MARK YOUR CALENDAR -- May 15th, 16th and 17th

WHAT IS A WADDLE ANYHOW??? The Waddle is a three-day event that you won't want to miss. It's Michigan Basset Rescue's largest fundraiser of the year and people come from all over the country as well as Canada and Ireland to participate. It's the original and best basset waddle - don't be fooled by imitations! Most importantly, this is a FUNDRAISER. People collect money for MBR. Waddlers gather so much per block that their dog completes (like a walkathon).  The parade is just ten short blocks and ALL dogs complete the route (see "Pooped Pup Pickup Trucks" below.) We don't tell anyone how much to collect per block. We do have great prizes and trophies for the people with the most pledges and those who have traveled the farthest with their pet(s). We even have a Pledge Sheet (pdf file, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) for you to keep track of those pledges!

NEW NEW NEW! Download the official Waddle Packet now (pdf file, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

From now through May 13, bid in our online auction for many basset and even non-basset items!.

>> NEW HOTEL!!!!! NEW PICNIC SITE!!!!! READ ON!!!!!!!!!!! <<

FRIDAY EVENING PIZZA PARTY AND AUCTION. The fun begins on Friday evening, May 15 with a pizza party at the hotel. There is a cash bar, and a disk jockey. We hold an auction where we auction off basset items and the titles of King and Queen, Lady in Waiting and Court Jester. The King and Queen lead the Waddle parade on Sunday in a horse-drawn carriage and are followed by the Lady in Waiting and Court Jester on a float. After the auction we hold the coronation of all the royalty and they are provided with royal robes and thrones (VERY fancy dog beds). The royalty auction is very popular and many folks collect money all year for their bassets to win. Friday evening is something you won't want to miss!

SATURDAY AFTERNOON PICNIC. On Saturday the 16th there is a picnic at a NEW and Very Much Improved Picnic Site!! If Waddle goers found the picnics to be a tad crowded and the area too small, we have fixed it!! In fact, they may complain this year that the picnic area is TOO BIG!!! We have acres of fenced in area for the picnic this year!! It is at least a nickzillion acres to run and play. The foodslaves will be exhausted from running around the area taking it all in.

SUNDAY WADDLE AND LAST SUPPER. Sunday the 17th is the Waddle itself, in beautiful downtown Birmingham, Michigan. We have approximately 500 bassets waddling up Woodward Avenue. The bassets are at the end of the parade and we have "Pooped Pup Pickup Trucks" in case any of the little dogs decide they've gone far enough and 'go flat'. The parade is actually quite short. Participants park at a parking structure (no charge) which is right across the street from our sign-in area where we have items for sale. All walk to the staging area and the parade ends up right back where you parked and signed in. That evening we have what we call "the last supper" where all those who are staying Sunday night can meet for dinner. We hate to say "Goodbye".

NEW HOTEL THIS YEAR. Check out our new and improved Waddle Headquarters Hotel! Take a tour!! It's the Radisson Hotel in Bloomfield Hills and it's much closer to the parade route than any of our previous hotels

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You can start making your reservations NOW. You must use the Promotional Code BW2009 to get our special group rate of $78.00 per night. (regular rates are $100 +). Reservations can be made ON LINE, too!! For phone reservations, call (248) 644-1400.

We are SO excited to offer such a NICE hotel located minutes from the Waddle. The Radisson offers both doubles and king rooms with some of them connecting. All the beds are Sleep Number Beds! We're wondering which number bassets will prefer! This hotel is also just up the street from an animal hospital that has regular hours on Saturday and Sunday.

We have the Grand Ballroom for Friday night's auction festivities. It is BIG and Gorgeous! There is a lovely courtyard just outside the ballroom available for hanging out during the weekend. Every room offers complimentary high-speed, wired Internet access, a refrigerator, coffee maker, hair dryer, bath robes, bottled water, a safe, cordless phone, voicemail and a CD player.

There's an indoor pool, whirlpool and fitness center. Also inside the hotel are two great restaurants and an elegant bar. The Deli offers breakfast and lunch. They offer YUMMY healthy food along with a regular menu. The other restaurant is a seafood restaurant. Their menu is amazing and also offers steak for the non-fish eaters. This hotel is located in Bloomfield Hills, a very upscale suburb of Detroit. It is close to many great restaurants and shopping.

We suggest you make your reservations soon for best room selections. The cut off date for reservations at this special rate is May 1st.

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