We are excited to announce that we are resuming our Meet and Greets beginning Saturday, October 17th from 10:00 - 12:00. We will be at our new location, Zoomy Dogs, located at 5420 NC-55, Durham, NC 27713. Take exit 278 for Highway 54/55 off I-40. Travel south toward Apex for one mile and Zoomy Dogs will be on the right at the intersection with Sedwick Rd.
It is a very cool, large space with lots of room and they are excited to host us. We are operating under the Safer at Home Phase 3 guidelines until further notice, and everyone attending should be wearing a mask. We want everyone to be safe as we resume this activity.
While our community events have been paused, we are not âpawsingâ our commitment to rescue, rehab, and adopt dogs in need. Your donations are needed now more than ever. Keep reading to hear about some of our fundraising activities and to learn several ways you can help NRGRR raise much needed funds, some of which you can do with your every day activities, including shopping and walking the dog.
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Raleigh Christmas Parade - Virtual |
Just when you thought 2020 was cancelled...but guess what, the Raleigh Christmas Parade is NOT!! We have a unique opportunity to still participate and showcase our dogs and what we do.
In order to comply with COVID safety regulations, the parade officials have decided to pre-film the parade to broadcast on Christmas morning. The film date is Sunday, October 18th at the NC State Fairgrounds. The time has yet to be determined. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers with their Golden in festive attire to march and join in on the fun. Social distancing and face covering required.
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2020 Statistics
through September
110 Dogs Rescued
46 Dogs in Rehab
113 Dogs Adopted
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Congratulations to these dogs finding their furever home in September
- Rascal 20
- Cilantro 20
- Apollo 20
- Pekoe 20
- Sky 17
- Turkey Sophie 20
- Turkey Kopuk 20
- Peaches 19
- Mick 20
- Turkey Lili 20
- Basil 20
- Cash 20
- Tango 20
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NRGRR 2021 Calendars are here! |
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Yes, it is time again to purchase your 2021 Calendar featuring NRGRR alums. This yearâs calendar contest was our most successful ever in terms of bringing in money though the voting process. All totaled we brought in over $18,000. We hope you will keep this trend going by purchasing one or many calendars for yourself, friends, and family!
Calendars will be sold at the Meet and Greets at Zoomy Dogs in Durham on the first and third Saturdays and online through the NRGRR Store. The cost per calendar is $18 plus applicable tax and shipping fees. Start your Christmas shopping early and stock up!
NEW this year: NRGRR Planning Calendars! This is a 7"x10" planning calendar with the monthly calendar and dog photos with stories in front, followed by 70 pages of ruled note paper. They are currently in production and will be available for purchase in early November. The cost for the planner is projected be $40.
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This month we are highlighting three ways you can support NRGRR while conducting your every day activities. Creating a fundraiser on Facebook, shopping at Amazon Smile, and using the Woof Trax app when walking your dog(s), are all easy ways to support NRGRR. Read below to learn how to set up NRGRR as your charity for these fundraisers.
What other ideas do you have to help us raise money to support our rescue efforts? You can share your ideas by reaching out to Kerry Ahrend. And of course we would love for you to take action and help us implement some of these ideas!
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Facebook fundraisers are a fun and easy way to help raise money for NRGRR. To set up a fundraiser, all you need to do is go to the NRGRR Facebook Fundraiser page and set your fundraising goal, end date, and message. You can create fundraisers for your birthday or any special event or cause.
We would like to thank our supporters who raised nearly $3000 with their Facebook Fundraisers in September!
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September Fundraisers
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- Donna's Birthday Fundraiser
- Julie's Fundraiser for International Rescue
- Wilma's Birthday Fundraiser
- Tami's Fundraiser for NRGRR's International Dogs
- Kerry's Birthday Fundraiser
- Molly's Birthday Fundraiser
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Current Fundraisers
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Will Run For Dogs - Are you a runner? Molly has set up a special virtual race to raise money for NRGRR. The course and length are up to you but must be complete by Halloween. Follow the link above to make a donation and get access to the event page.
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Did you know you can support NRGRR by shopping on Amazon?
It's quite easy. All you need to do is go to smile.amazon.com and choose Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue as your charity. Click on Supporting: just below the search bar to add or update your charity.
When shopping online, make sure to navigate to smile.amazon.com first to ensure NRGRR receives the donation.
There are a few more steps to set up Amazon Smile on the app, but it is not difficult.
Amazon Prime Day is October 13th and 14th.
Make sure to choose NRGRR as your charity before completing your purchases.
