Puppy Up!

Before I head off for a week for my fast I wanted to share my speech from the Chicago walk with you.  I had intended to post it when we arrived in Memphis but that Monday kinda threw a monkey wrench into my plans with Hudson's diagnosis.  

But here it is.  

I wrote on Facebook awhile back as response I made to one of our supporters who said, 'You sure have started a great organization.'  

'I didn't found an organization', I replied. 'I started a family.'  

And at every Puppy Up! walk we've been to these past four years that's precisely what I've felt.  A simple pride not only for all of the people a part of it but how 2 Million Dogs has effected their lives, too, and the pleasure it gives me when a city organizer, or PUPP as Ginger calls them, puts on a successful walk.  

Two years ago back in San Antonio, one of the participants in the walk there said, 'I've been to a lot of these dog events but none of them had an energy like this.'  Well said.  

As we continue to grow this great grass roots movement of ours, my Chicago speech was about the meaning of 'Puppy Up!' since I'm the knucklehead who came up with that rally cry prior to my Austin-to-Boston walk back in 2008.  And I still get questions about it.    

I hope the speech finds you well on this special day and forgive the Ray Charles like swaying.  I was freezing my bollocks off.    

Happy Thanksgiving.  Now Puppy Up and Chow Down!