Year in Review

It seems that in the blink of an eye another year has slipped by. We have experienced happiness and have overcome tragedies. We have been messengers and teachers, spreading the word, hoping some person may be listening. Countless Meet and Greets, special day events, a golf tournament, car washes and more. Time has been given up by volunteers who stage these events and help out. Time that could be spent doing something else. Then why do we do these things? The belief that we are making a difference some how? Is it that introduction you just made to some one's first greyhound? The smile on that child's face as they pet one? There are many different reasons why, but the answer is always the same. THE PAYOFF. It's that feeling when a connection is made with someone else over the passion that consumes most of us. The feeling that we are some how making a difference. It's the reason we believe. It's the bell we hear. I'll finish this with a quote from the Polar Express:

"At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe."

Dec 13th Haul

Six Super greys are leaving Orlando on Friday Dec 12th. They will be arriving in Virginia on Saturday morning. What a special Christmas they will have this year. December is always a very busy time for everyone and we would like to thank all our volunteers that helped make this haul happen. We could not have accomplished this without your hard work!

Please keep the dogs and Pat, the haul driver, in your thoughts as they begin their trip north Friday evening.

Thank you.

Christmas Parade December 6, 2008 Fredericksburg, Va.

What better way to spend a Saturday night than dressing up your hounds and yourself, getting in your vehicles and heading downtown. You are now at a parade site. The temperature is in the upper 20's, the snow is falling, and the wind is howling. When you arrive, what to your wondering eyes do appear, but a bunch of you friends who also bought their dressed up reindeer (I mean greyhounds) to join you. You do all this not because you have to, but because you want to. You walk the streets to see the smiling faces, the waving, and then it becomes clear why you are there. Suddenly you are no longer cold. The wind has stopped, you find yourself smiling too. Maybe it's not about the receiving of gifts, but the giving of yourself. Maybe Grandma was right after all.

Seems Like Yesterday......Borders Part 2

A few days later, and it's back on the table. More gifts, more wrapping, more donations. As the season gets busier, so does VAGA. Another thanks to those who volunteered their time and efforts. It's good to see, that even in these economic times, the generosity shown by people to help out. It's a joy to see the smiles on the kid's faces as they stop to pet Roxy, Tempest, and Ally. For many this is their first contact with a Greyhound. Hope it makes their holidays a bit brighter.

Wrap it Up

Before the leftover turkey is gone the gift giving season is upon us. December is a busy time for families, especially for VAGA volunteers. Just check out the event calendar HERE. From Leesburg to Newport News volunteers are busy with Meet & Greets, Parades, Gift wrapping and more. Below is the first, in what I am sure will be a series, of photo events. This one was staged in Fredericksburg on Sunday November 30th at Borders.
Thanks to everyone who showed up to help out with the wrapping. A special thanks to Tempest and Roxy for being the perfect greyhound ambassadors.

Wonder

I found this story fitting since Debbie is in Scooby Medina and arrived there the day this video was shot.

On Nov. 21st, Maria Daines did a benefit concert for SOS Galgos in Barcelona. The following is a quote from her email:

"On the day after the event we went for a walk on the beach with many
of SOS Galgos rescue dogs and that's where we met the precious galgo
named 'Wonder', she is blind but you would not believe it if you met
her, she is loveable, intelligent, happy, sweet natured, and now, the
best part of all, she has her own family because she has been adopted
and they love her very much. Of all the special memories we took home
with us from the trip, meeting Wonder and her family is something we
will always treasure and even thinking about it now I have a lump in
my throat."

Extra Extra! Read All About It...Attraction Coupon Books Are Here!

VAGA is now selling the 2009 Attractions Dining and Value Coupon Book.

This book is jam packed with 285 pages filled with HUNDREDS of coupons that do not expire until Dec 31, 2009. You can begin using the coupons now! The coupons in the book are offered by various restaurants and businesses in the Fredericksburg, Woodbridge, Stafford, and Spotsylvania areas.

These books made wonderful gifts! A great stocking stuffer for your teenage children or hard to buy for parents! Buy today and save money while Christmas Shopping.

We are selling the Attraction Book for $25.00. ALL proceeds made will go to help the greyhounds in Orlando, Florida.
If you are interested in purchasing one of these books or would like more information, please e-mail Mark Britto HERE

Thank you once again for your support!

Welcome Home

The new adopters started their day early. Having to arrive by 8:30AM for orientation on what would turn out to be a beautiful November morning. What they were waiting for had gotten up a whole lot earlier for their trip from Orlando,Fl. to Virginia.
Who was more excited upon arrival was hard to tell. With wagging tails and smiling faces it was indeed a greyt day. As volunteers unloaded the hauler to stretch some legs, the dogs were finally united with their new families. There were first timers, multiple timers, and a few kind souls helping out with fostering. Congratulations to everyone.

A side word to the fosters, failure is not a criminal act, if it were many of us would be behind bars.

The slide show below is a little long. It has 32 photos. Hope you enjoy.

