Marathon Fundraiser! The Race Has Started!

Finished! August 1st! See the teams placements below.

Our hike / walk / run a marathon (or half, it is really hot here in Alabama!) fundraiser is back! Our rules are more than one mile must be done at a time to count, and we have a week to complete the miles. We will start on July 26 and go through August 1. Your donation is tax deductable - the confirmation page has our number for your records. To participate, simply choose a team to support (photos and team info are below) and click the Sponsor Us button to go to PayPal (you do not need a PayPal account), and write in the team name you want to support. Don't forget to join us on facebook or instagram to see photos and follow along with our teams!

Photo of a woman in glasses laughing with two red dogs, tollers, being super lovey to her. Text for team name above: The InTOLLERables.

The InTOLLERables: Janet & K9s Barrington & Donkin
Distance: Full Marathon (26 miles)
The InTOLLERables are a rowdy group! They are hoping to complete 26 miles in a week. The Tollers say, "eazy peasy", but are worried about Janet and her new knee being up to the task. They will push her and keep everyone apprised of her capabilities and performance. Please help by supporting us with a donation. (Dog kisses will be awarded at the end as well.) Barrington is certified in wilderness area live find as well as HRD (Human Remains Detection). Donkin is in training! In case you didn't guess, they are both Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, or "Toller" for short.
Place: 1st

Photo of a woman between a black lab on the left and yellow lab on the right, everyone is looking upwards to camera in synch, team name LABINATORS

Not Your Standard: Donna & K9 Poppy
Distance: Full Marathon (26 miles)
Not Your Standard K9 is exactly that. Flanders Field Poppy—better known as Poppy—is a 3-year-old Standard Poodle and my partner in training for a Wilderness Live Area certification. With intelligence, athleticism, and her signature spring-loaded bounce, Poppy has a way of standing out wherever she goes—and proving there’s far more beneath the curls than most people expect. At home, she serves as guardian of the farm alongside her best friend, Tally the cat, making sure all is secure. In the field, Poppy shows just what Standards can do.
Place: 2nd

Photo of a woman and her two labs, one a puppy held, the other adult sitting next to her, superimposed on AI generated background of topo maps and various cartography equipment. Team name "Map Geek Squad"

Map Geek Squad: Darcy & K9s Blue & Elle
Distance: Full Marathon (26 miles)
Darcy loves working on mapping skills and her dogs love searching for lost people, a match made in heaven! Blue is her older Lab who is certified in wilderness area live find as well as HRD. Elle is the newest edition to the crew, joining in May, and is in training to fill big sister Blue's paws when she retires in a few years.
Place: 3rd

Selfie style photo of a woman in sunglasses and flat coat retriever both smiling in front of some woods. Team name Flat-out Recon and the Navigator

Flat-out Recon and the Navigator: Mary Margaret & K9 Recon
Distance: Full Marathon (26 miles)
Recon is a Flat-Coated Retriever certified in wilderness area live find. When not busy searching for lost or missing people, she is busy keeping track of four kids and playing in mud puddles. "The muddier the better!" is her motto!
Place: 4th

photo of a woman with long hair and sunglasses, dressed in black, carrying a staff, with a german shepherd next to her, background of fog, with team name "Team Zombie Hunters" and a zombie outbreak response team logo superimposed

Team Zombie Hunters: Terri & K9 Madison
Distance: Half Marathon (13 miles)
Madison is named for the lead character in Fear the Walking Dead, who has local connection as the actress lived in Huntsville and graduated from Lee High School. This Madison is a German Shepherd who loves the game of finding people. She has received her Area certification and is now working towards her HRD certification. In between SAR training, learning new tricks and running in agility are favorite pastimes.
Place: 5th

Photo of a man and woman and their golden retriever in front of a lion statue. Team name in red and blue with white outline: Need for Speed

Need for Speed: Kevin, Courtney, and K9 Banks
Distance: Full Marathon (26 miles)
Banks is a three-year old golden retriever. When not training to find people lost in the woods, he enjoys taking unauthorized swims in the pool, antagonizing his playmate "Chaco" the boxer dog, and waking his dad up at exactly 5:07 every morning by pretending to be a professional wrestler coming off the top rope. He is excited about the upcoming walk-a-thon and thanks you in advance for your support.
Place: 6th

A rainbow swirled painted bug car with an australian shepherd wearing RexSpec goggles in front of it. Rainbow text and heart on photograph, with team name "Retired Rainbows"

Retired Rainbows: Amata & K9 Edraith
Distance: Half Marathon (13 miles)
Edraith is retired from wilderness area live find, and now almost 13 years old! They are going to attempt 13 miles, and hopefully the now arthritic Australian Shepherd can manage okay. These days, they mostly enjoy peaceful retirement, going for easy wanders in the woods, and looking for rainbows & joy wherever possible.
Place: 7th

Photo of a man with a moustache and ball cap sitting next to a german shepherd, superimposed on a photo of the northern lights, with team name The AuroraLites above them

The AuroraLites: Len & K9 Rori
Distance: Half Marathon (13 miles)
Aurora Australis, or "Rori" as her friends call her, is a lovely German Shepherd. She is working towards her certification in wilderness area live find as well as hoping to complete her HRD certification. A newer member of the crew at just over a year old she is really getting the hang of this search "game"!
Place: 8th

AI made movie style poster of a generic female in military style overalls, with two yellow labs sitting by her. Lots of text but the main readable thing is team name "Maverick and Mayhem"

Maverick and Mayhem: CJ & K9 Kimber and Chief
Distance: Half Marathon (13 miles)
Chief and Kimber together make a wild house full of mayhem but that is the way we like it! Both are yellow Labs. Chief is retired from wilderness live find and Kimber is in training.
Place: 9th

Photo of a woman between a black lab on the left and yellow lab on the right, everyone is looking upwards to camera in synch, team name LABINATORS

LABINATORS: Carolyn & K9s Katchina & Denali
Distance: Full Marathon (26 miles)
Katchina is a black Lab certified in HRD. Denali, the nine month old yellow Lab, is a new addition to the crew working towards her HRD certification. Both love their toys, especially balls. All the balls. Play ball!
Place: 10th

Generated ai image in cartoon form of a black not-a-lab dog in a red clover field, dog is smiling with tounge out. Text reads "Logan - The Golden Exception"

The Golden Exception: Chris & K9 Logan
Distance: Full Marathon (26 miles)
Logan began his search career at 3 months old. He was an owner surrendered to the Athens Shelter and Chris brought him home in September 2022 as a foster, then formally adopted in October 2022. The moniker of the "Golden Exception" comes about due to his DNA. Although he looks very similar to a black Labrador, Logan is actually 52% Golden Retriever and 0% Labrador. The black comes from the Rottweiler (22%) and the final parts are Boxer (16%). Logan is certified in wilderness area live find, and is working towards his HRD certification which is expected this autumn.
Place: 11th

Team Terrierble: Nick & K9 Luka (and Leia)
Distance: Half Marathon (13 miles)
Luka and Leia are terriers - hence the team name! Luka is in training for wilderness live area, and Leia is a supportive member of the family who does not wish to be left out of the fun! They have energy for days and are looking forward to this challenge.
Place: 12th