Saint Francis Service Dogs Announces Open Registration for  Barks ‘n Rec 2025!

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Saint Francis Service Dogs has opened registration for their fifth annual Spring Fundraiser: Barks ‘n Rec. 

Last year, over 300 people across 30 states participated in our Barks ‘n Rec fundraiser. We are hoping this year will be even bigger and better with more people doing their own thing to benefit Saint Francis Service Dogs. We exceeded our goal last year and we know with your help, we can do it again this year! 

Saint Francis Service Dogs has a goal of raising $65,000 through this event for 2025, and we need your help to get there! 

During the week of May 12 – 18, Barks ‘n Rec is an opportunity for everyone to do their favorite activities, all for a good cause (with their pets by their side, if they’d like!) All proceeds from the event will help Saint Francis raise, train, and place service dogs with individuals with physical and developmental disabilities throughout the state of Virginia and surrounding areas. 

Participants can register to participate online at www.saintfrancisdogs.org/barks-n-rec and pledge to do any activity they like (kayaking, cartwheeling, swimming, juggling, reading, etc.) during Barks ‘n Rec Week. If they choose, participants will have the option of creating an individual fundraising page to share their activity and participation and receive support from friends and family. Also, back again this year, participants can choose to join friends, co-workers, or family to fundraise as a team! By sharing their involvement through social media (#barksnrec2025) and with the help of their community, individual and team fundraisers can increase their impact and support Saint Francis’s critical mission. *Fundraising is NOT a requirement to register or participate. 

The $25.00 registration earns not only a fun-filled week, but an event t-shirt, pet bandana, and the chance to win one of the special event prizes. 

Executive Director, Cabell Youell, says, “As we head into our fifth year of this event, we know that together, this can be our best year yet. Our Barks ‘n Rec event revolves around the concept of inclusivity. No matter where you live, no matter your age, your physical limitations…no matter what, you can participate! By just pledging to do whatever you love most, you are helping Saint Francis empower and transform the lives of people with disabilities. We deeply appreciate your support and look forward to a successful Barks ‘n Rec 2025!” 

Barks ‘n Rec would not be possible without our generous sponsors. Our title sponsors for 2025 are Pete and Kathleen Milward, long-time supporters and friends of Saint Francis Service Dogs. 

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About Saint Francis Service Dogs: 

Saint Francis Service Dogs is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to help people with disabilities achieve their goals and have greater independence through partnership with exceptional service and facility dogs. 

Since our inception in 1996, we have placed 185 service and facility dogs to assist people with a wide range of disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, joint and/or muscular diseases, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, paralysis, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and many other conditions. 

Our service dogs are trained in over 40 different skills, and can assist a person with physical task-work such as turning lights on and off, retrieving fallen items, carrying items and going for help when necessary. 

In addition to the tangible services that service dogs provide, the animal-human bond generates a strong emotional attachment between human and dog. Through this bond, the person often develops a positive focus and a stimulus to be active. The result is increased motivation, higher self-esteem, and a greater sense of belonging, as well as more social interaction and a higher quality of life. A service dog can act as a bridge to the world around them, steering the focus to the person and away from the disability. 

Thanks to the generous support of individuals, corporations, and foundations, we absorb the cost of training and do not charge our partners for their dogs. Because of their support, we are able to empower and transform the lives of people with disabilities – One dog. One person. One family. One community at a time. 

For more information about Saint Francis Service Dogs, visit saintfrancisdogs.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.