Polar Bear Picnic

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Background:

As some of you know, I am a founding board member of CorgiAid. CorgiAid's mission is to help homeless corgi dogs (Pembroke and Cardigan) and probable corgi mixes get healthy so they can find their forever homes.

As you might guess, dogs who end up in rescue are very often dogs who have not been kept up on the most basic health care. They almost always need vaccinations, heartworm tests, microchips. They very often need to get their teeth cleaned, and in some parts of the country, nearly every dog comes in to rescue with heartworm.

An adoption fee can only cover so much, and it is very common for rescuers and foster homes to foot the bill, themselves, to help their charges get healthy.

Over the years, watching rescue, it is crystal clear to me that *the* critical factor in saving lives is foster homes. Fosters take homeless dogs in, and give them a temporary place to rest and get healthy and get basic training in manners. Without foster homes, dogs will die.

My postition is -- fosters are the true heroes of rescue. It is fosters who put the blood, sweat, and tears into the dogs.

It is only fair that the rest of us pick up the tab.

CorgiAid's work is to stop fosters from going broke, so they can stay in the fostering business, saving lives.

Incorporated in 2000, CorgiAid has been instrumental in saving hundreds of dogs over the years.

One of the coolest things about CorgiAid is that so very many people rightfully take ownership and pride in what CorgiAid does. CorgiAid truly is everyone who helps in any way with raising money.

Most of CorgiAid's supporters come from the Corgi-L mailing list. Corgi-L is a friendly and helpful list, meant for all corgi owners (and wannabes). Get advice, share stories, enjoy your corgi with others who enjoy theirs..............


Polar Bear Picnic Background:

CorgiAid has been chosen to receive a major award for Best Breed-Specific Fund Raising.

The award sponsors wanted to send a film crew to "our office" to show "CorgiAid in Action." Hmmm. CorgiAid was conceived of, was organized, was incorporated, and has always run online. CorgiAid staff is scattered across the continent (Oregon, California, Nevada, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Ohio, Texas), and most of us have never met face-to-face. "Our office" doesn't really exist.......

The CorgiAid staff's work is ... people typing at computers to discuss an application for a grant, or someone typing an authorization for a check, or someone typing a note to supporters to let them know about the latest dog they've helped.... Not very photogenic or interesting....

Now the actual fund raising -- that is often *much* more interesting.

Many people raise money for CorgiAid by throwing a picnic. Lots of people, lots of dogs, games for dogs (relay races, bobbing for hotdog slices, etc.), contests for dogs (best trick, biggest ears, loudest bark, etc.). Very fun, very photogenic.....

Picnics often have a silent auction, which is where the fund raising comes in.

When the award sponsors talked about filming "CorgiAid in Action," the thing that came to mind is a picnic.

But no one throws a picnic in January. Not California, not Texas, not Florida. No one.

The CorgiAid staff talked over this conundrum, and the Tennessee staffer, who throws a picnic each year in May, consulted with her husband and declared that they could throw a picnic for the benefit of the film crew, on *very* short notice. "We've got all the stuff in boxes in a closet. We can throw the first-ever Polar Bear Picnic for CorgiAid!"


The Picnic of Epic Proportion:


As you would guess, everyone connected in any way with CorgiAid was thrilled about the award. That our little home-grown charity would receive this sort of public recognition on the Big Dog Stage is amazing and wonderful.

It was clear immediately that the Polar Bear Picnic was the way everyone could participate in the celebration.

A logo was designed for the picnic, and merchandise was made available on CafePress.

The picnic was announced on Corgi-L, and enthusiastic, energetic, and creative people immediately began to put their heads together about donations to the Polar Bear Silent auction. Someone suggested State Baskets, and the explosion of wonderful ideas reached new heights. (The Texas "basket" was a corgi-sized dog bed in the shape of a covered wagon!)

Dozens and dozens and dozens of boxes began to arrive in Tennessee. People from all over the eastern half of the US began to make picnic travel plans. Dogs rehearsed tricks, tried on costumes, and practiced fishing hotdog slices out of a tub of water.

More and more boxes arrived in Tennessee. The auction began online, so that people who were unable to attend the picnic would not be deprived of the chance to bid.

The gateway to Picnic Central:



Lily Woof, one of the lucky inhabitants of Fort Corgi, by one of the many handy water bowls. Buzz tried each one, I think.....



As the picnic day grew near, a core group of supporters arrived in Tennessee to help with preparations. People met who had known each other for years but who had never been in the same place at the same time. Bandanas were made, posters showing dogs helped by CorgiAid were prepared, chicken cake was baked, the park space was reserved, the tent was erected, cards for the auction items were made.....

The picnic took place on January 27, 2008, a chilly and breezy day in Tennysea.

On the day of the picnic, auction goodies were transported (many loads in the back of a big pick-up, in mini-vans, in cars) to the park. Rows and rows of tables (also hauled to the picnic site!) were covered with goodies. Thank goodness it was dry; we were able to put some of the bigger boxes on the ground, which made room for smaller things on the tables.







The film crew arrived from California. The hotdog bobbing was just outside this pic, on the right. You can see the camera, on the ground, pointed at a contestant.





Shiner is *ready*!!! for his turn.



I think everyone had a very good time. There was pizza, there were moon pies, there was a gorgeous cake for people, and the chicken cake for the dogs. There were games, contests, prizes. There was a blessing of the animals by a minister. There was a reading of a story written especially for the picnic. And there were alllllllllllllll those wonderful auction items to drool over and bid on.

Several CorgiAid alumni attended the picnic. This is Bob-who-fell-off-a-mountain. Bob was found by someone who had to rappel down a mountain to retrieve him. He had trouble walking, and it was feared he would need orthopedic surgery to recover. Luckily he felt very much better after some rest. He brought his new family to the picnic. How nice to see him so happily settled!





In addition to the crowd who were able to attend the picnic in person, there were people attending in spirit all over the world. One mom had a picnic in the living room with her young child. People baked Corgi-L's signature cookies -- Spotted Corgi cookies -- on Sunday and enjoyed them as they thought about those of us in Tennessee.

It was *everyone's* CorgiAid Polar Bear Picnic.



The sun swam across the sky. The games ended, the auction bids were declared closed.

Some of the items were won by people who attended the picnic. All the rest were transported back to the staffer's house to await shipping off to the lucky winners. (Yes, this is really an "after" pic!)




The park was cleaned up. People departed, leaving only long shadows on an empty tent.




The final total is not in yet, but it is clear this was The Picnic of the Century for CorgiAid.

From the very first glimmer of an idea to the successful conclusion of the Picnic of Epic Proportion was a three-week period.

Corgi people rock.


And that's how I spent my weekend!

There are more picnic pics here, including some shots of the costume contest.



In order to facilitate chronological traverse of these Tennessee Polar Bear Picnic trip posts, a link to the next one is here.

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