SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
2007 Prairie Beach

Friday, Sept. 7
**3-8 p.m.**
Vendor Booths open (at Lions Park)

5-8 p.m.
Weigh In (at Lions Park)
Prairie Beach participants check in and pick up attendance packets.

5-8 p.m.
Memory Wall (at Lions Park Shelterhouse)
Throughout our 2007 reunion, a Memory Wall will be featured where Prairie Beach guests can share memories of their Greyhounds and other pets that have passed away. Prairie Beach guests are invited to bring photos of deceased pets if they want to share them. Colorful note cards will be provided so people can write down their memories and then post them on the memory wall. All Prairie Beach guests can view the wall at their leisure during the reunion.

5-8 p.m.
Raffle and Auction Items on display (at Lions Park Shelterhouse)
The featured items in the 2007 raffle and auction at Prairie Beach will be on display at Lions Park.

6-7 p.m.
Night Before Race Meal (at Lions Park)
Join us for a free dinner-and-ice cream party with a Tex-Mex theme! HGA leaders will welcome guests to Prairie Beach, we’ll listen to some tunes and enjoy some camaraderie!

7-8 p.m.
Silly Greyhound Olympics (at Lions Park)
Prairie Beach guests and their Greyhounds can participate in some silly games (no trained commands or tricks required!) then individual P.B. guests can show off their Greyhounds’ performance for the crowd! Our Olympics will be topped off with a truly unique competition: The Ugly Toy Contest! Whether you call it well-loved or just an embarrassment, if your dog has a stuffed toy that’s seen better days and possibly bears little resemblance to its former self, bring it along and be prepared to explain it during our contest! Maybe you can take home bragging rights for the Ugliest Stuffed Toy at Prairie Beach!

Saturday, Sept. 8
** 9 a.m.-6 p.m.**
Vendor booths open (at Lions Park)

9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Memory Wall (in Lions Park Shelterhouse)
Throughout our 2007 reunion, a Memory Wall will be featured where Prairie Beach guests can share memories of their Greyhounds and other pets that have passed away. Prairie Beach guests are invited to bring photos of deceased pets if they want to share them. Colorful note cards will be provided so people can write down their memories and then post them on the memory wall. All Prairie Beach guests can view the wall at their leisure during the reunion.

9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Raffle and Auction Items on display (in Lions Park Shelterhouse)
The featured items in the 2007 raffle and auction at Prairie Beach will be on display at Lions Park.

8-10 a.m.
Weigh In (at Lions Park)
Prairie Beach participants arriving Saturday can check in and pick up attendance packets.

8-11 a.m.
Mid-morning Treat (at Lions Park)
Hollander Coffee House of Altoona will be on hand to sell regular and decaffeinated coffees, hot chocolate, tea and plenty of pastries – scones, cinnamon rolls, dutch letters and more. All things that are easy to eat while leading a dog on a leash!

9:30-10 a.m.
Pre-Race Invocation (at Lions Park)
Pause for a blessing of the hounds from Jean Beckwith, chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.

10-10:30 a.m.
Golden Oldie Competition (at Lions Park)
Everyone in attendance is invited to bring their Greyhounds to the reunion tent for the competition to determine the oldest Greyhounds at Prairie Beach! “Golden Oldie” racing silks will be awarded to the oldest male and female Greys in attendance at the event!

10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Pre-Race Photos (at Lions Park)
Prairie Beach participants can have family portraits taken with their Greyhounds! Photos will be taken by Deugan Photo of Des Moines, Iowa, www.greyhounds.deuganphoto.com
Package options are:
Package A: one 11x14, two 5x7, eight wallets $40
Package B: one 8x10, two 5x7, eight wallets $35
Package C: one 8x10, two 5x7 $25
Package D: CD with copyright release $20
(Each package includes one pose, separate poses will require additional packages.)

