Dog Show to Benefit Local Food Pantry

The Olde Towne School for Dogs and Frolick Dogs Canine Sports Club will sponsor Paws for the People on Saturday, May 19, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Market Square in Old Town Alexandria. All proceeds benefit the Lazarus Food Pantry of Christ Church Alexandria, the largest weekly supermarket-style food pantry in Alexandria.

The event will be comprised of three show rings running concurrently: Obedience, Agility, and The Center Ring. Each entrant will receive a gift card and a treat bag. Obedience: Handlers will compete in a beginner/novice AKC format; Agility: Handlers will guide dogs through a fun, easy obstacle course complete with jumps, a tunnel, weave poles and more in a race for both time and accuracy; The Center Ring: dogs will compete in one of five areas: Best Trick, Dog/Owner Look-Alike, Best Dog Couple, Most Unique Dog, and Best Friend Forever. Winners from each group will receive the Golden Bone Award and a chance to compete in Best in Show, where the winner will receive a spectacular gift basket valued at over $200.

Competition slots will be limited; online registration can be found at http://bit.ly/Paws4thePeople. The show is open to dogs of all kinds - no previous show experience needed!

The Lazarus Food Pantry, held every Thursday morning at Christ Church Alexandria, is open to all City of Alexandria residents and is only one of two food pantries in the city that provides fresh produce, meat, and dairy. In 2017, this pop-up food pantry provided food for over 5,000 people, through donations from local citizens, Trader Joe’s, Panera Bread, MOM’s Organic Market, produce gleaned from the Old Town Farmers' Market, and additional food purchased from the Capital Area Food Bank.