Ways to Help

It takes a lot of time and work to run a rescue organization. Some of our hands-on volunteers donate time to walking and grooming the dogs, cleaning the kennels and teaching the dogs basic commands.

 

Write to [email protected] if you would like to help in Neshkoro.

 

Other volunteers help to organize and participate in our fundraising events. Help is also needed to distribute flyers and promote the Great Pyrenees breed at dog-friendly events. There are countless ways to volunteer your skills, knowledge, dog smarts, brawn and time. We welcome help from home as well.

Volunteer Examples
  • Viko, Marchelo, and Ryan helped take on the big project of installing new kennel dividers and gates, replacing the old ones that were falling apart.
  • Nick regularly drove all the way from the LaCrosse area to walk the dogs and help with kennel-related tasks, even in the dead of winter.
  • Rachel, Ryan and their Pyrs have been huge supporters of GPRW, helping to organize and promote events with their Pyrs, staffing the GPRW booth at Mounds and other dog events, and producing some of our promotional materials.
  • A whole fleet of volunteers helped GPRW run a concession stand during the UW-Madison men’s basketball season, including Bonnie and three additional members of her family.
  • Jen conducted an energy audit of the kennel building, donating both her time and expertise in building management. We hope to make good use of her suggested improvements for heating and cooling the dogs.
  • Julie volunteered to do holiday giftwrapping at Barnes and Noble and donated the proceeds to GPRW. She and her husband, Rob, promote GPRW at different businesses in the Appleton area with the assistance of their two Pyrs and also help at dog fairs.
  • Lori, Jennifer, Susan, Trina, Bob, Dave and Tammy have helped us out at some of the big dog fairs, answering questions about Great Pyrenees and the available GPRW dogs. Trina also took in a foster dog with special needs.
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How to Help from Home

Organize events
If organizing events is one of your passions, create a fundraising event to benefit GPRW. For example: ~ Tammy has a huge garage sale every other year and donates the proceeds to GPRW. ~ Stacy independently collected funds and donations for GPRW and delivered them to Neshkoro. ~ Dave and Tammy are the sponsors of the yearly Great Rescue Ride, held in late summer. This motorcycle (and car) ride has a great following and all proceeds benefit the dogs. Check out our Facebook page for more information.
You and your dog(s) can donate to GPRW by just going for a walk! Sign up for the Walk for a Dog program, a dog powered fundraising tool for shelters and rescues. All you need is the Walk for a Dog app, available for iPhone and Android. Download the app., select the organization to receive a donation, grab your leash and start walking! Your dog walking miles are added up and converted into a donation from WoofTrax, the program’s sponsor. The amount of the donation is based on how many (humans) are walking for the organization and how many miles are walked. This application is easy to set up and provides lots of interesting information, including how far you’ve walked each time out, and how many miles you’ve walked overall. One other benefit is that it shows the actual route that you and your dog took during each walk. Think you went in a straight line? Think again!!
Many businesses have a “Cash Back” award program for their credit or debit cardholders. Kwik Trip and Sam’s Club are just two companies offering this kind of incentive to their customers. The formula is simple; a percentage of the purchases you make with their card comes back to you in the form of a check. Here’s the good part…some businesses offer the option to have your percentage turned into a donation check and sent directly to the charity of your choice. Regardless, this is a great way to gather money for a donation to GPRW – one person described it as “money you never had to start with, so you won’t miss it!”
If you have extra love, space and time to spare, you might want to consider fostering one of our Pyrs.
Spread the word about this wonderful breed and the need for a rescue. People really do read what’s written on clothing and we can almost guarantee that you will be asked, “What’s a Great Pyrenees?” followed by “They need rescuing?” You can tell them that while the Great Pyrenees breed was only the 73rd most popular dog in 2014, our kennels are full much of the time and we often have a list of dogs waiting for a space to open up. Thanks for helping from home!