volunteering


Foots agrees - everyone needs to get out and volunteer! (adopted by Sue Gaiser)

Come One, Come All to enlighten the masses:
Greyhounds Rule!!

Don't you remember when you had just started your research into this fabulous breed of dog? How difficult it was to process all the information, but all the wonderful volunteers who were there at the meet and greets, the kennel, the art shows - they introduced you to who would become your new best friend?

Volunteers are what keep us alive!

Greyhounds Only is organization composed solely of greyhound-adoring volunteers! There are always plenty of ways to get involved, no matter where you live and what amount of time you have!

Doggy Style Dog Wash

This is the 2nd dog wash this year that Doggy Style has sponsored for us. This is always a very good fundraiser for GO. The slots for dogs to come in and be washed are almost totally filled and now we need volunteers to help wash. We need at least 20 more volunteers to pull this together. This one will take place almost entirely inside and since the store itself is small we will not have a regular Meet and Greet to go with this wash. I know this is right before the Thanksgiving holiday and we all have a million things going on but if you could give us just 1 hour of your time for this event it would be greatly appreciated!

Where: Doggy Style Pet Shop - 2023 West Division, Chicago
(parking can be a little tricky! try the side streets if you can't find a spot on Division)

When: Sunday, November 23rd 12 noon - 4 pm

Contact: Laura Reynolds Anderson (sjalar@sbcglobal.net or 773-368-4964)

 

Ongoing Events:
Brief Description Contact Person
ProPlan Coupon Clipping: This is so easy. If you use ProPlan, simply cut the barcode off the bag and send it to Yvonna Mills. Greyhounds Only receives cash back bonuses that help support the kennel dogs and the foster program. Yvonna (dnymills5@sbcglobal.net)
Creative talents needed: If you have flair you artist design, we need graphic design assistance, writing, editing, folks with computer literacy (Petfinder, eBay), photography, videography (of events, kennel) etc. Barbara (bkarant@interaccess.com)
Merchandising: We can always use people to cut patterns when we get in the new materials. And people to stuff toys (and put in the squeakers, of course!) and then hand sew them closed. We provide the materials and training, and this is not a gender -specific task. Some of our best stuffers have been men! Closer to the events we can use help pricing, packing, and inventory of merchandise. We can always use help to set up, "man" the booth, sell the merchandise, and tear down the booth. We can also use help transporting the merchandise to and from the events, which include Arlington, G.O. Reunion, and several summer events/festivals/art shows. Bob (bdpetrovic@sbcglobal.net)
Fund Raising and Grant Writing: If Grant research, sending letters to corporations, telephone follow-up or hosting/organizing events is up your alley, let us know. This is the bread and butter of how we stay afloat and keep the adoption fees reasonable so more greyhounds can get into more homes. Sue (GreytGOFoster@comcast.net)
Greyhound Transport: Often we need dogs transported to the vet, a foster home, or even another kennel. Let us know if you can be available for this unselfish task! In many instances this could be more important than you realize! We need you! Sue (GreytGOFoster@comcast.net) 
Foster Parent: Training is needed. A dog would stay with you between 4 and 14 days. You would need room to crate this dog and the time to teach it the little things greyhounds don’t know at first (stairs, leash “going,” windows, TV’s, vacuums, etc). You need to keep simple notes of the dog’s progress and deliver him/her to the new parents to communicate that dog’s personality traits. The rewards are endless when you know that you have helped this dog make it’s way successfully into his/her new “forever” home! Sue (GreytGOFoster@comcast.net)
Adoption Representative: Training required. You would go along with the Foster Parent/s to the new parent’s home and answer any questions, act as a second set of eyes, go over adoption paperwork and become a second contact. You are the first ones to see the new happy family all together. Joy (312-573-1745 or donjoyk@sbcglobal.net)
Meet and Greets: No training required. Get out for one to four hours at a pet store to show off your baby every month or so. You get to meet other folks and teach patrons about how “greyt” Greyhounds are. The dogs have a ball, get out to meet and socialize and when you get home, they are pooped! See the List Below!
Set Up New Meet and Greets: Are you an experienced meet-and-greeter, and think you have the ideal new spot for Greyhounds Only to hold a monthly M&G? If you can commit to one four-hour day each month, have access to e-mail and the ability to organize, perhaps you should organize a GO Meet and Greet of your own! Sue (GreytGOFoster@comcast.net)

 

Meet and Greets

A meet-n-greet is a chance for the public to meet retired greyhound. It gives them the chance to ask questions they might have about the breed or adopting a greyhound.

It is gratifying to share the experiences you've had with your dog or dogs with potential adopters, knowing that by doing so you will be helping to save another greyhound's life. Meet and greets take place at pet stores, art fairs, farmers markets, bookstores, and anywhere we think might be a good venue to promote greyhound adoption. Suggestions are always welcome for new venues.

