Saint Francis Service Dogs announces open registration for Barks ‘n Rec 2023. It’s a do your own thing fundraiser.
Courtesy of Saint Francis Service Dogs
Saint Francis Partner, Lucy, and her service dog, Beck, swimming for Barks ‘n Rec 2022.
Saint Francis Service Dogs has opened registration for their third annual Spring Fundraiser: Barks ‘n Rec. Last year, nearly 350 people across 30 states participated in our Barks ‘n Rec fundraiser. We are hoping this year will be even bigger and better with more people doing their own thing to benefit Saint Francis Service Dogs. We exceeded our goal last year and we know with your help, we can do it again this year! Saint Francis Service Dogs has a goal of raising $65,000 through this event for 2023, and we need your help to get there!
During the week of April 17-23, Barks ‘n Rec is an opportunity for everyone to do their favorite activities, all for a good cause (with their pets by their side, if they’d like!) All proceeds from the event will help Saint Francis raise, train, and place service dogs with individuals with physical and developmental disabilities throughout the state of Virginia and surrounding areas.
Participants can register to participate online at www.saintfrancisdogs.org/barks-n-rec and pledge to do any activity they like (kayaking, cartwheeling, swimming, juggling, reading, etc.) during Barks ‘n Rec Week. If they choose, participants will have the option of creating an individual fundraising page to share their activity and participation and receive support from friends and family. By sharing their involvement through social media (#barksnrec2023) and with the help of their community, individual participants can increase their impact and support Saint Francis’s critical mission. *Fundraising is NOT a requirement to register or participate.
The $25.00 registration earns, not only, a fun-filled week but an event t-shirt and the chance to win one of the special event prizes. Executive Director, Cabell Youell, says, “We look forward to another great year of Barks ‘n Rec! This was an idea born during the first year of the pandemic as a way for us all to feel connected. Now, going into our third year, we are so excited to continue to build on this beautiful thought that no matter where you live, no matter your age, your physical limitations, no matter what…you can participate! By just pledging to do whatever you love most, you are helping Saint Francis change lives. We deeply appreciate your support.”
Saint Francis is grateful to all of this year’s sponsors. Our title sponsors for 2023 are Draper Woody and Jo Lynn Draper. Saint Francis board member Jo Lynn says, “We are passionate about the mission of Saint Francis Service Dogs and are thrilled to be the title sponsor of Barks ‘n Rec this year. As longtime supporters of Saint Francis, my son Draper and I have seen the undeniable impacts a service dog has on the life of the person they serve. Barks ‘n Rec is a way for anyone to be a part of making those partnerships possible.”
Join in on the fun, as individuals all across the state and region get active with their pets, seizing the wonderful weather, their hula hoops, and canoes to touch lives through Saint Francis Service Dogs. We can’t wait to see what you choose to do this year!
About Saint Francis Service Dogs:
Saint Francis Service Dogs is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to assist children and adults with disabilities to become more independent and self-sufficient through partnership with a professionally trained service dog.
Since our inception in 1996, we have placed 167 service and facility dogs to assist people with a wide range of disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, joint and/or muscular diseases, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, paralysis, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and many other conditions.
Our service dogs are trained in over 40 different skills, and can assist a person with physical task-work such as turning lights on and off, retrieving fallen items, carrying items and going for help when necessary.
In addition to the tangible services that service dogs provide, the animal-human bond generates a strong emotional attachment between human and dog. Through this bond, the person often develops a positive focus and a stimulus to be active. The result is increased motivation, higher self-esteem, and a greater sense of belonging, as well as more social interaction and a higher quality of life. A service dog can act as a bridge to the world around them, steering the focus to the person and away from the disability.
Thanks to the generous support of individuals, corporations, and foundations, we absorb the cost of training and do not charge our partners for their dogs. Because of their support, we are able to engage, empower, and transform the lives of people with disabilities. One dog. One person. One family. One community at a time.