On Saturday, Nov. 5, Massachusetts pet treat maker and humanitarian organization, Goodness Gracious, raised over $10,000 for New England animal rescues and shelters in the first Goodness Gracious Run for Rescue.

Over 150 people and their dogs gathered for the 5k and 10k run/walk events staged out of Winslow Farm and Animal Sanctuary. Attendees came from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New York, Connecticut and as far as Chicago, IL to support the non-profit, no-kill animal charities which benefited from 100 percent of the event’s net proceeds.

 “We are thrilled with the turnout,” said Goodness Gracious CEO, Amy Renz. “Together we generated over $5,000 in donations, another $5,000 in race registrations and event-day sales, plus a boat load of priceless smiles. It was really important to raise funds for some fantastic charities while making sure everyone felt appreciated and enjoyed the day.” 

 Goodness Gracious achieved that goal by ensuring that no one went home empty handed. Every attendee got a t-shirt and goodie bag, pre-registered racers who drove over an hour to the event and contest runner-ups got a free bag of Goodness Gracious pet treats and more than half of all attendees won prizes from either the race, raffle or costume contest.

 “The real prize of the day is the thousands of lives the event’s proceeds will be able to help,” said Debra Cameron, runner, animal rescue volunteer with PAWS New England (one of the race charities), and winner of the costume contest.  “We are grateful for Goodness Gracious’ generosity, for organizing such a fun-filled event, and for personally donating and raising more than $2,000 for animal rescue. And for us at PAWS New England, the second annual Run for Rescue can’t come soon enough.”

 With only one animal shelter operating between both the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the US, the “heavy-lifting” of saving roughly 12 million animals abandoned yearly in the US and stopping the euthanization of approximately 5 million of them is done by community rescue organizations and shelters, according to Renz. Renz founded Goodness Gracious with the humanitarian mission of giving 51 percent of the company’s profits to local animal charities wherever its treats are sold.

 The Goodness Gracious Run for Rescue donated 100 percent of the event’s net proceeds to charity. Renz attributes the success of the fundraiser to the generosity of sponsors and donors, and to the volunteerism of the event’s charitable partners, and her friends and family. “We did it together because it is a blessing to be able to help others,” she said.

 In addition to Goodness Gracious, sponsors for the event included pet supply stores Especially for Pets and Audrey’s Boston, magazine publisher Beantown Tails, dog daycare Fenway Bark, clothing maker AdopTees, grocery store chain Crosby’s Markets, running shoe company Karhu and more.

The primary non-profit charities that the Goodness Gracious Run for Rescue benefited include:  PAWS New England (MA, NH, RI), Winslow Farm and Animal Sanctuary, Buddy Dog (MA), Project Pawsitive (NH), Friends of Attleboro Animal Shelter (MA), Friends of Marblehead’s Abandoned Animals, and Help Save One (RI).