Chantilly Meet & Greet

Football?...who needs football on Sunday when you can attend a Meet & Greet from 1-3 on the fourth Sunday of the month at the Petsmart in Chantilly. Join in the fun and meet these beautiful retired racers. It's a fun day..... meeting new people, spreading the word about this great breed, getting dog kisses. Sounds like a touchdown for everyone! Go Greyhounds!!!!

Our Biggest Haul Of 2008

We are very excited!! Eleven greyhounds are coming up to Virginia on Saturday, Nov 1st. This is our biggest haul yet this year. Everyone works so hard and this is the reward, seeing the faces of all the greyhounds and knowing how much their lives are going to change.

Whose says your Wedding Day can't be Grey

This is Chelsea Wickline (now Chelsea Rogers) with Whyda! She and Lachlan got married over the summer at the Home and Studio of Gari Melchers in Falmouth, Virginia. Their dogs were guests at the wedding and sat with the rest of the immediate family in the front row.

Congratulations to you both.

Our First "Special Hounds".

As you may have heard by now, VAGA is helping our source kennel, GPA Greater Orlando. At this time there are some empty crates at the kennel. We are taking in a few greyhounds at a time to fill a portion of these crates. VAGA will be covering all expenses for the greyhounds until they are adopted. Details and more information will be provided shortly on our main WEB-PAGE.

Here are pictures of the first four greyhounds that we will be able to help. Looking into their soulful eyes, it's easy to see why we must do all we can to help them find their way into a forever home.

Dog Days In Leesburg

Sunny and clear skies, lots of dogs, nice people.......it was a recipe for a perfect day! VAGA participated in the Dog Days in Leesburg Event on Oct12th. We had such a fun time. Many people stopped by our tent to meet all our wonderful greyhounds. It's always fun sharing information about this special breed. Many people had never met a greyhound before and were very impressed at their calm and polite demeanor. Thanks to everyone who came out and joined in the fun and also MANY thanks to Dianna for pulling this event together for VAGA. You did an awesome job.

Newport News Meet & Greet

Volunteers and 6 greyt hounds had fun and spread the word at VAGA's monthly meet and greet in Newport News. It was a beautiful day and lots of folks stopped by to see the hounds. Paws are crossed for applications! Please join us next month for some greyhound fun and help us find forever homes for hounds who are waiting!!

The Lucky Seven

On Sept 27th Seven Lucky Greyhounds will be arriving from Orlando, Florida. Joan did another awesome job of finding us just the right greyhounds. This is one nice group of hounds. Jimbo Frank is one of the greyhounds coming up. If his name sounds familiar to you, it's because we brought up his brother, Jimbo Danny in July. We are so happy that the two brothers will be able to see each other from time to time. They were very close when they were in the kennel together. Please keep the dogs and the hauler in your thoughts as they make the trip up from Florida. Thank you!

Nike Enjoys A Challenge

Nike ( Jimbo Monday) showed everyone that yes, greyhounds can sit. She went to obedience school with mom & dad. She passed the basic class and then went on to pass the novice class. She was the only greyhound in either class. Erik and Catherine are very proud of Nike and so are we!

Midnight Arrives In Virginia!

Midnight, the Galgo from Spain arrived in Virginia on Sept 10th safe and sound. Mark & Jen are very happy to finally have their new boy home with them. They have been waiting for over six months. It took the help of many volunteers to get him to Virginia and we send out a heart felt thank you to everyone! Midnight is such a loving and gentle boy and we are so proud to have him a part of our VAGA family.

Seven Days And Counting

We are all VERY excited. Next Wednesday a very special Galgo ( Spanish Greyhound)will be arriving from Spain. His name is Midnight. Last Oct, Midnight was brought to Scooby Medina in horrific shape. He was all bones and very close to death. With much care, love and time he is now very healthy and ready to join his wonderful forever family here in Virginia. He is being adopted by Mark & Jen Britto. They adopted a Galgo named Jack last November and have been waiting patiently for Midnight's arrival. If all goes as planned, you will be able to meet Midnight at the VAGA Picnic on Sept 20th. Hurry home Midnight...MANY people are anxious to meet you!

Meet Pat C Hindsight

Look at this beautiful male greyhound, Pat C Hindsight. He had been waiting for a home since March 2007.He has an amazing personality. He is calm, loving and a true gentleman. He was a " not cat safe, black male" and that made his wait for a home extra long. He finally found a wonderful forever home. Hindsight can now enjoy his retirement!

Fun In Chantilly

Every fourth Sunday of the month we gather at the Petsmart in Chantilly from 1-3 to help spread the word about our wonderful greyhounds. Look at the sweet faces on these beautiful greyhounds. Wouldn't your greyhound like to join in the fun next month!

Our New Tribute Page

We have just added a new section to our site that pays special tribute to those souls who have left us too early. If you would like to send in a tribute, please make your submission along with a photo to gpaw@vaganews.com and we will get it posted for you. You can view this page by clicking HERE. I will also put a link to it on the left sidebar. A music option is also available if you would like to listen while you read.

OSU Fundraiser

If you weren't outside Saturday, you missed out on one of the 10 best days of summer. A group of VAGA volunteers got up early, and hauled their way over to Culpeper to support a cause near and dear to us.

