A scene from the 2007 Dog Walk. Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services (PAALS) will host their second annual Dog Walk this year teaming up with another local non- profit, The Heartworm Project. The event will held Saturday, November 22, from 11 am to 3 pm at Saluda Shoals Park, 5605 Bush River Rd., Columbia. A Chapin Chow Down will be held the night before at several local restaurants who will give part of their dinner proceeds to these two charities.

This year's dog walk, Stroll on the Shoal: PAALS with Heart in the Park, is themed "Animals Helping People and People Helping Animals." This fundraising event will consist of a one mile fun walk with people who are welcome to bring their pet dogs or walk a rescue from The Heartworm Project. Each participant will also have the option to take part in a poker run game along the trail as they try to win some fabulous prizes for people and pets. A free lunch and canvas bag will be included with each registration. Police dog and horse demonstrations will also be offered in addition to service dog training demonstrations.

The charities will co- host The Chapin Chowdown Friday, November 21 at several locally- owned restaurants in Chapin. A percentage of all sales from 5 pm to closing will be donated to PAALS and the Heartworm Project. Participating restaurants are Chapin Station, 1260 Chapin Road, and Bomb Island Grill, 912 Chapin Road. Volunteers from each non- profit will be at each restaurant to answer questions about the services provided. Volunteers will also have information about the Dog Walk to be held the next day.

The goal of PAALS and The Heartworm Project is to educate and enlighten the community about their mission, goals, and the unique services provided and to communicate the needs these nonprofits face and can fulfill. The various costs incurred to raise, train, house, transport, and lend service dogs for adults and children with physical disabilities and special needs are as vast as are the costs of saving strays that have treatable medical conditions from being euthanized.

"We're so excited and grateful to be partnering this year with another worthy cause, The Heartworm Project. Both our groups provide invaluable services in our community and are able to join forces with the help of our sponsors and our volunteers. The word really needs to get out about the differences our loving service dogs have made in the lives of the disabled, as well as the number of pets that have been saved by The Heartworm Project," said Jen Rogers, founder and executive director of PAALS.

For more information visit www.paals.org or The Heartworm Project website, http://www.heartwormproject. org/ or call 803-394- 7474.