barkforlifebegins-americancancersociety.ppt

There are many stories out there of how dogs have helped their owners through their cancer experience. This is just one. * The heart of Bark For Life is the connection between cancer survivors and their canine caregivers. Bark gives everyone who has been close to a cancer experience and has a dog in their life a chance to fight cancer in a very unique way. Bark For Life does not replace the community event rather Bark For Life success IS Relay For Life success. It brings out people who may have never experienced the community event. * How is Bark success Relay For Life success? Because Bark is a Relay For Life growth strategy. It brings in new life to events. It is branded as an American Cancer Society event with an emphasis on cross promotion of community Relay events. Bark is not intended to be staff intensive, the idea for staff and volunteers to work hand in hand in their roles to make the event a success. If built correctly, Barks are sustainable events that grow year after year. * The beauty of Bark For Life events are that they follow very simple formulas that can be adapted to a wide range of communities. The Bark is flexible based on the resources and culture in your community. Above all, Bark For Life is FUN! People come out to the event because they love spending time with their dogs. While many events start small, if you provide them with a great experience they will come back year after year. * As was stated earlier, Bark For Life is not intended to be a staff intensive event. However, staff have a critical role in ensuring that the Bark For Life is successful. It all starts with the right volunteer to lead the event. Collaborations are critical. It is important that the Bark For Life be viewed as a partner in the canine community, not a competitor. There are ways to pull in organizations that focus on animal care and rescue. For example, participants can be encouraged to bring out items to benefit the local shelter. Thi