Wayne County Dog Shelter seeks volunteers for 5K Run and Grape Stomp at Lincoln Way Vineyard

The Wayne County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center and its supporting nonprofit, PAWS for WCDS, are calling on community members to volunteer for their upcoming 5K Run and Grape Stomp fundraiser. The event takes place from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, at Lincoln Way Vineyard, located at 9050 W. Old Lincoln Way in Wooster.

Volunteers are needed to help with dog handling, guest interaction and general event support.

“There will be pop-up vendors, and we will have dogs from the shelter there,” said Shelter Technician Kate Mick. “The more volunteers we have, the more dogs we can bring. Ideally, we would like to bring between six and eight adoptable dogs to interact with visitors to the event.”

According to Mick, volunteer duties include socializing with and handling the dogs, as well as interacting with guests who may have questions about them. 

“Becoming a volunteer is easy,” she said. “We prefer that volunteers go through a short training program. Anyone interested can download the forms from our website, watch a short video and come to the shelter for an in-person tour.”

Once training is complete, volunteers can assist at future events, spend time with dogs at the shelter or foster animals.

Safety is a priority, Mick said, because staff generally don’t know the full histories of many dogs entering the shelter, and the kennel environment can be stressful for them.

All proceeds from the event benefit the shelter’s mission, via PAWS (Promoting Animal Welfare for the Shelter), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports daily operations, medical care and enrichment programs.

Volunteers of all experience levels are welcome. The shelter encourages anyone with a passion for animals to participate in fostering connections between adoptable dogs and potential forever homes.

To apply, email the shelter at dogs@wayneohio.org or phone 330-345-1018. To learn more about PAWS, visit pawsforwcds.org.

Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for Wayne County.