At our meet and greets, we have dogs, people, brochures, adoption applications, and a donation jar. People are always enthusiastic about the dogs, and the dogs love the attention, though they are very tuckered out the next day because of all the effort they expend being charming! We often also raise money at these meet and greets via donations and through sales of GO's unique products.

Slim Image was adopted by Barbara Karant

 

GO Meet and Greet Schedule 2008

New Location! PetCo - 555 B Townline Rd, Vernon Hills, IL (847-816-3821)
Date: 3rd Sunday of every month starting 11/16!
Time: 11 am - 2 pm
Contact:Sue (rescued.racer@gmail.com or 847-827-4158) or Kevin (kevinodon@yahoo.com)

New Location! PetsMart - 2775 Plainfield Rd, Joliet IL (815-439-7100)
Date: First Saturday of each month
Time: 11 am - 2 pm
Contact: Lori Harris (hlpnhounds@aol.com or 815-735-5799)

PetCo - 7265 West Lake Street, River Forest IL (708-366-7387)
Date: 3rd Saturday of every month (Please Note: We won't be meeting in January!)
Time: 11 am - 1:30 pm
Contact: Lori (847-721-8680) or Hilda (oprfhounds@yahoo.com or 708-717-0928)

PetSmart - 1440 E Golf Rd, Schaumburg (intersection of Golf Road and Meachum Road (847-417-0982)
Date: 2nd Sunday of every month
Time: 11 am - 2 pm
Contact: Karen Steiger (km6894@yahoo.com or 847-466-7665)

PetCo - 4950 South 76th Street, Greenfield WI (414-325-6564)
Date: 3rd Saturday of every month
Time: 11 am - 2 pm
Contact: Arnie and Amanda (arnster0823@yahoo.com)

PetCo - 2000 North Clybourn, Chicago (773-665-1368)
Date: 1st Sunday of every month
Time: 12pm - 3pm
Contact: Jon Spiegel (jonspiegel@hotmail.com)
*Please RSVP to Jon for volunteering - space is limited!

PetSmart - 63 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton (630-462-7345)
Dates: 1st Sunday of every month
Time: 11 am - 2 pm
Contact: Jessica Twarowski (jessica218@msn.com)

PetSmart - 49 W. Rand Rd, Arlington Heights (847-253-4488)
Date: 2nd Sunday of every month
Time: 12 pm - 3 pm
Contact: Nancy Seils (rescuedracermom@comcast.net)

PetSmart - 4465 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake IL (815-479-8059)
Date: 2nd Sunday of every month
Time: 11am - 3pm
Contact: Beth Anderson (elizabethanderson659@comcast.net) or Stephanie Swanson (may-dayfarm@sbcglobal.net)

PetSmart - 2010 Butterfield Rd., Downers Grove (630-932-9470)
Dates: 3rd Saturday of every month
Time: 11 am - 2 pm
Contact: James Orth (corvettekid7988@yahoo.com)

PetSmart - 6405 Grand Ave., Gurnee (847-855-7811)
Date: 1st Saturday of every month
Time: 10 am - 1 pm
Contact: Chris S. (caschl@pcbb.net or 847-543-7550)

Soggy Paws - 1148 Leland Avenue, Chicago (Wilson & Broadway, behind Borders)
Date: TBA
Time: 12 noon - 3 pm
Contact: Laura Reynolds Anderson (sjalar@sbcglobal.net or 773-368-4964)

Sauganash Whole Foods - 6020 North Cicero Avenue (Northwest corner of Peterson and Cicero)
Date: TBA
Time: 12 noon - 3 pm
Contact: Laura Reynolds Anderson (sjalar@sbcglobal.net of 773-368-4964)

PetSmart - 3370 Shoppers Drive, McHenry, IL (815-578-1530)
Date: TBA
Time: 10 am - 2 pm
Contact:
Gregg Corrao (gregg.1.corrao@zurichna.com or 847-977-4843)

PetSmart - 2832 N. Broadway, Chicago (Lake View East) (773-549-2393)
Date: TBA
Time: 1pm - 3pm
Contact: Looking for a new organizer - contact Chris S.
(caschl@pcbb.net or 847-543-7550)

For those of you who haven't attended any of the meet and greets, or art fairs, please consider doing so. Many of you have adopted your greyhounds because someone was willing to take the time to spread the word about our magical dogs. Please don't think that GO, Inc. can survive on the efforts of 20 of its 300+ members. We need your help! Your assistance would be appreciated in a variety of arenas from Meet and Greets to Fostering to Kennel Days. Leisure time is at a premium for all of us, but if everyone contributed 2 hours every 2 months to GO, Inc., we would have more volunteers than we would know what to do with!


Age is no excuse! 14-year old Frisky shows how to "do" Meet-and-Greets for the silver-muzzled crowd. All she needs is a comfortable bed and understanding owner!