The fourth annual K-9 Golf Outing is set to provide a day of all-inclusive fun for golfers in support of the multiple local K-9 units, including those of the Salem, Lisbon, and Columbiana police departments. Hole sponsors and raffle basket donations are still being sought for this year’s outing. Shown from left in the top row Columbiana K-9 Bax, and Salem K-9 Chaz, shown from left in the bottom row are Lisbon K-9 Otis, and Salem K-9 Fero. (Submitted photo courtesy of Mike Garber)

By MORGAN AHART

Staff Writer

SALEM — The fourth annual K-9 Golf Outing is gearing up to provide a day of fun on the range in support of multiple local K-9 units.

“The last three years have been absolutely wonderful with the support we’ve received from the community. We can’t thank everyone enough for continuing to support us,” said Sgt. Mike Garber, handler for K-9 Chaz with the Salem Police Department.

This year’s outing will be held Aug. 23 at Flying B Golf Course, and entry for a four-person team will be $400. The cost of entry is fully inclusive including a “wag bag” cooler, coffee by Grizzly Bean Coffee House, and donuts by Hoges, with a taco bar at the turn by Jalisco’s, and dinner by Smokin Marty’s BBQ.

Garber said that he feels that this inclusive nature and the participating K-9 units’ dedication to ensuring that the annual event, which is the largest fundraiser for local K-9 units of the year, is as enjoyable and high value for both golfers and sponsors as possible that has made the K-9 Gold Outing such a well-loved event each year.

“That’s the biggest thing with our outing. We want to make sure our golfers, and our sponsors are taken care of and happy. We try to focus on making sure that they have fun and everything runs smoothly and that our sponsors get the credit for making sure it continues to be a success. Without their support and the community’s support the golf outing and the K-9 unit wouldn’t exist,” said Garber.

Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by a cannon-fire start courtesy of Drew Green at 9 a.m. The team in first place will win $600, and the team in second place will win $400.

“To me not only do we have the best outing, but we also have the best start because where else do you get to start with a cannon,” joked Garber.

This year’s outing is a collaborative effort between the K-9 units of the Salem, Lisbon, and Columbiana police departments with participating officers including: Garber and Chaz, and Patrolman Tanor English, handler of K-9 Fero, from the Salem Police Department; Patrolman Brandon Ericksson, handler of K-9 Bax from the Columbiana Police Department; and Patrolman Alan Shaffer, handler for K-9 Otis from the Lisbon Police Department.

As always proceeds from the event go directly to support the care of the participating department’s K-9s including food, equipment, and training along with routine and emergency medical care, and will be divided evenly between the participating K-9 units. Garber also noted that the outing benefits K-9s and handlers from other departments as well as all the local K-9 units in their training group which includes several other local communities, and multiple county-wide agencies can benefit from any training equipment purchased.

Garber said that so far this year the event has 32 teams signed up to participate, but that they were still seeking sponsors and raffle basket donations. While there are multiple sponsor levels available, Garber said that they were most in need of hole sponsors this year. He also noted that they “were getting down to the wire” so any businesses interested in supporting their local K-9 units should reach out to himself or English at salemohioK9@gmail.com.

“We’re looking forward to getting as many sponsors as we can to make the outing as good as it can be. The is the largest fundraiser of the year for our local K-9 units, and it doesn’t just benefit the participating units. Everyone that works with us in our training group benefits from this through sharing training equipment,” said Garber.

Sponsor packages range in cost from individual to corporate levels, each with unique rewards including: $100 hole sponsors receive a sign with their logo or information posted at a tee box; $500 silver sponsors receive a 4-foot by 2-foot banner with their logo, a photo op with the K-9s, recognition at the closing ceremony, and advertisement on the event and K-9 unit’s social media pages; $800 gold sponsors receive a vinyl sign the beginning of the course loop, recognition during the outing, and advertisement on the event and K-9 unit’s social media pages, as well a T-shirt sponsor spot on the back of the shirt in the top row; $1,250 titanium sponsors receive a large 6-foot by 2-foot banner with their logo, two vinyl signs (one at the beginning of the course loop, and one on the course), a photo op with the K-9s, recognition at the closing ceremony, and advertisement on the event and K-9 unit’s social media pages, and K-9 gift package; $1,800 platinum sponsors receive all the benefits of a titanium sponsor in addition to a second large banner, entry for a four-person team, and a customized K-9 gift package. Sponsors should send a clean logo and any desired text to salemohiok9@gmail.com. Additional information on sponsorships can be found at www.spdk9.com/k9-golf-outing.