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On the bottom right of the Amazon App, select the 3 bars. Under Programs & Features, select See All then scroll down and click on AmazonSmile. |
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Search for and choose Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue then click the Turn on AmazonSmile button. |
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Follow the remaining steps to complete the process. You will have to turn on Amazon Notifications on your device first and renew your charity twice a year. |
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Support NRGRR just by walking your dog! Use WoofTrax with each walk so that we can continue helping animals in need. The app provides a map and history of your walks so you can track your activity. Be sure to check out the Camp Bow Wow challenge where you can earn a chance to win weekly prizes. Learn more at wooftrax.com.
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NRGRR International Rescue |
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We had a slow start with our international rescue efforts this year but things are beginning to pick back up. We have rescued 19 dogs from Turkey, China, and Kosovo so far this year (all but three have occurred in the past two months) and we are expecting 12 more in the next couple of months. There are an additional six dogs from Turkey that we can bring in if we can raise the money. We need your help today! |
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Your donation toward our international fund will help us rescue these and more beautiful Golden Retrievers from overseas. Click the button below to learn more about our international rescue efforts and make your donation today. |
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Thank you Terry and Barbara Emery for hosting a special wine tasting event to support NRGRR's international rescue mission! Terry expertly poured a wonderful selection of wine* while Barbara and Beau entertained the guests. It was a small affair to try to maintain social distancing but it was great to have real conversations with our supporters. Thanks to everyone's efforts and support, the Sip and Save a Golden event raised over $3000 for our international rescue efforts.
* It was incorrectly reported previously that Trader Joes donated the wine for this event. While Trader Joes generously donates to worthy causes, it is their policy to not donate alcohol.
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19th Annual Golden on the Green
Virtual Charity Golf Tournament
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The Golden on the Green Charity Golf Tournament has been a treasured tradition for 18 years, and over the years it has become like a family reunion. We want to keep the tradition alive for the 19th annual tournament, but given the COVID situation, we made the difficult decision to hold a virtual tournament this year instead of gathering together as we usually do.
The Golden on the Green Charity Golf Tournament is one of our biggest annual fundraisers and we hope you will honor the tradition and participate virtually this year so we can continue to support the Goldens in need. We have 2 ways you can participate; 1) by registering and playing a round in support of NRGRR and 2) by making a Tee Sponsorship.
The virtual tournament will run through November 30th, 2020 and you can enter (play) as many rounds as you like. Click the button below for more information and to register.
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Support the NRGRR Golden on the Green Charity Virtual Golf Tournament with a tee sponsorship. For a $100 donation, you can honor your pet or loved one with a virtual "In Honor of" or "In Memory of" tee sign. Click the button above for more information and to purchase your sponsorship.
Thank you, Donna, for being our first tee sponsor.
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A fun way to support NRGRR is to become a Golden Guardian Sponsor. With a $100 donation you get to name a foster dog and we will keep you updated on their progress while they are in our program.
All of our rescue dogs have unique names as their identifiers, so you may have to get creative. You will be asked to submit 3 name choices to ensure the name has not been used before. You are encouraged to use a special name to honor a loved one, or a funny or silly name to reflect the Golden's personality.
A new option this year is to have your sponsorship listed on our Golden Guardian web page. There we will include a photo of your foster dog and a short reason for their special name. There is even an option to give a Golden Guardian sponsorship as a gift. Click the button below for more information.
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To give you some inspiration, we are starting the What's in a Name segment with stories from previous Golden Guardians. If you are a Golden Guardian and would like to share your story in a future Rescue Ranger, send an email to NRGRRGoldenGuardian@gmail.com.
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What's in a Name...
Chuckles
When my father passed away in June 2019, I was gifted a naming right as part of NRGRRâs Golden Guardian program. During a time of sadness and loss, given the opportunity to name a dog in honor of my father brought joy to my heart. My father, Chuck Ahrend, was the kind of guy who loved nothing more than to get a chuckle out of someone with one of his corny jokes and one liners. For that reason, I chose the name âChucklesâ for my Golden Guardian gift.
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My dad Chuck, aka Chuckles, was a big supporter of NRGRR. As an avid golfer, he supported NRGRRâs Golden on the Green every year by sponsoring a hole. Twice he actually played in the tournamentâhis last time at age 89! He continued to play golf until he was 91 but was limited in travel as he lived in NW Virginia (5 hours from Raleigh). |
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I am certain my father was smiling, and perhaps even chuckling, in Heaven when one of NRGRRâs senior boys was named Chuckles in memory of him. If you have a friend or loved one you would like to honor, please consider the Golden Guardian program. I am positive you will bring joy to someoneâs heart through this kind gesture, just as it did for me! Additionally, you will be supporting NRGRR in our efforts to save more dogs in need.
