Mission accomplished! Nearly $20,000 was raised by our compassionate community during Oakville & Milton Humane Society’s Mission Pawsible 2K Dog Walk on May 26, 2024. The second annual event at Bronte Creek Provincial Park saw overwhelming support, with over 600 attendees coming out to join in on the fun.
“We deeply appreciate everyone who joined us to support OMHS and raise funds on our behalf. Thanks to you, we can continue to help keep pets and people together while providing food and shelter to animals in need.” Said Somer Deschambault-Page, director of development.
Mission Pawsible participants had the option to embark on a 2 km walk made possible by run organizer, VR Pro or a longer 5 km or 10 km course.
Among these participants was Lisa McAleer, an elementary school teacher and dedicated supporter of OMHS. Lisa challenged herself to run the 10 km course, something she hadn’t done in over 25 years and placed third in her category.
Since 2011, Lisa has organized an annual “Giving Tree” event during the holiday season with her kindergarten students. Over a two-week period, the students excitedly collect items to donate to OMHS while they learn about how to approach and treat both wild and domestic animals respectfully.
Lisa emphasizes the importance of educating children about animal welfare and the various services provided by OMHS and the value of teaching kindness and to be giving to others who have less.
“These are lifelong lessons I would like to instill in our students. I hope these intrinsic values carry into their adulthood so they can continue to share them with younger generations,” Lisa says.
Lisa was also one of Mission Pawsible’s top fundraisers, raising $2000 through her personal and professional networks.
“A huge shout out to the dedicated Oakville & Milton Humane Society team who organized such an amazing event in support of such a special cause. It was so nice to be surrounded by such a great community of animal advocates,” said Lisa $2277 – OMHS' top fundraiser
I am walking a little slower today but also a little lighter knowing I was part of a bigger cause,” Lisa added.
New to Mission Pawsible this year was the opportunity for participants to walk or run in memory of a beloved pet who had crossed the rainbow bridge, a concept that refers to a place animals go after they pass away. At a moving ceremony, pinwheels were placed in a garden to represent beloved pets no longer with us, but never forgotten, followed by a moment of silence.
A special thank you to our lead sponsor, A1 Air Conditioning and Heating and our canine corner sponsor, Dogtopia for getting tails wagging with games and obstacles for the dogs.
“We’re a compassionate community that cares about animals. Thanks to all participants and our lead sponsors, VR Pro and A1 Air Conditioning & Heating, Canadian Tire and Dogtopia, Rockback Environmental for helping to make this mission possible,” said Deschambault-Page.
Celebrity pup: Maddox attends Mission Pawsible to support OMHS
For Karuna Manchanda, participating in Oakville & Milton Humane Society’s Mission Pawsible was an opportunity to celebrate her special bond with nine-year-old Maddox, a Mastiff Labrador mix she adopted from the shelter.
Karuna volunteered with OMHS to foster Maddox for several months in 2021, only returning him to the shelter when she had to leave the province to finish the second year of her Master’s degree.
Ten months later, when Karuna returned home, she was surprised to see Maddox had yet to be adopted. “I applied to adopt him the second I landed back in Ontario and brought him to his forever home in May 2022,” Karuna shared on her fundraising page.
Today, Maddox is a well-loved member of Karuna’s family and has amassed over 111,000 followers on Instagram, where his adventures are documented regularly spreading joy to all
