- May 2, 2024
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Bella Crouse, 10, came from Arcadia with her dog Freckles to attend the Giving Challenge.
Apple, the Sea of Strength school dog, sits with her outfit on at the Giving Challenge.
Lakewood Ranch's Virginia Craig, also a volunteer at the Humane Society, holds her dog Lilly at the Giving Challenge.
A group of kids, volunteers and dogs sit on the red carpet for a group photo at the Giving Challenge.
Karen Nicholson, Lakewood Ranch, poses on the red carpet with her dog Nick.
Lakewood Ranch's Grayson Tullio, 13, sits with his service dog Hooch at the Giving Challenge.
Lakewood Ranch's David Lodwick, 12, sits with his pup Rosie outside at Kona Grill.
Dress up attire, for the dogs and their owners, lays on a table by the red carpet.
Lakewood Ranch's Eric Brady, 10, sits on the red carpet with his dog Toby.
Lilly Riggs, 11, and Gianna Goodwin, 10, both came from Perrish to attend the Giving Challenge. Goodwin stands with her dog Rosie.
Gianna Goodwin, 10, does a back bend on the red carpet.
Ethan Lauk, 11, and Diego Taylor, 13, pet Hooch, a service dog that attended the Giving Challenge.
Ethan Lauk, 11, and his mom Suzy Lauk from Lakewood Ranch, sit together at Kona Grill for the Giving Challenge.
Lakewood Ranch's Jelasia Lanuto, 11, holds her dog JoJo on the red carpet outside of Kona Grill.
Nicole Gingrich, 11, from Perrish, holds her dog Boo on the red carpet.
A group of people with their dogs stand on the red carpet for the Giving Challenge at Kona Grill.
Deanna Murchie, Lakewood Ranch, signs people in at the Giving Challenge.
Cindy Jackson from River Club gives her dog Sophie a kiss at the Giving Challenge.
Two area nonprofits merged fundraising efforts with a walk down the red carpet Sept. 20 with their canine friends beside them.
Sea of Strengths Academy, a school for students with learning disabilities, and the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch partnered for a night of fun posing for screaming fans and enjoying great food and drinks at The Mall at UTC's Kona Grill. It was all to raise funds during this year's Giving Challenge.
The Giving Challenge is an event organized by the Community Foundation of Sarasota. More than 500 non-profits from Manatee, De Soto and Sarasota counties are participating this year with hopes of encouraging the community to give. It kicked off today at noon and runs through noon, Wednesday, Sept. 21.
At Kona Grill, families were able to dress their dogs up in necklaces, sunglasses and other funny trinkets, then pose on the red carpet.
"Our goal this year was to really inform people on the community foundations," said Cheryl Johnson, a resident of Lakewood Ranch and volunteer at the Humane Society of Lakewood Ranch. "Not only for us, but for all of the non-profits involved in this."
Donations still can be made at givingpartnerchallenge.org.
