AKC Community Achievement Awards Honorees For The First Quarter of 2014
New York, NY – Pioneer Valley Kennel Club and Tracy Sanderson of the Greater Ocala Dog Club have been selected as American Kennel Club® (AKC®) Community Achievement Awards honorees for the first quarter of 2014.
The AKC Community Achievement Awards support and recognize outstanding public education and legislation efforts of AKC-affiliated clubs, AKC-recognized federations and their members. The AKC selects award recipients who promote responsible dog ownership within their communities or who have successfully introduced, monitored and responded to legislative issues affecting dog ownership.
The Pioneer Valley Kennel Club (PVKC) provides year-round public education programs to promote responsible dog care and encourage participation in AKC events. In 2013, PVKC members arranged for a series of monthly television segments on local WWLP Channel 22 to discuss selection and care of dogs, educate about dog events, promote the AKC Canine Good Citizen® program, and present other topics suggested by club members.
At its 2013 summer dog show, PVKC offered activities for spectators that were designed to educate the public and foster appreciation for dogs, dog shows, and dog activities. The club provided a meet-and-greet with a K9 officer, dog show tours, a search-and-rescue demonstration, and a stuffed toy dog show.
Thirteen children ages 3 to 8 “exhibited” their stuffed dogs by placing them on an exam table and moving them up and back across the grass. Massachusetts Representative Paul Mark, who served as judge, presented each child with a large blue rosette, goody bag, and a copy of If I Ran the Dog Show by Dr. Seuss.
With her American Staffordshire Terrier “Cash” (CH Spectrum Man In Black THD) at her side, Tracy Sanderson of the Greater Ocala Dog Club (GODC) works to encourage a positive view of her breed in her community. After Cash earned his championship from the Bred-By Exhibitor class, passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, and graduated from a local therapy dog class, this devoted team became well-known volunteers in central Florida.
Along with providing therapy dog visits to numerous facilities, Tracy and Cash have participated in the “Great American Teach In” at Pasco County schools every November since 2007, visited children’s summer camps, participated in children’s reading programs, and attended a bereavement summer camp for children. They recently became members of an animal-assisted crisis response team to provide comfort and encouragement to individuals affected by crises and disasters. Tracy also presents information about therapy dogs to students studying social work at St. Leo University, where Cash is scheduled to be honored by the university as a “hero in a different form.”
“The members of PVKC and Tracy Sanderson have come up with creative ways to educate the people in their communities about dogs and have truly made an impact on people’s lives,” said Sheila Goffe, AKC Director of Government Relations. “We congratulate them for their work and are proud to present them with Community Achievement Awards.”
Nominations for the AKC Community Achievement Award are accepted year-round. Honorees receive a certificate of appreciation and a $1,000 check payable to their AKC club or AKC-recognized federation to further public education and government relations efforts. Click here to nominate an individual, club or federation.
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The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org.
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