Scio Township Resident Organizes 'Bark for Life' Event

Ladies and gentlemen, start your leashes.

If you and man’s best friend would like to exercise and raise money in the fight against cancer, the second annual American Cancer Society “Bark for Life” is right up your alley.

This canine event, set for 9 a.m. to noon on May 7 at Independence Lake County Park in Whitmore Lake, includes demonstrations, games and contests. If you think you resemble Bowser or Fido, be sure to enter the "Most Alike" contest. Others contests include cutest dog, best dressed, smallest, largest and best dog trick.

Scio Township resident Carol Yarrington, a volunteer for the ACS Relay For Life since 2004, found out about fundraising opportunities such as Bark For Life at last year’s Relay For Life Ann Arbor kick-off.

“We held the first-ever Bark For Life Ann Arbor, and raised $500 for the American Cancer Society,” she said.

For those who don’t own a dog, or don’t want to take part in the actual walk, participants are still welcome to show up and enjoy the activities. Children under 14 must be with an adult.

Michelle McCarthy, owner of K-9 Homeschooling in Chelsea, who helped organize last year’s event, will give a demonstration of clicker training and show her therapy dogs. The event holds a special meaning for McCarthy, whose mother died of breast cancer at a relatively young age.

McCarthy has also spent years taking her therapy dogs to visit cancer patients. One patient in particular that she and her dog Leo visited stays vividly in her mind.

“We were the last visitors this man had before he passed away,” she said. “It brought him so much comfort to have Leo with him in his last hours.”

For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org/BARKannarbormi or email Yarrington at barkforlifeannarbor@gmail.com.