something of a misnomer. This a one-mile fundraising walk, not a dash.
Competition will be along the lines of best costumed dog, best costumed dog-and-owner, best trick, most obedient canine, and so forth. Children can have their faces painted and canines can get caricatured, both free of charge. There also will be Seeing Eye dog training demonstrations, raffles and a 50/50 cash drawing.
“The Seeing Eye Doggy Dash is in recognition of Blindness Awareness Month and we welcome the whole family, including your family dog,” Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch said in a statement. “The proceeds from this event will directly benefit people who are blind and visually impaired.”
Registration fees work like this:
Adult walker registration is $30 online, and $35 at the event. Free goodie bags will be given out to the first 300 adult registrants. Children ages 5 years to 12 years may register to walk for a discounted fee of $20 online and $25 at the event, and children under 5 years may walk for free… The pageant entry fee is $5 per dog, per category. Owners should bring proof of rabies vaccination to the event.
Read on for dog eligibility details and more from The Seeing Eye.
FROM THE SEEING EYE:
People and Pups Invited to Prance in The Seeing Eye Doggy Dash and Dog Pageant
Registration Now Open for October 5 Fundraising Walk in Downtown Morristown
Morristown, N.J. – In honor of Blindness Awareness Month this October, The Seeing Eye is inviting the residents of Morristown and surrounding communities to The Seeing Eye Doggy Dash on Sunday, October 5 (with an October 12 rain date). This fun, family-friendly event is open to all members of the public.
The main attraction is a 1-mile fundraising walk that will begin and end at the parking lot on the corner of Maple Avenue and Dehart Street in downtown Morristown. Following the walk, dog owners are invited to enter a dog pageant with prizes for best costumed dog, best costumed dog and owner, best trick, most obedient canine and more!
There will also be free face painting for children and a free caricature artist for dogs. Seeing Eye staff and volunteers will provide Seeing Eye dog training demonstrations, and there will be raffles and a 50/50 cash drawing.
“The Seeing Eye Doggy Dash is in recognition of Blindness Awareness Month and we welcome the whole family, including your family dog,” Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch said. “The proceeds from this event will directly benefit people who are blind and visually impaired.”
The walk is open to adults, children and their dogs. Adult walker registration is $30 online, and $35 at the event. Free goodie bags will be given out to the first 300 adult registrants. Children ages 5 years to 12 years may register to walk for a discounted fee of $20 online and $25 at the event, and children under 5 years may walk for free.
Dogs may walk for free but must be over 6 months of age to participate in the walk. Dogs over 4 months of age may participate in the pageant and other activities. The pageant entry fee is $5 per dog, per category. Owners should bring proof of rabies vaccination to the event. All proceeds will benefit The Seeing Eye’s mission to breed, raise and train dogs to guide people who are blind and visually impaired.
All walkers are encouraged to fund-raise on behalf of the organization. Fundraising rewards for the walk start at just $100 with a free walk t-shirt and dog bandana. Those who raise $250 get their registration refunded and a gift bag filled with prizes. Those who raise $1,000 are treated to a behind the scenes tour of the main Seeing Eye campus. At the top level, the $5,000 fundraisers earn benefits such as naming a Seeing Eye puppy and a blindfold walk with a trained Seeing Eye dog!
Registration for the 1-mile walk starts at 11 a.m., the walk begins at noon and the pageant judging will take place at 1 p.m. All activities will be at the parking lot on the corner of Maple Avenue and Dehart Street in downtown Morristown. The rain date for this event is October 12.
To get more information about how to sign up for The Seeing Eye Doggy Dash, the pageant or how to set up an individual or team fundraiser, visit SeeingEye.org/DoggyDash. Donations will be accepted through October 31.
Established in 1929, The Seeing Eye provides specially bred and trained dogs to guide people who are blind. Seeing Eye dog users experience greatly enhanced mobility and independence, allowing them to retain their active lifestyles despite blindness. The Seeing Eye is a philanthropy supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, bequests, and other planned gifts.
The Seeing Eye is a trademarked name and can only be used to describe the dogs bred and trained at the school’s facilities in Morristown, N.J. If you would like more information on The Seeing Eye, please visit the website at www.SeeingEye.org, call (973) 539-4425, or email info@seeingeye.org.
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