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 DOGNYsm. Both magazines became committed to
the AKC's quest to fund canine search and rescue organizations as sponsors
of a DOGNYsm 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.
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Joseph McGinnis of Showsight Magazine was the creator of the Have-A-Heart Ball,
a Valentine-themed f?te 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
DOGNYsm 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 DOGNYsm 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.
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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 DOGNYsm, 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 DOGNYsm 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 DOGNYsm.
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 DOGNYsm.
DOGNYsm 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 DOGNYsm to the public a year
later with a public exhibition and auction of over 100 individually painted
SAR dog sculptures. DOGNYsm 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.
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