MUSKEGON - When a person is struggling with cancer, the network of support a patient receives is not limited to friends, family—or even the human race. Sometimes, a cancer patient’s strongest supporter is the family dog.
To pay tribute to this bond, area canines, with owners in tow, will celebrate this fall at the American Cancer Society’s Bark For Life event. Owners and dogs will be able to walk together toward a cancer cure.
This noncompetitive walk event is planned for Saturday, Oct. 13, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Dog Star Ranch at 4200 Whitehall Road in Muskegon. Attendees and their dogs can compete for a variety of prizes, including “Top Dog”, “Best Trick”, “Best Costume” and more. The fun continues with a walk on one of Dog Star Ranch’s numerous walk paths! There will be silent auction and other activities to participate in before and after the walk.
Bark For Life adds a twist to the Society’s traditional Relay For Life, serving as a fundraising activity to honor the care-giving qualities of canine companions while supporting the mission of the American Cancer Society. Bark For Life is an irresistible way to “take a bite out of cancer”, smile, and make new friends – both canine and human. “Bark For Life is a community coming together to put a leash on cancer,” says Lauren LaTarte, Event Development Coordinator of the Northwest Office Great Lakes Division “Muskegon and White Lake are giving a day to the dogs, as family and friends celebrate, remember and fight back”.
Event organizers are recruiting dogs and their owners to take part in this year’s Bark For Life of Muskegon and White Lake. Registration is $20 for the first dog, which includes a purple Bark For Life bandana. Individual fundraising is encouraged. To register, contact Teresa McDaniel at 231-638-1784 or Tab2610@aol.com. For more details go to Facebook page: Bark For Life of Muskegon/White Lake.
Remember that this is a family-friendly event, so any dogs that may pose a danger to others (pets or people) will not be allowed at the Bark For Life event.
Funds raised through Bark For Life support the American Cancer Society’s comprehensive cancer-fighting mission to help people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early, to help people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis, to find cures through investment in groundbreaking research and to fight back against cancer by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.