Albers Award Honors Extraordinary Community Service in Disaster Preparedness and Relief
The American Kennel Club and AKC Companion Animal Recovery are pleased to announce that Deb Hoff and the Fargo-Moorhead Kennel Club have been named the first recipient of the Diane Albers Memorial Disaster Relief Award. Established in memory of former AKC Delegate Diane Albers, this award recognizes individuals or AKC clubs that have continued her vision by volunteering during natural disasters and promoting disaster preparedness in their communities.
During the recent floods in Fargo, North Dakota, AKC CAR reached out to club officers in the area to offer assistance. The Secretary of the Fargo-Moorhead Kennel Club, Deb Hoff, responded and began working to coordinate disaster relief where it was most needed. With the help of the AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund, she obtained immediate supplies for a temporary shelter at the Fargo Fairgrounds where evacuated and displaced pets were being housed. Deb and her husband also transported and assembled 10 Jewett-Cameron AKC kennels for the shelter. Although the donated supplies were facilitated and financed by AKC CAR, the quick actions of Deb Hoff gave the shelter instant and much needed disaster relief before the other shipments of crates, kennels and leashes arrived.
“We congratulate Deb Hoff and the Fargo-Moorhead Kennel Club on their efforts,” said Tom Sharp, CEO of AKC Companion Animal Recovery. “Because of AKC club members like Deb, AKC CAR was able to come to the rescue quicker and with great emphasis for local AKC clubs in the area. We thank her for selflessly assisting owners and dogs in her community, actions that definitely embody the spirit of the Albers Award.”
AKC CAR created the “Albers Award” to honor Diane Albers, who was a trailblazer in the arena of disaster preparedness and relief. As AKC Delegate for the Central Florida Kennel Club and President of the Florida Association of Kennel Clubs, Albers worked tirelessly to get supplies and care to animals affected and displaced by natural disasters, especially hurricanes.
The Albers Award is awarded quarterly to an individual who is a member of an AKC-affiliated club or to an AKC-affiliated club as a whole who have helped AKC and AKC CAR implement disaster relief, volunteered to care for displaced animals, secured supplies locally or instituted a meaningful disaster preparedness education program in their community. An award of $1,000 to $5,000 is made from the AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund for the winning club to continue their disaster relief efforts and ongoing disaster preparedness education efforts.
Nominations are accepted throughout the year. For a nomination form, please visit https://www.akc.org/news/disaster_preparedness/