FinallyâŠhereâs one from my Dad. What did one casket say to the other casket? Is that you coffin? (ChucklesâŠLOL!)
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Fire Ants
Itchy, stingy, bitey, OWWW!!!!
ï»żIn this month's medical blog post, our Medical Coordinator Katie McKay revisits a couple of past blog posts about fire ants. They are never fun to deal with but if you have a curious dog that likes to stick their nose where it doesn't belong, it can be big trouble. Katie discusses first aid and signs that your dog may be having an allergic reaction if they happen to get attacked by a fire ant swarm.
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FOSTERS NEEDED...the âlife-bloodâ of most rescues are their fosters. You simply CANNOT save lives without fosters. After being pulled from a shelter, or an owner surrenders their family pet, the dog needs a place to land for medical care (if needed), training perhaps, and a safe environment where they can build confidence and prepare to meet their forever family. Fostering saves lives, and you can be part of our rewarding mission to Rescue.Rehab.Adopt.
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Foster Spotlight: Al and Gail DiPreta |
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Gail and Al DiPreta began fostering for NRGRR in 2002, shortly after relocating to North Carolina. Previously they had fostered for a Golden Retriever rescue group in central New Jersey where a friend introduced Gail to fostering. Gail had always dreamed of owning a Golden and so fostering seemed to be the best way to find a dog that fit their family. There are many pluses to fostering per Gail ââŠyou get to save a Golden, love a Golden, and find the Golden the perfect furever home. It doesnât get any better!â |
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So what keeps Gail and Al interested in fostering after all these years? Thatâs simple, says Gail, âWhatâs better than a Golden Retriever? Answer: Two Golden Retrievers! Iâve always felt that since Goldens are such social creatures, they benefit greatly from having a constant companion. That is why we continue to foster one and own one.â Al too loves fostering because of the satisfaction he feels helping a dog in need. |
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One of the things Gail and Al like best about fostering is the opportunity to train and rehabilitate a dog in need of some behavior changes to prepare them for their future home. Getting to select the perfect home and adopters for the dog, according to Gail, is âthe MOST fun and satisfying.â And of course the unconditional love they get in returnâŠlife is just better with a Golden! |
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Gailâs advice for someone who is considering fostering for NRGRR is âJust Do It; emphasizing the fact that at no time would you be alone. NRGRR is so well organized, with various roles and responsibilities for every facet of the fostering experience. There is always someone to guide, advise, assist, facilitate, solve, resolve, laugh with or cry with.â Gail adds that if someone finds that fostering is not for them, there are a million other volunteer opportunities! Alâs advice is that fosters should anticipate that some dogs may have âchallengesâ but NRGRR will always be there to help. |
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How do they overcome the temptation of adopting their fosters? They both realize that other dogs need their help and by fostering they can impact the lives of MANY dogs, not just one or two that they could reasonably adopt. Besides fostering a dog until it is ready for adoption, Gail and Al also help with short-term temp fostering. |
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Gailâs final word(s) about fostering: âNRGRR is a well-organized community of awesome volunteers (whom I like to call friends), who are single-minded in our mission: to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome Goldens and golden-hearted canines. Our common denominator is the most powerful four-letter word in the English language: LOVE. NRGRR has been there for us every step of the way. We have learned so much from the group. Iâm proud to be a part of the NRGRR family. Please consider joining us.â
Gail and Al DiPretaâwe appreciate all you do to help NRGRR meet our mission to RESCUE.REHAB.ADOPT!
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If you or your family are interested in fostering please see our foster page to read the steps to foster and complete the application. If you have any questions about fostering, please reach out to our foster coordinator, Mimi Suddath.
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Check out the NRGRR store for Golden on the Green and NRGRR logo items. We have towels, balls, hats, and vests. We also have select styles and sizes of golf shirts that remain in inventory from previous year's tournaments. They make great gifts for your golfer friends and dog lovers! |
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We are always looking for new ideas for store items. If there are any items you would like us to carry, email our store manager, Nikki D'Ambrose, and we will see if it's feasible for us to provide it to you.
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We hope you enjoy this new platform for the Rescue Ranger! You may receive this edition more than once as we strive to not leave anyone out. You can always email questions or concerns to us at: nrgrr.rescueranger@gmail.com.
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NRGRR is a 501(c)(3) organization in North Carolina that is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption of Golden Retrievers in need. The organization advocates responsible pet ownership, community education and protection of all dogs. |
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