Westminster weekend is always a time for mirth and merriment, but this year there was an extra special excuse to stay up late and party. Two of the fancy's most respected publications, Showsight Magazine and The Canine Chronicle, hosted elegant benefit galas in support of DOGNY. Both magazines became committed to the AKC's quest to fund canine search and rescue organizations as sponsors of a DOGNY sculpture. As an additional gesture, they each decided to reach out to their subscribers and the dog-loving public to bolster their support of DOGNY during Westminster weekend.
Joseph McGinnis of Showsight Magazine was the creator of the Have-A-Heart Ball, a Valentine-themed event at New York's Plaza Hotel on Saturday, February 8, 2003. Cast in a warm red hue, the Terrace Room at the Plaza was the perfect setting for a night of dancing to the tunes of the Peter Duchin Orchestra. Showsight's DOGNY sculpture, “You Have Touched Our Hearts,” greeted party-goers at the door. Admission fees and raffle tickets for valuable prizes generated $65,000 in proceeds to be shared equally by DOGNY and Take the Lead. Joe's co-hosts for the evening were Duane Doll, Carolyn Koch, Dan and Carol Greenwald, Keith and Cheryl Robbins, and Romie and Sheila Cormier, all of whom underwrote expenses for the event.
Tom and Amy Grabe of The Canine Chronicle welcomed the fancy to the famed Pennsylvania Hotel at the 2003 Eukanuba/Canine Chronicle/Brown-Foreman Beverages Party later that evening. Joining Canine Chronicle as co-host of this “Celebration of the Stars” was another champion of DOGNY, The Iams Company, who had sponsored twenty-four sculptures for the charitable public art project. This highly attended party, made possible by The Canine Chronicle, Eukanuba Dog Foods, and Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort and Finlandia Vodka, featured the music of the popular band, Soul Solution. Canine Chronicle's winged DOGNY sculpture, “Rushing to the Rescue”, brought an added air of excitement to a fun filled evening that ultimately generated over $15,000 in donations at the door for DOGNY.
The American Kennel Club and AKC Companion Animal Recovery would like to express its gratitude to The Canine Chronicle, The Iams Company and Showsight Magazine for their unwavering support of DOGNY.
DOGNY America's Tribute to Search and Rescue Dogs is The American Kennel Club's public art initiative to support professional and volunteer canine search and rescue dog organizations throughout the United States. It began with The American Kennel Club donating funds to search and rescue (SAR) dog and handler teams that took part in the September 11th recovery efforts at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the Shanksville, PA, crash site. To commemorate SAR dog and handler heroism and raise awareness and support for future missions, The American Kennel Club brought DOGNY to the public a year later with a public exhibition and auction of over 100 individually painted SAR dog sculptures. DOGNY supports canine search and rescue organizations through The American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery Corporation (AKC CAR) Canine Support and Relief Fund, a charitable fund. AKC CAR is a not-for-profit organization exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.