Dog Day raises $100,000, unites community.
Opportunity:
A popular local restaurant owner was diagnosed with leukemia. Chet’s Dog House, a third-generation family restaurant, has been a community tradition since 1938. During his cancer treatment and recovery, Chet Secrist was forced to close the diner – his family’s main source of income. The unprecedented outpouring of community support needed immediate and dedicated coordination.
JFG Solution:
JFG created The Dog Day of Summer, an all-day street festival with music, food and family fun. Related JFG-organized fundraising efforts included a night of comedy, counter-top donation jars at over 100 locations and an auction of over 250 donated items. JFG created ChetsDogHouse.com to serve as the virtual command center for event/fundraiser information, and also designed and donated all event creative and promotion.
Results:
- A community of 25,000 came together to support one of its own; the largest fundraiser in recent local history.
- Nearly $100,000 was raised and presented to the family of Chet Secrist.
- The Secrist family asked that the Dog Day become an annual event to benefit other families.
Testimonial:
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you did. It was an amazing week and show of support for Chet and his family. It’s people like you that give Chet and Kristen the faith that they can ‘beat this.’ Words could never express what happened this past week and how you all gave so unselfishly. I believe that this whole thing has touched even more lives than we will ever know."
Sharon Secrist
Chet Secrist’s Aunt
