The American German Shepherd Dog Charitable Foundation held our annual Benefit Party in 2000, our fourteenth, after judging Friday evening in Columbus, Ohio. With our thanks to Bob Eaton who funded the entire event the Foundation was able to see a profit of $1,685.00 which will be used for research grants specific to the German Shepherd Dog.

This year the 15th Benefit Party is co-sponsored by Bob and Carol Moore, Scharo Shepherds and Rita Sandell, Alator Shepherds: In memory of Alan Sandell. Since our National is being held in November, the theme is Thanksgiving. The Foundation is recognizing and being thankful to the many supporters and sponsors of this fund raising effort for the past fifteen successful years. The party is planned and coordinated by Gene and Andy Tenges.

Our other National funding raising efforts include the Silent Auction to be held ring side on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday capably coordinated by Carolyn Lavengood. Pins, pens, shirts, jackets, and our cookbook will be available. During the past year, cookbook sales at Regional Specialties and Futurity weekend shows have been very successful. To date over $12,000 has been received from the sale of cookbooks. As this project was totally funded by donations, the entire sale receipts are used for the health research grants of the German Shepherd Dog.

The AGSDCF has been working with the AKC-CHF on our two Grants # 1632: Canine Degenerative Myelopathy; Texas A & M University with Dr. Joan Coats and Grant #1628: Genetics of Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD); University of California, Davis with Dr. John Angles. We are presently requesting the development of a research grant for a marker for Degenerative Myelopathy. Representing the AGSDCF, as a Founder Member of the AKC-Canine Health Foundation, I attended the 3rd bi-annual National Parent Club Canine Health Conference held this October in Saint Louis, Missouri. Our poster representing the many areas of our fund raising efforts won Honorable Mention. The conference was not only very educational and informative but also afforded the opportunity to meet the researchers and to discuss research projects and current developments. I was especially impressed by the joint efforts of the AKC and AKC-CHF who funded a grant to study the health effects to the search and rescue dogs used to assist in our recent National disaster in New York City. Many of us are not aware of the tremendous effects and death rate to the dogs used in disasters such as Oklahoma City and at the Ground 0 site. Alfred L. Cheaure, President and CEO of the AKC, presented a short video of the dogs working in New York. I am proud to note that a very large percent were our great breed the German Shepherd Dog. While at the conference, I was asked by Dr. Elaine A. Ostrander of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to request the assistance of our members. She is extremely close to finally mapping the gene for a rare form of inherited kidney cancer in the German Shepherd to canine chromosome 5. The disease, Canine Hereditary Multifocal Renal Cystadenocarcinoma and Nodular Dermatofibrosis (RCND), is inherited cancer of the kidney. Samples are needed to complete this study. While this is a rare disease, the linkage would give answers to this deadly disease, but, also, would demonstrate the importance of mapping dog diseases. This would open funding to canine research from other sources. If anyone has a dog currently suffering from this disease, please contact me to assist in this important research effort.

A special AGSDCF recognition sculpture conceived and funded by Donald J. and Patricia M. Cliff will be presented at the Benefit Party in Perry on Friday evening: The Don & Pat Cliff Recognition Sculpture. The purpose of this sculpture is to raise funds for the Foundation for research. Your dog’s name and your name will be inscribed on the sculpture for a tax deductible cost of $300. As requested by Don Cliff this dog does not require any titles, simply your best friend and life long companion.

Director Peter Cacioppo, our fund raising and structured gift ambassador, has made significant progress in our will and legacy contributions. I have designed a database to recognize all our donors over the years. The donors will be divided into categories and will be cumulative.

The AGSDCF flyer will be included in the parent club dues notices. Foundation information is available on our page at the GSDCA web site at http://www.gsdca.org. You may also order our cookbook during the year for friends and family. With all our effort, another $8,000.00 could easily be raised for our health needs from the cookbook.

Director Scootie Sherlock and I are requesting information, input, and suggestions on the most current prevalent diseases affecting our breed. Perianal Fistulas, Degenerative Myelopathy, Hypothyroidism, and Pancreatic Insufficiency are currently heading our list of diseases to consider when focusing the funding of our research grants.