It was a beautiful fall day for the First Annual Wheel to Heal event sponsored by the Hunt Valley Rotary on Oct. 29. Participants came with wagons, skateboards, bikes and strollers to tackle a 3-mile loop on the Torrey C. Brown NCR Trail and, according to the organizers, have a “rolling, rollicking good time” in support of Pets on Wheels, a nonprofit organization that brings therapy animals to facilities for friendly visits. Pets on Wheels has more than 480 volunteer teams and visits more than 300 facilities, including nursing homes, hospices, shelters, veteran’s hospitals, schools, libraries and more.
The day featured food, games and lots of fun and prizes with children and adults participating in multiple adventures, including a scavenger hunt, corn hole, balloon animals, duck pond, and more. Kids came in their Halloween costumes and did some trick-or-treating as well. Several of the therapy pets joined in the festivities, such as Mugsy, a petite bulldog and Otis, the Superdog, who was rescued by Tiffany Metzger. As a senior dog in a shelter, Otis had a rough life, but now is a super therapy pet bringing smiles to anyone he meets. The Rotarians and the event’s sponsors were pleased to support such a terrific cause and plan to make the Wheel to Heal event an annual one!