The January/February issue of GRREAT News is available for
downloading.

Don't Miss the GRREAT Annual Business
Meeting
GRREAT invites you to attend
GRREAT's Annual Business Meeting and Elections
on January 10, 2009. This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet
the GRREAT Board of Directors as well as other GRREAT members. Learn
about the 2008 activities GRREAT participated in, plans for 2009, and how
GRREAT goes about the business of rescuing Golden Retrievers each year.

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2008 WRAPPING BRIGADE
Once again, GRREAT has teamed up with our local Borders and Barnes & Noble
stores to raise funds for GRREAT by providing wrapping services at book
stores all around the metro area. The hard work of all our volunteers
resulted in meeting the goal of raising $10,000
through this project. Congratulations and thanks to all who
participated. |
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The
Annual "GRREAT Beginnings" Walk
Was a GRREAT Time and a GRREAT Fundraising
To all the sponsors, walkers, volunteers and other
individuals who helped make this year's 3K walk a huge success, we
want to say THANK YOU. Without your help we would not have been
able to raise over $13,000 to help our faithful companions. It goes
without saying that your dedication and commitment to GRREAT is
great.
Here are more pictures taken by Jen Strohm. |

Update Your Contact Info…
For Your Dog’s Sake
All GRREAT dogs should microchipped (if not, you need to get that done as
soon as possible). But a microchip doesn't help your lost dog get home
if GRREAT doesn't have your current contact information. If you have
moved or changed phone numbers since your dog received his chip, send your
updated information to
mail-admin@grreat.org. Then we'll be able be able to contact you
if we are notified that your dog has been found by someone. (For more
information see page 9 of the January/February edition of
GRREAT News.

Forever Friends
We are pleased to announce a new fund to honor your special pet that has
gone on to the Rainbow Bridge. This memorial fund will allow you to pay
tribute to your dog, cat, or other special critter, and at the same time
help our GRREAT Golden Retrievers find their forever homes. Please visit the
Forever Friends to read about Gus
06-212, the first forever friend and all the other friends that are listed.
While you're there, you can find out how to list your special forever
friend.

It Takes Dozens of Volunteers to Keep
GRREAT Operating
GRREAT has no paid staff. Everything we do to help homeless Goldens in
the mid-Atlantic area is done by volunteers. Some of our volunteers
spend several hours a day and others much less. Can you afford some
time each week to be sure all of our dogs find new homes? Check out
our updated volunteer page to see if there isn't
something you could do to help.

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CONNER
(07-081) is a very special 3-year old boy. He was rescued from a busy
highway and brought into GRREAT in May, 2007. After surgery to correct a
torn cruciate ligament in his knee, it was discovered that Conner had a
greater challenge. He was diagnosed with degenerative myelopothy – the
doggie version of multiple sclerosis.
Read about his remarkable story,
as well as other dogs with special needs.
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Virginia "Golden Retriever Rescue"
License Plates
GRREAT and our partner to the south, SEVA GRREAT, are gauging interest in a
Golden Retriever Rescue license plate for Virginia drivers. The basic
program requires 350 prepaid applications. As 501(c)3 organizations, our
rescues qualify for Revenue Sharing. With our combined memberships, we
should be able to meet this criteria. Plates authorized for revenue sharing
cost $25 annually. Personalization is an additional $10 annually. Revenue
sharing provides $15 of every $25 paid to the DMV to be shared with the
qualified organization after the sale of the first 1000 plates. If you are
interested in this program, please contact
Louise Davidson. (Note:
Golden Retriever Rescue plates have been available in Maryland for several
years. Here's how to get one.)

Your Donation Dollars at Work
Peaches
05-140 came to us at the young age of 2. Her family loved her but they had
learned that she had an expensive digestive condition and they realized they
could not afford or handle the treatment. GRREAT committed to her care and
began the medical regimen necessary to help her. Shortly after she came to
GRREAT however, it was discovered that her condition was much worse,
complicated by a poorly functioning autonomic nervous system. She was taken
to a specialist in August 2005 and again in October 2005 who was able to
help us come up with a system of medications, special diet, and feeding
schedules in order to manage Peachey's conditions. He warned us that it
might not matter how hard we tried, that Peaches might succumb to her
illness sooner than we hoped, but we endeavored to try as long as she had a
high quality of life. And she did. Peaches lived, and loved, and romped, and
played. For almost a year, we managed to keep her condition under control.
In November 2006, Peaches suddenly became ill and was rushed to the animal
hospital where they were forced to perform emergency surgery to save her
life. Always a danger with her condition, her intestines had become
impacted. Peaches quickly recovered from her surgery and bounced back to her
exuberant self where she has remained for several months. As we learn more
about her condition and ways to manage it, we hope to avoid this terrible
crash from happening again. We know that we are racing against time but
Peaches has a strong will to live and a joyous energy that touches everyone
around her. Until there is no hope, until her quality of life is diminished,
we must keep trying. Because of your past and continued support, GRREAT is
able to offer sanctuary to Peaches and to other Goldens like her. Goldens
who might otherwise have suffered or been put down long ago. Every little
bit helps so please consider making a donation. One-time or even small
monthly donations go a long way. And please, don't forget to renew your
memberships or become a member to ensure that we are able to continue our
good work. Thank you for reading and hope to see you at the Bark-B-Que where
Peaches will be ready to greet you. Read about
more of our Special Dogs.

Want to send us the story of your GRREAT
Dog?? Here's how.
