Bring your kids – and dogs – to Make-a-Wish fundraiser

DOC BARKER, the Make-A-Wish Ambassador Dog, makes a new friend.

If you love dogs — and the idea of making wishes come true — spend part of your weekend at Rawhide with the Superstition Kennel Club.

The club is hosting the WAGS for WISHES® AKC All-Breed Agility Trials through Sunday at the western theme park, located at 5700 W. North Loop Rd. in Chandler.

This unique event, now in its fourth year in Arizona, attracts dog owners and lovers from all over the western U.S. to compete, partake in and enjoy a wide variety of dog-related competitions and events while raising funds for Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Arizona, a nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

All competitions are sanctioned through national organizations, and include Agility, Flyball and SplashDog (dock diving). In addition, there are many activities that any dog can try, such as taking a herding instinct test with the Arizona Herding Association, dock diving at SplashDogs, Therapy Dog Testing, racing through “Lure for the Cure” (sponsored by the National Canine Cancer Foundation), obtaining a Canine Good Citizen certification, meeting DOC-BARKER the Make-A-Wish Ambassador Dog, watching the Best Dog Trick contest, posing for pet photography, and more.

Trial hours are 7am to 7pm daily, with judging commencing at 9am.

One hundred percent of your entry fee after expenses are paid will benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Arizona and may be considered tax-deductible. Learn more about WAGS for WISHES®.

Making social media safe for kids

Twittering? Friends, followers, fans? HELP! I don’t understand what my child is doing on the Internet!

Raising Arizona Kids magazine is partnering with Social Media Club Phoenix to provide parents with information to ensure their children are safe online. Panelists will break down the popular social networking tools (Facebook, Twitter, etc) so parents can understand each application’s features, and how they can be used safely.

“Parents shouldn’t simply ban what they don’t know,” said panelist Sheila Unwin. “I hope parents will get involved in social media and realize it can bring them closer to their children.”

In addition to discussing the tools, panelists will share their experiences raising tech-savvy children and the boundaries they have set within their own families.

WHEN & WHERE:  Thursday, April 22, 2010
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
MADCAP Theaters
730 South Mill Ave Tempe

Parking information and a map are available.

PANELISTS:

Calie Waterhouse (39) is the Internet Community Manager for Skateland in Glendale. She is the mother of three children, ages 10, 13, and 15 respectively. Calie has recently gone through the process of talking to her teens about Internet safety and feels the panel provides an opportunity for an honest and open discussion about social media concerns.

Devon Adams (35) is a high school teacher, as well as a professor for an online community college. His five-year-old daughter has her own twitter and Facebook accounts, as well as has been using her father’s iTouch for education the past year-and-a-half. Additionally, Devon utilizes social media with his students and will offer the perspective on social media safety not only as a parent, but also as an educator.

Sheila Unwin (41) is an education professional at Grand Canyon University. She is the mother of an 18-year-old son and wife of Evo Terra, co-author of Podcasting for Dummies. She and her husband are actively involved in the social media community, planning the weekly ‘tweet-up’ East Valley Friday Nights (#evfn).

NJ Unwin (18) is a student at Grand Canyon University and the son of Sheila and Evo. He has been an active social media user since he was in 7^th grade, back in 2003. He believes social media opens up many opportunities for young adults and is an excellent way to promote one’s self to colleges.