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

 

 

GRREAT Annual Meeting and Elections GRREAT will be holding its Annual Meeting and Elections on January 21, 2012 at the Montgomery Public Library, 6400 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda MD from 12pm to 2pm. This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet the GRREAT Board of Directors as well as other GRREAT members. You will learn about our 2011 activities, plans for 2012 and how GRREAT goes about the business of rescuing Golden Retrievers each year. Elections will also be held for position of President, Vice President and Secretary. For more information on the meeting, voting and to meet the candidates click here. Dogs are not allowed at the meeting location.

 

Help GRREAT with this Fundraiser It's Christmas season and as you put together your shopping list, consider shopping online at GoodShop.com. Site participants include Barnes & Noble; Amazon.com; iTunes, App Store, iBookstore, and Mac App Store; Target; and Neiman Marcus to name just a few. GoodShop.com also offers over 100,000 coupons. A percentage of every purchase you make through this site will be donated to GRREAT. If you don't find what you need for your Christmas list at GoodShop.com, enroll in GoodSearch.com to search the internet for other alternatives. GRREAT will receive a penny for each search. And if you must brave the shopping malls to shop, take a break to grab a bite to eat after enrolling in GoodDining.com. Up to 6% of your meal purchase from one of 10,000 participating restaurants will be donated to GRREAT. Just be sure to enter GRREAT as your favorite charity before starting. Problems coming up with a gift idea? Consider purchasing Restaurant.com eCertificates or subscriptions to a favorite magazine at up to 85% off through our fundraising website. Up to 40% of each purchase will be donated to GRREAT. http://www.efundraisingonline.com/GRREATGoldenRetreiverRescueEducationandTrainingInc Spread the "grreat" word to friends and family by encouraging them to try these sites, not only for Christmas purchases but all year round. Site donations go directly to support GRREAT's rescued Goldens. Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping !!!

 

Attention Federal Employees! GRREAT Joins National Capital Area Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)! Federal employees in the Washington, DC area take note... you can now contribute to GRREAT through the CFC. We are listed under "Local Independent Organizations." Our number is: 51768. However there is an error in overhead rate. The correct rate is just under 7%, not 79%. Please consider including GRREAT in your contribution or pledge this year! The Goldens will thank you!!

 

The GRREAT 2012 Calendars Are HERE! Please visit The GRREAT Store for our fabulous 2012 calendars. The GRREAT wall calendar features wonderful photos of GRREAT dogs, along with a story about each dog. The Funny Faces desktop calendar presents the silly side of Goldens.

 

Sign Up With Verizon to Benefit GRREAT By ordering certain new Verizon products, you may be able to help GRREAT with a one-time donation of up to $65 from Verizon. And if you already have the services you need, please pass the information on to a friend or relative. Click here for details.

 

Dollars for Doers
Easy Cash for GRREAT
 

Do you know that your volunteer efforts can be turned into cash for GRREAT dogs?  Some companies offer to donate money to non-profit organizations for the volunteer work done by their employees and retirees. The donation is based on the number of service hours the employee/retiree has performed for the non-profit.

Through the Dollars for Doers program, GRREAT benefits twice: once from the volunteer's contribution of time and again from the financial contribution made by the volunteer's employer.

If you are a GRREAT volunteer, please ask your employer if they participate in the Dollars for Doers program.  If they do not, we would be so grreatful if you would ask them to consider it.

Here is a suggested Dollars for Doers policy you can give to your employer to help set up a program at your company. 

 

Sponsor Me!

Many of us have the ability to open our hearts to a Special Needs Golden, but not necessarily our homes, so GRREAT has initiated a "Sponsor Me!" program.

Of the 250 dogs we take in every year, many require extensive medical attention before they can be adopted into their forever homes.  Unfortunately, there are some whose medical conditions and/or age make them unadoptable, and they must remain in GRREAT foster homes on a permanent basis.  The medical needs of these Long Term Foster dogs are provided for by GRREAT for the rest of their lives, and the love, attention, and daily care they deserve are provided for by their forever foster homes.  Each year, an average of 3-4 dogs become Long Term Fosters; some are considered hospice care dogs, and others may live comfortably for several years.

We invite you to look at our Special Needs Dog page to learn about each of our Long Term Fosters, and to consider becoming a sponsor for one (or more) of them. As you read about each of the dogs, just click the button to select those that you wish to sponsor. You can sponsor a Golden with a one-time donation, or you can set up ongoing support through a monthly donation. Become a part of ensuring that these dogs will live in comfort and dignity for the rest of their lives.
 

 

HELP WANTED!
We have wonderful dogs coming in all the time,
and you can help them find their forever homes
by becoming a GRREAT Foster Home.

There are many families in our area waiting to adopt Goldens but GRREAT is in need of foster homes who can provide a temporary home for these dogs  (over 250 every year), usually for a 3-4 week period, during which time the golden can be evaluated and cared for medically, its behavior and temperament can be assessed and then the foster family can match this dog with the right adoptive family from the hundred or so approved applicants that we have. GRREAT pays for all pre-approved medical expenses, provides leash, collar, heartworm preventative, and will gladly work closely with you should any questions arise. If for some reason the foster dog just doesn't seem to be able to acclimate to your home, we will move the foster dog. You are not stuck with a dog, nor do you have to take a dog if the timing is not good for you.

If you would like to be part of the solution to the problem of the thousands of dogs that are killed in this country every week because of lack of homes, this may be the answer for you!!!!! Just send Denise Malczewski an e-mail and we will contact you with more information.

Take the Foster Quiz.
 

 

Virginia "Golden Retriever Rescue"
  License Plates

GRREAT and our partner to the south, Southeast Virginia 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 Lona Gordon.  (Note: Golden Retriever Rescue plates have been available in Maryland for several years.  Here's how to get one.)
 

 

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 membership@grreat.org.  Then we'll be able be able to contact you if we are notified that your dog has been found by someone. 
 

 

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.
 

 

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.  Read about more of our Special Dogs.