What does Schnauzerfest mean to DBARC?
On the eve of Schnauzerfest Weekend, I’d like to share with everyone who is taking part and supporting this remarkable, annual coming together, of kindness, compassion and generosity, this wonderful message to be seen by everyone, sent by DBARC volunteer, Donna.
“Here at DBARC, Schnauzerfest is the cause of great excitement. No, not just because it means several of us have the perfect excuse to accessorize our own rescue Schnauzers – although they will be out on some of the walks this weekend, proudly wearing their bandanas, corsages, tags, vests, leads – and looking fab!! Obviously, that is very, very important to us(!), but Schnauzerfest has come to mean so much to us, and I am going to attempt to explain why.
The most obvious aspect of Schnauzerfest for DBARC is the truly overwhelming amount of money it raises. We dedicate that money to the benefit of Schnauzers that come into our care in desperate need, and we really can’t overstate what that means to us. This massive injection of funds enables us to care for more dogs requiring expensive care regimes that transform their lives and prepare them for homing. For small charities like us it is always a balancing act to apply funds where they will be most beneficial. We continually set aside projects at the Centre in favour of better care for the animals, so Schnauzerfest makes a major difference to so many.
For a little puppy farm survivor who has sat in squalor, in terror, endlessly producing puppies that she couldn’t even see due to cataracts, just to get out and into safety must be amazing. But the chance to start her new life able to see must be absolutely incredible. It is certainly an incredible privilege to watch them seeing things again! Please know that your generosity enables us to afford life-changing surgery like this, as well as all manner of other medical necessities that are the result of long term neglect in their past miserable lives.
It’s much harder to explain another thing that Schnauzerfest means to us at DBARC. When you donate, you are giving much more than your cold, hard cash. As well as financial support, you are truly giving us your moral support. Rescue work is often distressing and depressing, but when you support us, it gives us a tremendous boost. It makes a massive difference to know so many people care about the welfare of these innocent little souls. They have come from nothing, actually less than nothing, they matter to nobody except as puppy producing machines,but now they matter to quite literally thousands of people in the UK and beyond. We totally feel your love, and really believe that they do too, and that this is the driving force for some of the truly remarkable progress we see. There is no way to thank you enough for this: it means the world to us, and thanks to you, these sweet little souls will at last know the joy in life that should always have been theirs.
But the phenomenon that Schnauzerfest has become in just three years is much, much more. We see it as a chance to have fun with our lovely dogs while promoting an important message – often simply achieved by just talking to passers-by on the walks who comment on the astonishing sight of so many Schnauzers, many sporting Schnauzerfest attire! That’s of course only when they can hear us over the cacophony of joyous barking! We have made so many amazing friends, some of whom we may never meet, or meet only rarely – we really feel like Schnauzerfest is one massive family spread far and wide! This of course has led to some fantastic homes for the Schnauzers in our care, and to lots of support for us in many ways. The feelgood factor is completely inestimable: originally intended to change the lives for dogs, it has wildly exceeded that and has changed and improved the lives for all involved. We are all a part of this wonderful thing that is Schnauzerfest.
So whether you are one of the organisers of Schnauzerfest, endlessly working away behind the scenes to orchestrate the whole event, whether you are one of the incredible craftspeople who have worked so hard and with such skill, or a giver of wonderful prizes, or a baker of human or canine goodies, a walk host, a walker, a donor or supporter, or in some cases all of the above, we at DBARC want you to know that Facebook isn’t big enough to hold all the thanks we would like to give to you for the many fantastic things that Schnauzerfest means to us, and to the Schnauzers that we are privileged to care for and who benefit from all you do.
Finally, I was telling Twinklet that it really doesn’t matter to me that she isn’t ready to walk at this year’s Schnauzerfest: she still collapses to the ground in terror when she feels pressure on a lead. She will still go along, and I will carry her, (all offers of help gratefully received!) and we have all the time in the world for her to feel safe enough to lead walk. And then I realised this Louis Armstrong song is a kind of anthem for all I have been trying to say:
We Have All The Time In The World
We have all the time in the world
Time enough for life to unfold
All the precious things love has in store
We have all the love in the world
If that’s all we have
You will find we need nothing more
Every step of the way will find us
With the cares of the world far behind us
We have all the time in the world
Just for love nothing more nothing less only love
DBARC hopes every Schnauzerfester, whether canine or human, enjoys every step of their walks this weekend, leaving the cares of the world behind them! Your participation is because of the love in your hearts for Schnauzers in need of help, and because of you, they really will get the chance to discover all the precious things that life and love have in store for them, but they have never known. Looks like Louis really was singing to them!
Thank you so much.”
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