It is hard to believe that we are on the cusp of spring. Here on the west coast, winter roses are dotting the landscape, snow drops are popping up everywhere, and the first of the daffodils, harbingers of renewal and hope, are bringing smiles to everyone’s faces.I want to turn back the clock here though and tell you a little bit about a special event that took place as 2022 was ending and 2023 was just beginning, Pat Richardson’s “Hannah’s Hope Scavenger Hunt,” honouring Hannah, and all the pets who have been lost to cancer or who are battling cancer right now. While most participants were from the Calgary area, a few from British Columbians participated too. Can you imagine if an event like this could spread from coast to coast?!

Eight people and their dogs found all “31” items, but . . . best of all, over 475 fun photos were submitted by the teams!! It was wonderful to learn about all the dogs participating, from “Outlaw,” the Belgian Shepherd, a Diabetic Alert dog, who is also busy doing nose work and pet therapy in schools, to “Snickers,” a Pembroke Corgi, who loves doing tricks and dock diving, to . . . wait for it, “Hexadecimal,” who loves catching frisbees, hiking, and agility. I wish I could list them all.

Every dog had their own prop, so the photographs were amazing, with some great laugh out loud moments. There was everything from a “Holee Roller” ball to a Christmas Turkey hat, a red purse, mittens, a box of donuts, earmuffs, and rubber boots (for real), and even red runners.

Pat was amazing. Every time someone posted a photo of their dog(s) with “finds,” Pat responded with the “googly eyes emoji.” Perfect!!

I wish you could see all the photos of the “finds!”

Thanks to everyone who participated, $1700 was raised for The Smiling Blue Skies Fund for Innovative Cancer Research.