Goldzilla

Minnesota's Friendliest Fundraiser

By: Ella Norman

In a flurry of white, yellow, and golden fur, roughly twenty golden retrievers, all of different types, ages, and sizes, descended upon Long Lake Park to chase some tennis balls. I was told by the numerous long-time attendees that this is the best part of the day, and I can't help but agree.

This organized chaos is  Goldzilla, a fundraising event put on by Retrieve a Golden of The Midwest (RAGOM) annually. The event has been happening for around 15 years, and is the largest fundraiser that RAGOM puts on. Goldzilla first began as a potluck attended by a few people, and has grown into an event that boasts about 200 people and their dogs every year. And as the turnout gets larger and larger, so do the fundraising efforts; while the goal is always modest, they exceed it every year, with donations going towards the care and rehoming of as many as 9,000 golden retrievers. 

RAGOM’s mission statement is to ensure that every dog has a “golden” life, and that supportive and loving atmosphere was evident throughout the day. One of the events was a collection of reunions between former foster parents and new adoptive families. I also met a couple who had been fostering golden retrievers for over 15 years and had fostered over 100 dogs—they were also at the festival to connect with former foster dogs and their new owners. Other events included an agility course, lure courses, a charity walk to raise funds, and the foster showcase. The foster showcase showed a variety of sweet dogs up for adoption. One of these dogs was Korrey, a two year old golden retriever paralysed from the waist down. 

And while the event was focused on golden retrievers, there were an overwhelming number of other dogs in attendance. A notable addition was Antonio, a 15-year-old pug pushed around in a dog stroller by his owner. His owner had been coming for 12 years and continued the tradition to this day. And with attendance continuing to increase, this event won’t be going anywhere soon.