Clifford's Army is on the march! The 5th Annual Clifford's Army Extravaganza is set for Saturday, April 9, 2016, at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds.
"This annual event is crucial to acquiring the funds needed for vetting and helping the shelter dogs," says Clifford's Army Rescue volunteer Annette Pendergraft. "It is a pet-, adult- and kid-friendly event, and is 100 percent volunteer driven. Everything we do is volunteer driven, so all funds always go towards helping the animals of Cleveland County."
The Extravaganza's activities will feature a car and bike show, the "Ride to Rescue Poker Run," a live auction, the canine cuties contest, a yard sale, a K9 exhibition, a kids' play area and doggie games. The event will also include music, food, vendors and a memorial wall.
"We will have more vendors this year than we have ever had," says Deb Hardin,founder and president of Clifford's Army Rescue. "And all of the favorites from previous years will be back, such as the moonwalk house and face painting for the kids, and the 'Doggie & Me' activities like the t-shirt race and the beauty pageant."
Clifford volunteers work all year round to try to help and save animals at the Cleveland County Animal Control.
"It is staggering the number of animals that are taken in at Animal Control daily," says Hardin. "We not only want to raise money to help them, we want to help educate people to spay, neuter, vaccinate, microchip, and above all to adopt instead of shop."
Hardin says that education and awareness are crucial to make a change in the county. "To rescue you need two things, fosters and funds. This annual event helps keep us going throughout the year."
"Clifford's World Largest Yard Sale" runs from 7 a.m. - noon at the fairgrounds (enter at the back gate). The Car/Bike show entries begin at 9 a.m. (enter at the lower side gate). The main gates will open at 10 a.m. for all other activities. For a full schedule of events along with more information about the Clifford's Army Extravaganza, visit the group's Facebook page.

By April Hoyle Shauf

Special to Shelby Shopper