(This is the article I wrote for Heaven Can Wait Animal Sanctuary. It goes to press Thursday and will be available online Friday, October 26th. Hope y'all dig it::: <3 Dee) written October 24, 2012

12th Annual Lose a Pound With Your Hound
by Deannalynn Arzola

It’s hard to believe, but another Lose-a-Pound Memory Walk has come and gone. This year’s festivities were a howling success.
The day began for our volunteers at 7am, with the setting up of booths and stages. And what a lovely fall Sunday it was.
Wayne Bunker Family Park was a flush with vendors, dogs, Memory Collars, and even Elvis. Some of our terrific vendors included Pet Psychics offering paw readings, Bone Appetite, A Pet’s Bakery and A Purrfurred Pet Care Service. We wish to thank the many vendors who donated to HCWS during the event.
Other businesses that help raise money on Sunday were Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, who donated gift baskets which were raffled off to guests who purchased winning tickets.
Other than the Memory Walk, which took place on the park’s surrounding walking track from 10 to Noon, our event held our wildly popular Halloween Pet Costume Contest. This year’s first place prize goes to “Fat Elvis”, an absolutely adorable Basset Hound. “Schitzo” holds the honor of this year’s Silliest Pet Trick. Our friends at Smarty Paws set up an obstacle course for all of our guests to try their paws at.
Team Misfits holds this year’s distinction as the team that raised the most money for our beloved charity, pulling in a stunning $3500. The volunteers at Misfits used social media and networking as their means of raising such a remarkable sum. Congratulations Misfits. Your perpetual efforts are greatly appreciated.
The 12th Annual Memory Walk was a resounding success and woofs and woofs of fun for all. There are many more folks we wish to thank for their support in making our annual fundraising event such an important part of our mission to prevent pet-overpopulation in our community. Thank you to all of our faithful volunteers who share their time tirelessly, all year around. Thank you to all of our Memory Walk participants and our vendors. Thank you to the City of Las Vegas and Wayne Bunker Park, to all of our guests, our dj and emcee, “Elvis” and to In Corp.com for mingling with the crowd and providing home baked treats to our most important guests, for without whom, none of this would have been possible; our loveable, furry, four legged family members.
Our next Lose a Pound Memory Walk is less than twelve months away and we can’t wait to see you all again, then.

What happens in Vegas...

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And then there's the good ol' family and friends, you know...

He said, "Perhaps the relationship means more to you than him"...

The red dot is the exact location of the most prolific mass shooting in American history. 

The blue dot is my home.

The distance between the two is about 6 miles.

My city is in shock. A tragedy like this reverberates through the community like aftershocks from a major quake.

There is a plethora of topics to discuss once the shock wears off and the anger begins to take over.

My cousin, John called me to make sure I was ok. I got several wrong number calls from folks I didn't know checking on folks I didn't know. 

I'm always concerned for my people when tragedy strikes their hometown. When Harvey hit Houston, I was checking.

.................................

His truth, when he gives it is jagged. It scrapes against my flesh like a bread knife.

Perhaps all of my so-called relationships mean more to me than all of them. In fact, that truth is presently glaring. One person out of the 200 people I know checked on me in the wake of the worst mass murder in American history. 

My dog and i are fine. My daughter, who works on the Las Vegas strip is fine. My grandchildren are fine. My son-in-law is fine. Not that ANY OF YOU, my so-called friends and family, even bothered to ask. 

Reciprocity: The responses of individuals to the actions of others

~Deannalynn Arzola