10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Doggie Day Spa (at Lions Park)
A Doggie Wellness Pavilion will be set up, where you can participate in several “Doggie Day Spa” events on a pay-as-you-go basis!
Have your dog’s nails trimmed or let your four-legged friend have a bath from Sudsy Dog of Polk City, which will be on hand at Prairie Beach from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A bath and nail trim will cost $20, while a nail trim only will cost $5. All Sudsy Dog proceeds from the company’s time at Prairie Beach will be donated to HGA!
Back by popular demand from our 2006 reunion is animal communicator Karen Craft (www.animalshaman.com), who will be available for consultations from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Twenty-minute consultations for your dog with Karen cost $25.
And, from 3-3:30 p.m., we’ll raffle off the second block of raffle items!

10:30-11:30 a.m.
Canine Costume and Talent Show (at Lions Park)
Dress up your Greyhound and yourself, then be prepared to explain your costumes to the judges! Contest participants will need to fill out an entry card so they can be announced during the event!
“Best Costume” racing silk for Best in Show winner of costume contest along with 4 other prizes:
Silliest
Most creative
Best female costume
Best male costume.

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Keeping Your Strength Up (at Lions Park)
Join us for lunch (a separate $6 charge for this meal was paid with registration in advance). From noon-12:30 p.m., we’ll raffle off the first block of items in the 2007 Prairie Beach raffle!

Noon-5 p.m.
Photo Contest Voting (in Lions Park Shelterhouse)
Prairie Beach guests are invited to send in or bring photos along with them for our contest! Prizes will be given for five different categories:
Most Photogenic
Best Action Photo
Best Smile
Hound & Friend
Group Photo.
The photo boards will be up for voting from noon-5 p.m., with voting results announced and prizes awarded at dinner! (Please submit photos that you do not need returned or plan to pick your photos up after our contest ends. Photos will be left in the Shelterhouse for pick-up. Those left at the end of our reunion will be discarded.)

12:30-1 p.m.
Meet The Author (at Lions Park)
Jo Ann Bennett-Boltinghouse, author of “YolandaBaby: A Pooch Finds Her Purpose,” will speak to Prairie Beach attendees about her Greyhound-themed book. Afterwards, she will have copies of the book available for purchase and can sign the copies.

3:30-4 p.m.
Vet Presentation About New Periodontal Vaccine for Dogs (at Lions Park)
Dr. Gene Warren, a Senior Area Veterinarian for Pfizer Animal Health’s Companion Animal Division, will give a presentation about the company’s new vaccine for dogs to help prevent periodontal disease. The vaccine stimulates a dog's immune system to control growth of bacteria, thereby preventing gum and bone recession and tooth loss.

4-5 p.m.
2007 Prairie Beach Auction (at Lions Park)
Prairie Beach participants will get the chance to bid on some premium items during our 2007 live auction! Auction items must be claimed and paid for by the end of this time block!

5-5:30 p.m.
Wrap-Up Raffle (at Lions Park)
We’ll raffle off the third block of items in the 2007 Prairie Beach raffle!

5:30-7:30 p.m.
The Winners Circle Dinner and Keynote Address (at Lions Park)
Before dinner, we will hear the 2007 Prairie Beach keynote address from Dr. Mike Henning, a Des Moines veterinarian who provides care to the Greyhounds awaiting adoption through HGA and many of the Greyhounds owned by HGA members. Dr. Henning is extremely familiar with Greyhound health issues and can share his expertise with us!
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From 6-7:30 p.m., we’ll enjoy a taste of Iowa at Prairie Beach’s catered dinner (a separate $16 charge for this meal was paid with registration in advance). During the dinner, we will award the winners of the photo contest in five categories:
Best Action Shot
Best Smile
Hound and Friend
Most Photogenic
Group Photo

Sunday, Sept. 9
6-10 a.m.
Post-Race Stretch and Trailer Hitch (at hotels of Prairie Beach guests)
Enjoy a relaxing morning, then take a final walk around the grounds of your hotel before you head home!