Dog Days of Summer photo contest winners share prize with BCHS

MILLER — It’s a good day to be a dog, especially for “Rook,” a year-and-a-half-old golden retriever from Miller, who won the Keloland-Lewis Drug Dog Days of Summer 2018 photo contest.
The proud family of Rook are Kimberly and Darin French, and his children, son Joe, 11, and daughter Morgean, 9. They traveled to Sioux Falls on Thursday and received a $500 gift certificate to the Lewis Drug Pet Department. They decided to donate to the Beadle County Humane Society by picking up an abundance of much needed pet food and litter and bringing them to the shelter.
“Rook will get some new toys and treats, but we wanted to share his prize with our local Beadle County Humane Society by giving them supplies,” Kimberly explained. “I contacted Kim (Krueger) at the BCHS, she told me what they are in need of most.”
This is the first year the family had decided to enter the contest as new dog owners, and were so pleased that of the hundreds of entries Keloland received from across the state, their small town dog was voted the favorite.
“The kids are super excited, they followed the contest the whole time,” Kimberly said. “Miller is a small town so we got on Facebook, shared it through the community and that’s how he got all his votes. We won against all of the big city dogs,” she added with a smile.

Morgean said, “Waiting to see which dog won the contest was my favorite part.”
The Four Paws Pool Party fundraiser for the BCHS will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday at Splash Central Water Park. Rook and the family are excited to go watch the dogs have fun while supporting the humane society at the same time.
“Rook will be there on Sunday for the pool party, it is so much fun and such a wonderful event that raises a lot of money for the humane society,” Kimberly explained. “He does really good with the tennis ball in the big pool. He was a puppy last year when we went so it was his first time jumping into the pool.”
Kimberly shared they had never experienced having a dog in the family before Rook came into their lives, and now they couldn’t imagine life without him and have learned a lot from living with such a loving animal.
“Rook was our first go with a dog, and now we are dog lovers. Our second dog will definitely be a shelter dog,” said Kimberly. “One of the things we have learned while living with a dog is that material items are not so important — which is why we decided to share his prize. We just need food, shelter and love.”

PHOTO BY ANGELINA DELLA ROCCO/PLAINSMAN
Darin, Kimberly, Joe, Morgean and Rook drop off an abundance of supplies to the Beadle County Humane Society after returning from Sioux Falls to collect Rook’s prize in the Keloland Dog Days of Summer photo contest.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Other photos are Rook on his way to Sioux Falls, and Morgean, Joe and Rook stand outside the Keloland station with the gift certificate.