Portland, ME (July 26, 2010) – The Planet Dog Foundation (PDF), Planet Dog’s non-profit, is thrilled to announce that the PSA made about their grantmaking organization has won the Maine 7 Day PSA Contest. Team Hurf Durf, the winning filmmakers, was awarded a cash prize for their work and the PSA will run on Maine-based TV stations for a full year.
Portland, Maine was the second stop of the National 7DAYPSA competition which began in Rhode Island and is headed to cities across the nation. The competition is the brainchild of Duncan Putney and Andre Stark, of OCD Associates in Providence, RI. It was created to draw attention to nonprofit organizations and filmmakers by bringing them together to provide deserving organizations a broadcast quality PSA along with a commitment from local media outlets to air it.
Filmmakers are given seven days to write, cast, direct and edit a public service announcement for a local non-profit. The Hurf Durf team that won top prize for the Planet Dog Foundation PSA, was led by director Tim Lazimov. Team Hurf Durf also received awards for best editing, best animation and best director. Click on the link below to watch it:
“We have wanted to share these stories through a PSA for years, but have never been able to afford it,” adds Stephanie Volo, Planet Dog’s President. “We were honored to be selected to participate in this competition and feel very blessed to have won,” adds Volo.
Since incorporating in 1997, Planet Dog has been known as the industry’s leading socially responsible, values-based design house, bringing people and dogs together for fun and mutual support. The flagship initiative of the company and the heart and soul of all of Planet Dog’s business is the charitable arm of the company, the Planet Dog Foundation (PDF), established in 2006.
PDF is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 grant-making organization that provides cash grants to programs that train, place and support service dogs helping people in need. PDF supports service dog programs, therapy dog programs that work in a range of residential and therapeutic programs, police, fire and military dogs, animal assisted therapy in academic, prison and medical facilities, K-9 search and rescue programs, medical alert dogs and other innovative programs that harness a dog’s extraordinary scent capability and loyalty to help children and adults in need. To date, PDF has awarded nearly $750,000 in cash grants and in-kind donations to a variety of excellent programs.
PDF is funded primarily by the sales of Planet Dog products, and through sales at the Planet Dog Company Store located in Portland, Maine. Planet Dog is the corporate partner of the Foundation, contributing 2% of every sale to PDF, while also covering overhead and administrative costs. Planet Dog also sells the Orbee-Tuff„¥ Glow for Good Ball. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the buoyant and bouncy dog toys made from Planet Dog’s award-winning Orbee-Tuff go directly to the grantmaking budget.
“It is a testament to Plant Dog retailers and customers that the Glow for Good Ball has been a top seller since its introduction in 2007,” says Volo. “The overwhelming need for support for canine service programs inspired us to create the 2010 Romp-a-Thon, a nationwide fundraising challenge to sell 20,000 Glow for Good Balls by the end of the year,” adds Volo.
The national fundraising campaign is educating retailers and consumers about the significant contributions of working dogs in our society and engaging them to help more dogs assist children and adults in need. In addition to winning a custom run of 100 FREE, Orbee-Tuff ¡§2010 Romp-a-Thon Winner Balls¡¨ with their logo featured on them, the Romp-a-Thon challenge winner will be invited to help the Planet Dog Foundation determine the recipient of a year-end grant.
“The Glow for Good Ball was inspired by working dogs everywhere,” says Volo. “It was designed to spread the message of the Planet Dog Foundation in the community, and to encourage others to ‘act’ on behalf of these wonderful partners who enhance and save human lives,” adds Volo.
Through PDF, Planet Dog also donates a substantial amount of first quality products to numerous non-profits all over the country which serve as items for silent auctions, and raffle prizes for fundraisers. In addition to gift baskets and auction items, Planet Dog donates overstock or discontinued products to canine programs throughout the country, providing much needed collars, leashes and toys to non-profits on tight budgets. For more information and a full list of programs and grantees, please visit www.planetdogfoundation.org.