The Annual Volunteer Brunch was held on August 18 and this year's event was better than ever. About 100 volunteers and family members joined the AAGI staff at Phoenix Greyhound Park for a time of friendship and to share muffins, bagels and fruit.

This is our opportunity to say "Thank you" to the volunteers that make our program so successful and to reward those people who put forth more than a casual effort in helping us find loving homes for retired greyhounds. Without our volunteer staff our organization couldn't function and certainly would not have grown to the size it is today. We are very fortunate to have such a great staff of volunteers.

This year's Volunteer of the Year Award went to Todd & Kathy Berlin, greyhound parents of Defy and Sammee. Since joining the AAGI family in 1998 the Berlin's have given countless hours at PR events plus opening their home year round to foster greyhounds waiting for adoption. Congratulations Todd & Kathy.

We were pleased to give our Special Recognition Award to Tony Festa. Tony is the PetsMart Captain at the Scottsdale Road & Frank Lloyd Wright store and attends many PR events, but he is best known for his appearances as an AAGI mascot in the giant greyhound suit. Thank you Tony.

We awarded AAGI Tote Bags to the PetsMart Captains and to those people who are always available and ready to volunteer for whatever need we may have. We were pleased to recognize:

Tony Festa
PetsMart Captain ~ Scottsdale & Frank Lloyd Wright

Mary Farak & Al Costilla
PetsMart Captains ~ Tempe

Kelly Martin
PetsMart Captain ~ Surprise

Pearl Stewart
PetsMart Captain ~ 7th Ave & Bell Rd

Kathleen & Bob Reese
PetsMart Co-Captains ~ Tatum & Shea

Clyde & Alison Solensky
PetsMart Co-Captains ~ Tatum & Shea

John & Cindy Hutzelman
PetsMart Captains ~ Superstition Springs

Polly Peters
PetsMart Captain ~ 38th & Thomas

Paula Masiulewicz
PetsMart Captain ~ Sottsdale-90th St & Shea

Bill & Renee White
PetsMart Captains ~ Beardsley & IH-17

Kathy & Todd Berlin
PetsMart Captains ~ Chandler-Warner & Alma School

Tim & Denise Davisson
PetsMart Co-Captains ~ 73rd Ave & Bell

Lori & Terry Soich
PetsMart Co-Captains ~ 73rd Ave & Bell

Roger & Alice Wilson
PetsMart Captains ~ Peoria

Ken & Deena Blasor
PetsMart Captains ~ Chandler Blvd & Loop 101

Barbara & Harold Hayden
PetsMart Captains ~ Prescott

Joyce Cropper

Blossom & Bill Gieger

Kathy & Bill Roundtree

Sandy & David Marrs

Cheryl & Jim Bedore

Charles Campbell
Database & Computer Support

Laura Taylor
Lure Coursing Contact

The least visible volunteers are those special people who share their homes with greyhounds waiting for placement. Sometimes this care is for dogs who need extra special attention before they can be a pet, sometimes it is to ease the load in our kennel and sometimes it is for dogs being returned The families we awarded with a small Terry Lerner

Bronze called "Sweet Dreams" were those who fostered multiple dogs throughout the year or who cared for a special needs greyhound, or both.

Kathy & Todd Berlin

Cindi Charboneau & Epaul Fischer

Judy Graham

Charles & Theresa Riley

Adrianne Savoy

Henry & Midge Snook

Lisa & Brent Lonius

Julie & Pete Steele

Ginny Walker

Suzanne & Bill Stack

Barbara & Bob Campbell

We started a new annual tradition this year as we presented "Service Pins" to those volunteers who have been with the program for longer than 5 years. Each person was presented with a bright blue pin that was engraved "AAGI Volunteer Since 19xx". For this year we had 5 classes to award -- 1992-1996 -- and now we will be presenting these pins each year to the 5-year graduating class. Watch for these pins on the veteran volunteers whenever you attend an AAGI event.

Thank you again to all the volunteers who make our job so much easier. We are always looking for newcomers to help us grow so please get involved. You can call 602-971-6935, Box 3, e-mail sharon@arizonaadoptagreyhound.org or ask any staff member for a Volunteer Form.