Golden Tales

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From the President’s desk

I am delighted to wish health and happiness in 2023 for you, your family, and of course, your beloved Golden Retrievers. This is the perfect time of year to take a look back and a look ahead at the new year. I do so with heartfelt gratitude for all the effort put forth by our members and volunteers to ensure that our mission continues.

So much has happened in 2022, I hardly know where to begin. Most importantly, we rescued scores of Golden Retrievers, many of which were sick, neglected, and in serious need of medical care. And did I mention puppies? Not only did we rescue two expectant mommas who delivered 18 adorable puppies between them, we partnered with a rescue in Ohio, GRIN (Golden Retrievers In Need), to bring in 8 beautiful pups that were saved from a puppy mill. That is the highest number of puppies we’ve ever rescued in a single year! So worth it.

I’d like to extend my profound thanks to all who contributed to our first ever exclusively online annual fundraising campaign “How to Save a Life.” You helped us to raise more than $30,000.00 to rescue Golden Retrievers in need! Your generosity and dedication to our cause never fail to touch and amaze me.

Let’s take a look at some other highlights of 2022:

We had a blast at our favorite events!

We turned out in force for the Fiesta Bowl Parade and stole the show! Thank you to Becky Buck-Wetzel, Chris Brant, and everyone who participated in what is becoming our signature community event!
Our two-footed and four-footed friends came out in droves to party at Bark in the Park, Topgolf, Woof Down Lunch, Woofstock, “Chi Chi the Rescue Dog” book signings, the SABHA Home and Garden Show, our annual pool party, and at several PACC911 adopt-a-thon events. Whew!!
We wrapped! Yes, 2022 saw the return of holiday gift wrap events at PetSmart in Phoenix and Bark Avenue in the East Valley. Our Goldens, dressed in their holiday finery and donation vests, were shameless – and very successful – as they looked pleadingly into shoppers’ eyes and asked “can I have a dollar?”

I’m exhausted just thinking about this! The good news is that more exciting programs and events are coming in 2023. Take a breath, saddle up, and read on!

Kelly Cook – President

Events and Happenings

Bark in the Park – Feb. 19, 2023 at 11:00 am

It’s time for our annual picnic at Red Mountain Park in Mesa where our members and their pups gather to eat, drink, and be barky! This is where we welcome the dogs who were given a second chance at life in 2022 through adoption, and pay tribute to the beloved Goldens who have journeyed on to Rainbow Bridge. You will enjoy delicious barbecue with all the fixings, and witness the always exciting peanut butter cup licking contest. Yes, that will be Goldens doing the licking, not our members. Tammy Pauletto, DVM, of Harmony Veterinary Clinic will offer a presentation and Q&A on Hemangiosarcoma, a condition that tragically steals years from too many of our Goldens. Our fabulous raffles and Ann Marie Hoff, animal communicator, round out the event. You don’t want to miss out on the action so please register now.

Topgolf – Sunday, March 26, 2023, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

We are thrilled to invite you to join us for our signature fundraising event of the year – Topgolf in Scottsdale! This event is jam packed with fun for the whole family and you do NOT even have to know how to golf. There will be a new steak/chicken fajita lunch buffet, a Hole-in-One contest with a $10,000.00 prize, a $5.00 fifty/fifty raffle (so you can win big!), and three show-stopping themed raffle baskets: Masters of Golf, Vineyard Fantasy, and Entertaining at Home!

We ask our members to support this event … and there are two ways you can do that:

• Ask your pup if he or she would like to be a Topgolf Canine Sponsor! We have a sponsorship package to appeal to every single pup we’ve rescued. And if you know of a business or company that would like to support our worthy cause, we offer terrific sponsorships for our corporate friends too.

Donate a raffle prize to be included in our spectacular themed baskets. We are seeking donations, such as:

Gift certificates for rounds of golf for two or more, golf lessons, meals at the dining room/clubhouse, pro shop, etc.; overnight stay at a golf resort; golf clubs, equipment, accessories; etc.

Gift certificates for a higher end restaurant or overnight stay at a local resort; membership to a wine club; nice bottles of wine; wine glasses and accessories; gourmet snacks; etc.

Small home appliances; entertaining items/serving accessories; backyard entertainment; cocktail/dinner party accessories; gourmet cooking items; gift cards to home stores; etc.

Finally, we’d be thrilled to see you at Topgolf! Come and celebrate with our volunteers, members, and adopters, and get in on all the Topgolf action. We wish our Goldens could come but this event is for our two-footed friends only. Attendee registration begins on February 20th.

Newsworthy and Noteworthy

All the Golden news that’s fit to print!

2023 is the year of our silver anniversary!

Twenty-five years ago, an animal advocate named Joyce Hubler witnessed the cruelty and heartbreak of seeing a Golden Retriever mistreated and abandoned. She turned her despair into action and founded Rescue A Golden of Arizona, an all-volunteer non-profit dedicated to the “rescue, re-habbing, and re-homing” of Golden Retrievers that are abandoned, injured, sick, or have lost their homes. Since that time, thousands of these precious animals have come to know the warmth of a soft bed, the pleasure of a full tummy, and the touch of human kindness. Joyce, we will be forever indebted to you for your compassion, courage, and vision.

Get ready to strike a pose for the Cutest Golden Contest!

We have barely turned the page on our beautiful 2023 Hearts of Gold calendar … but we are already gearing up for our annual Cutest Golden Contest. What does that have to do with the calendar? The top ten contest winners will become our canine “centerfolds” in the 2024 calendar. The contest gets under way in mid-February when amateur photographers everywhere start snapping photos of their dogs. Keep your eyes peeled for e-blasts, social media posts, and website updates telling you how your dog can compete to become a cover girl or boy.

News from The Morris Animal Foundation about Doggie Dementia

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CCDS) is a common yet underdiagnosed neurological condition in older dogs. Between 14% and 35% of the dog population suffers from the disease, with almost all dogs over age 16 displaying at least one clinical sign such as disorientation, confusion, anxiety, changes in sleep cycle and other symptoms of dementia. Find out how data gleaned from The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is helping researchers learn more about CCDS and Alzheimer’s Disease in our canine companions.

Psst … Heard Around the Dog Park

Give us two minutes and we’ll give you a gaggle of quick hits, timely reminders, and fun facts!

Give us two minutes and we’ll give you a gaggle of quick hits, timely reminders, and fun facts!

• Website under construction! Yes, RAGofAZ is getting a new look! Our website is currently being redesigned to give it an updated modern appearance with easy-to-use navigation tools and features. More to come … we’ll give you plenty of notice when we get closer to launch date this spring!

• We want your rescue stories, videos, and photos! Social media may contain loads of great tips, helpful information, and not-so-helpful opinions, but we know you’re there for the cute dog videos. We would love to feature them on Rescue A Golden’s social media sites so consider this your personal invitation to share. Our Director of Social Media, Heather Marcom, is seeking good quality videos – shot on an iPhone or Android, not an older phone – in portrait mode as opposed to landscape. Ideally, your video should be 30 seconds or less, and we’d like a brief story to go with it. Don’t worry, we’re not looking for War and Peace, just a synopsis of the dog’s rescue story and what he or she is up to now. Don’t do videos but have some high quality photos and a heartwarming story? That’ll work too. Email Fido’s photos and videos to Heather at . And thanks!