Meals on Wheels Launches 1st Dog Walk Fundraiser

Hundreds of hot and cold meals are prepared and every weekday morning. Meals on Wheels of Rockland to homebound senior citizens throughout the county, but recently, social workers have noticed that seniors were not eating some or all of their meals.

“We have situations where social workers will go to someone’s home and find out that some of the seniors were giving or sharing their meals with their pets because they can’t afford pet food,” said Stan Schwarz, a volunteer. “The thought came to us that if we were able to get donated pet food, we would be able to provide it to seniors who can’t afford to buy it on their own.”

Thus, the first Wags for Wheels Dog Walk was born.

“It is the first time that Meals on Wheels (MoW) is doing this type of event,” said Marie Porrovecchio, fundraising manager of MoW.”Part of it is to raise money and provide for the programs of MoW. But we also want to start a pet food pantry for seniors who have animals that they can’t afford to buy food for.”

This dog and family walk, which the private not-for-profit hopes to establish as an annual event, is Saturday, Sept. 8 at in Pearl River. The fundraiser will benefit all Rockland seniors in this situation, not just MoW seniors.

“It’s a fundraiser for the Pet Food Pantry but also programs and services of MoW,” said Schwarz, who co-chairs the event. “In additiom to the homebound meals everybody’s very familiar with, we also five senior centers that we operate around the county and we have the Bobbie Lewis Adult Day Care Center here in Nanuet that caters to the need of people who have Alzheimer’s and other disorders.”

Pre Registration is online until Sept 6 at the MoW website. The cost is $25 and after Sept 6, registration is at the event for $35. The walk begins at 10 a.m. with registration starting an hour before. Contests and demonstrations are at noon. There will be vendors and refreshments.

Major sponsors of the Wags for Wheels Dog Walk are , Valley Cottage Animal Hospital, Hudson Valley Magazine and the Catherine C. Reiley Charitable Foundation.

Anyone who wants more information about the event or would like to register to participate can do so at www.mowrockland.org