TAMPA, Fla. — Calling all dog lovers! Southeastern Guide Dogs Walkathon is back in person after two years of fundraising virtually.
Furry friends and their owners are filling Gadsden Park in Tampa for "a fun-filled walk for a deserving cause" Saturday.
The free, family-friendly event includes a 3K walk and a "Waggin' Tails Festival" with music, vendors, food, and a raffle drawing.
10 Tampa Bay is a proud sponsor of the event. $5,000 was donated to Southeastern Guide Dogs through 10 Tampa Bay's Tegna Foundation Grant.
There's still time to make a donation. So far, the Walkathon at Gadsden Park has reached more than $533,000 raised of its $1M goal.
Gates opened at 9 a.m. with the Walkathon at 10 a.m.
The Walkathon serves as the Southeastern Guide Dogs' largest fundraiser of the year and money raised helps the non-profit organization with breeding, raising, training and matching dogs with "people with vision loss, veterans with disabilities and children with significant challenges...," the non-profit's website reads.
"Training our dogs, it goes to help to raise our dogs," Sean Brown, the associate director of philanthropy, said. "Medical for all of our alumni. It changes lives, it really changes the world... Cost is about $50,000 per dog. We take out of pocket, the whole nine, it's all covered."
Roughly 250 guide dogs are matched with their humans each year.
Can't join in on all the fun? Don't worry, there are still future Walkathon dates you can take part in:
Central Florida Walkathon | April 9 | Lake Lily Park (*volunteer-led event)
National Walkathon Day | April 30 | Facebook LIVE