The Greyhound Health and Wellness Program at Ohio State University is privately funded and therefore relies on contributions to continue it's work. We held this car wash to help Dr. Couto and his "Hound Team" continue with their research and battle against cancer in greyhounds.

It's always a long day at the carwash, but it's always rewarding. We can never thank the community enough for their support. The people in Culpeper are receptive and generous. Thanks again to Walmart for letting us stage this event, and a special thanks to McDonald's for donating the food to feeding the hungry volunteers. Speaking about those volunteers, I hope the Advil, Aleve, Motrin, or aspirin kicked in for you and you were able to get out of bed today. Thanks, without you all this would not be possible.

Lastly, a big thank you to our sidewalk workers. These folks and their dogs stand there all day passing out information and collecting donations. We greatly appreciate what you do.

August 16th Haul

Good News....we are bringing up five more greyhounds from Orlando on August 16th. Please meet Itsa Rage, Chemar Pay Lady, AMF Cruzeship, GLS Rosyfuture and Ripley's Rip. We think you will be in agreement that this is one nice group of greyhounds. Once again we ask you to keep all the haul volunteers and the greyhounds in your thoughts for a safe trip north.
We are already starting to put another haul of five greyhounds together for August 30th. Let's hope the applications keep rolling in so more retired racers can find their forever homes.

Glen Allen Petsmart M&G

We had absolutely beautiful weather for our monthly meet and greet in Glen Allen today. Three greyt ambassador hounds worked their greyhound magic on the crowds. The donation jacket pockets were full. :) We had lots of foot traffic and spoke with a lot of folks about this wonderful breed. Fingers and paws are crossed for applications. Please join us the second Saturday of every month for some greyhound fun and help us spread the word about our beloved hounds!!

Petco Meet & Greet In Sterling

We had a wonderful turn out for the Sterling M&G this month. We even had two "new VAGA hounds" attend. Dante & Chloe arrived from Orlando on Saturday and they were having a great time at the M&G on Sunday. Both did a great job representing VAGA along with all the other greyhounds. Many people fell in love with the hounds and hopefully will decide to adopt one themselves. This is what holding a M&G is all about! Please enjoy all the pictures and join in the fun next month. We hold the Sterling M&G at the Petco in the Dulles Retail Plaza ( next to Target & Wegmans )the third Sunday of the month from 1:00-3:00. See you next month!

Haul on July 19th

Enjoy these pictures from the last haul VAGA did on July 19th. Five greyhounds came up from Orlando. All are doing great and are adjusting well to their new lives. We are always amazed at how fast the greyhounds settle in and learn to do all the new things we throw their way. One female named Bossie, who is being fostered by Gyeong & Kristen, walked into her foster home and immediately did the stairs, used the dog door and later that week, laid in the kiddie pool. Bossie may be going to her forever home this weekend. Many thanks to everyone for keeping this group of hounds in their thoughts as they were traveling north to our lovely state of Virginia!

Dreams Do Come True

Ola, my name is Gracie Green Bean. I would like to let everyone know that if you wish hard enough and never give up, your dreams can come true. Last Oct while I was living in Spain, I was very hungry and skinny. A man named Fermin came to my rescue. He brought me to a place called Scooby Medina. I was given plenty of food and love. I was carrying a litter of puppies but they were very sick and had to go to the rainbow bridge. One day we will be together again.

Two ladies from Virginia Greyhound Adoption were volunteering at Scooby. They fell in love with me and decided to bring me to America. They knew a wonderful family that wanted to adopt me. Arrangements were made and soon I found myself on an airplane.

Even through I was very scared, I trusted everyone I met. I received a million hugs. I went into a foster home for a few days and boy, they were so nice to me. One day, my foster mom, Michelle, drove me to my forever home. She promised me that everything was going to be alright. She was right. My new family are the best people in the whole wide world. They love me so much. They make me feel VERY special. At times I am so happy I lay on my back and give them giant smiles.

I will be forever thankful to everyone who helped to change my life. Dream big, because dreams do come true!!!

Who Said Greyhounds Can't Swim!

Water! Greyhounds! Swimming Vests! Warm Sunny Day! Ashley, Chassie and Nellie! Schuldt Family!

All these things add up to make one fun day at Lake Anna! We hope you enjoy these videos as much as we did.

Five Greyhounds Will Be Headed North Soon!

This Saturday, July 19th , five wonderful greyhounds will be arriving from Orlando ready to begin their new lives. Details of the haul are still in the works as we speak but we wanted to share the names of those making their way up to Virginia! Please meet Jimbo Danny, CNN News Flash, Hfk Chloe,Rc Run Round Sue and Lamorge Diamond. As you can see, we mixed it up this time. Three weeks ago the haul consisted of 5 greyhounds and they just happened to all be brindle. Since we match up greyhounds by personality and not by color...that happens sometimes.
Please keep this awesome group of greyhounds and all the haul drivers in your thoughts as they help to bring these hounds north. The first set of volunteers will be leaving the GPA Orlando Kennel Friday night and will drive to North Carolina. Rex & Linda Coble will be waiting for their arrival and will transport them up to Virginia.
Thank you and Safe trip!