GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club, together with GFWC District 8 Women’s Clubs, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) and USF Health Dept. are partnering and sponsoring the Inaugural “DogFest Walk’n Roll” to be held on Sunday, November 8, 2015 at USF Health at the corner of Bruce B. Downs & Holly Drive, Tampa, FL 33613, with registration from 11 to noon and the event beginning at noon.

Grab a leash and bring your dog and the kids to walk together and enjoy this festival which will feature entertainment, fun and games for humans and their doggies, a bake sale, snacks and beverages. This FREE event will be great fun for kids and all the family. This Inaugural DogFest will bring awareness and support CCI, which provides specially trained dogs to assist the physically disabled, hearing disabled, PTSD patients and to serve as therapy companions. These wonderful dogs are provided to recipients free of charge but cost more than $50,000 to breed, raise and train.

To donate directly or for more information visit: www.cci.org/dogfesttampa.

GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club members recently manned an informational booth at USF Health to familiarize students and staff with CCI and the upcoming DogFest Celebration on campus on November 8. Club members Edwina Kraemer & Nancy Fisher have chaired fundraising efforts for Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) – Wounded Veterans’ Initiative for more than a year. Mr. Morton Stone (pictured above) is a retired Navy veteran, who after a 2.5 year wait, was the grateful recipient of Oscar, a specially trained CCI assistance dog. These wonderful dogs after being carefully vetted are put through a very expensive and rigorous training program before being matched with the needs of the disabled recipient. Fundraisers have been held over the course of the past year as this training/boarding and selection process is lengthy and very costly.