Retrievers For A Cause-The Tower of Hope-UPDATE!(Directions)

[cdwyer]

Guys,

Each of you have had a significant impact on my life that extends well beyond the retriever world which is what brought us together. Even those of you I have never met but have gotten to know through the web. Each of you are very important to the local retriever community and respectively risen to the top and have dedicated most of your free to time to training, service, & education in some form or fashion.
I have recently been introduced to a group called The Tower of Hope. http://www.thetowerofhope.org. Please take a minute and check out their website, they provide service dogs for wounded military. The Tower of Hope was founded in 2006 by Cathy Carilli, as a tribute to the memory of her husband, Tom Sinton, who was murdered in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

We have a pretty unique bond with our dogs, most all of our free time is involved with doing something around them, we eat, drink, & sleep our retrievers. All of you are so passionate about dogs that it is life changing. You have through education, kids days, training days, etc have extended the web of our passion throughout our communities. Here is a perfect opportunity to be part of something bigger.

The Tower of Hope's mission is to empower people living w/a disability or chronic illness to live more independently by providing them w/specially trained service dogs. Their primary focus is providing these amazing animals to combat wounded veterans at no charge.

The people that are provided these service animals have made sacrifices for us in ways we will thankfully never have to endure but we can understand and be part of an opportunity to give them back some sense of normalcy that they have lost protecting our freedoms. Who better to participate in something like this than the local retriever clubs. Our lives revolve around the freedoms these folks protect that allows us the opportunities to go out and enjoy the country that we were privileged to be born in. The world is changing and our rights & freedoms are constantly challenged and scrutinized, who knows that better than sportsmen & women?

I would like to offer our help in a program that is currently underway called “100 Dogs in a 1000 days”.

On Saturday May 28th (Memorial Day Weekend) we will have a charity event for The Tower of Hope, location TBA but somewhere in North Mississippi. The event will be hosted by Southern Flight HRC Club with the help of the North Mississippi Amateur Retriever hunt test club.

We will have a retriever event with placements as well as activities and events for everyone.

In the works:

*Service Dog Team demonstration

*Drug & Bomb Dog demonstration

*Competitive Obedience demonstration

*Kids Activities;

Blue Bird House Building Station
Dog event for the kids, can run a dog even if they don’t have one!
Games
Water Slide

Will have lunch and Dinner Available on site, working on having a band for Sat, Night!

Will be a raffle after the ribbon ceremony for the retriever event.

Thank You!

[Karen Klotthor]

Sounds great, let me know if there is a camp ground close by. Make for a good long weekend trip.
Karen

[cdwyer]

Looks like through the work of Johnny & Glenn with securing the COE help with the Grand in Genada, we have been given permission to use the COE property at Sardis on the Oxford side. As soon as we get the details and location, I will post!

Thanks!

[goosebruce]

AWSOME!

[cdwyer]

The event will be held at Jermey Cantrell's place just South of Holly Springs. Thanks to Jermey for arranging this!

Thanks to Frank & Houston Watson for the use of their property!!

The address is:
2123A Potts Camp Road
Waterford, MS

I met with the Shelby County Obedience club last night and got some great feedback and looks like we will have several of their members coming and have committed to do some demonstrations. They are bringing their "Rally" equipment and will have that set up. Well get to some some other extremely well traind breeds doing what they are good at!

Hopefully will be a well rounded event with something for everyone!

Anybody wanting to bring campers are welcome to set up at my house, going to be a few there already. The more the merrier!

[cdwyer]

Thanks to Kate Maynard for hooking us up with Judy Otto who is the training coordinator for The Mid-South Search & Rescue Dog Association. Her and some of the team members will do their presentation at 11:00 am, should be really cool!

[Mark Evans]

What is the closest town for a motel???

Mark

[cdwyer]

What is the closest town for a motel???

Mark

Holly Springs, Oxford, or even Olive Branch. If camping, Wall Doxey state park has a dog friendly camp ground, 5 mins from the grounds and is very nice.

[cdwyer]

The t-shirts are going to be awsome!

Blue bird houses will be for sale with "The Tower of Hope" logo branded into the wood. Tried posting a picture, says board quota for attachments has been reached? Will try again later.

If you would like to donate and can not attend the event, you can send a check made out to The Tower of Hope & send to PO Box 1305 Olive Branch, MS 38654. For donations of $30 or more, I will send you one of the Blue Bird houses!

[cdwyer]

Norris & Janis Galatas will be attending from Collinsville, MS!!

Norris has a service dog named Willie that was provided by The Tower of Hope!

Janis has written a book called A Solider's Courage that tells Norris' story fromn the day of the accident through each day of his recovery.

[BucksandDucks]

WOW...That should be AWESOME to witness. Can't wait to get to meet Norris and Janis!

You're doing a GREAT job on this event Charles. It's gonna be a blast.

[Belinda D]

I am so excited that Norris and Janis are going to be able to come to the event after all. The raffle is shaping up nicely and will offer a little bit for everyone. Tiffany Powell is helping with the kids bags and I really appreciate all of her help.

It's really going to be a great day....ya'll just pray for sunshine.

[cdwyer]

From Highway 78, take Exit 30
Go South on Highway 7 South toward Oxford
From 1st traffic light (Cousin's Exxon on right), go 4.1 miles
Turn Left onto Waterford Mtn Rd
Follow Waterford Mtn Rd until it T's into Potts Camp Road (should be 1.8 miles)
Turn Left onto Potts Camp Road
Travel 2.7 miles to our drive on the left. Flag pole in corner of pasture, mailbox with black lab head on white background, 2123A

Do not use your GPS!! Will take you on a goose chase!

Look foward to seeing everybody!

[Mark Evans]

Charles,

What about a schedule of events? I'm looking forward to seeing everyone. Just wandering what was going to happen other than the competition.

Mark

[cdwyer]

Just sent out a flyer.

What is your email address?