Sam-O-Rama coming Sept. 21
Northern Illinois Samoyed Assistance annual Sam-O-Rama is creeping up on us. It will be Sept. 21 from noon until 6 p.m. and at a new location, Busse Woods Ned Brown Forest Preserve, Grove 4. This picnic fundraiser is a day for adopted Sammies and prospective adopters and their families. It includes parades of those joining the ranks between 1995 and 2007 and those that have come on board since then. There will also be raffles, a sale of recycled holiday items and, of course, the noontime buffet. If you haven't made your reservations, do it now since they are due by Sept. 15. That includes the buffet, which is $15 for the regular meal and $8 for those between the ages of 6 and 12.
For more information, call Jean at (847) 392-5000 or go to McDudette@aol.com. For reservations, call Donna at (847) 639-6774 or go to Glaciervette@aol.com.
Agility Trial: WI-IL Agility Club of Spring Grove will hold trials on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 19, 20 and 21 at RICKS, Inc., Regional Sports Facility, 1310 Ridgefield Road, Crystal Lake. Call Sue at (262) 674-7967 for more information.
Deadlines: Entries close Thursday, Sept. 18 for the Weimaraner Club of Northern Illinois' Variable Surface Tracking tests to be held Sunday, Sept. 28. They will be on the grounds of Elgin Community College, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Entry fee is $100. Send fee and entry form to Carol Barsema, Trial Secretary, 908 Laguna Drive, McHenry, IL 60051-9394.
• Rand Park Dog Training Club has set Wednesday, Sept. 24 as deadline to enter the club's Agility Trials to be held Thursday and Friday, Oct. 11 and 12. They will be at Sports Zone, 1945 Cornell St. in Melrose Park. Entry for each day is $30 plus $13 for second entry of same dog. Send them to Beth Elliott, Trial Secretary, 9N909 Koshare Tr., Elgin, IL 60124.
• The Flat Coated Retriever Society of America has also set Wednesday, Sept. 24 as deadline to enter its Oct. 12 Tracking and Tracking Tests Excellent tests. They will be at Burnidge Forest Preserve and Paul Wolff Campgrounds on Big Timber and Coombs roads in Elgin. Tracking fee is $50 and TDX is $100. Entries and fees go to Chris VanByssum, Trial Secretary, 8714 New England Ave., Oak Lawn, IL 60453-1043.
• The Golden Retriever Club of Illinois has set Thursday, Sept. 25 as deadline for the Tracking and TDX tests to be held Oct. 12 at Rock Cut State Park, Olson Beach Conservation Area, 7318 Harlem Road, in Loves Park. Tracking fee is $50 and $90 for TDX. Entries and fees go to Pam German, Trial Secretary, 337 Pearl Street Road, Belvidere, IL 61008-9222.
McGinnis Made It: McGinnis, a Golden Retriever caught my eye at Long Grove Irish Days' dog competition when I spied his "in service" vest. That's when I started pulling for him to become King for that particular day. And he made it.
He is the canine assistant for Donna Feldman of Deerfield who obtained him from Canine Assistants in Alpharetta, Georgia, which is much like Canine Companions for Independence that has a satellite office in Woodstock and that I refer to often. Regardless, thanks to the 10 and 11-year-old judges who chose to make this service dog "King for the day".
• Send information for the Just Dogs column by e-mail to cookneighbor@dailyherald.com. or fax to (847) 427-1301. Put Just Dogs in the subject line.