Stormbringers

Half an hour before arriving at Fossil Creek Park in Fort Collins to lead the first of the 2 Million Dog March puppy up walks, gale force winds descended down from the Rocky Mountains at times gusting up to 50mph by my guestimate.

As Hudson, Murphy & I walked up to the pavillion I had already decided to scrap the speech I had prepared opting instead to literally go where the winds took us. The violent gusts drowned out the amplifiers making it hard to even hear myself speak but I'll try as best I can to sum up its essence.

To me, the winds were a sign. Now I know that's partly my romantic interpretation of things but what an appropriate metaphor on an awfully important day.

Growing up in farming country you learn there are only two types of wind - helpin & a'hurtin. It's easy in life to curse the head & crosswinds, but say a prayer of thanks for the tailwind. I myself did that upon occasion on our cross country walk. But the surest timber stands tall and true in the greatest of adversities and those are the people of 2 Million Dogs.

You launched 12 walks in 9 states with only two months of tarmac to plan and prepare these events and the response was nothing short of spectacular. Ginger will post the results here soon but the flags we planted Sunday November 7th 2010 send a strong message about our resolve and the strength of our community of cancer families and supporters & sponsors.

For me personally, what made me most proud was the news coverage and stories - listening and watching the people that hosted us on our travels being on the radio or TV for the first time in their lives... that was so cool. Signe & Patty who held fast the Purple People Bridge in OH; Brock Ketterman a handsome young fell'r and friend of the fuzzybutts in Pittsburgh who now has a day named after him for being the Marshall of the event there; Robin & Kerry who walked twice Sunday - in Poughkeepsie and in New Milford CT alongside one of our best friends, Chief; Our friends at Fetch a Cure in Richmond, and our new friends in Washington State and Colorado who you'll hear more about in the coming months.

I wanna thank Ginger Morgan, the Chief Puppy Officer of 2 Million Dogs, and our Board of Directors for continuing the vision I set forth March 2008 and their commitment to eradicating cancer in both pets and people. And thanks to all of the city leaders, their volunteers and participants, & everyone else involved.

What a great thing we started together and while we're no oak trees yet we're definitely a bunch of nuts blown all over this land standing our ground.

puppy up! y'all