Golden Retriever Club of Hawaii

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Dear Golden Retriever Lover,

Do you have an interest in or love for Golden Retrievers? If so, we would like to tell you a little bit about the Golden Retriever Club of Hawaii, Inc. (GRCH) and extend an invitation for you to join. We realize that the existence and activities of GRCH have been among the best kept secret in Hawaii and we could like to do something to change that.

GRCH was first incorporated in Hawaii in 1978 when it held its first licensed show. It was reincorporated in 2000 at which time it also obtained status as a non-profit, tax-exempt social club under Section 301(c)(7) of the IRS Code. Our Board of Directors consists of five Officers and three Directors who are elected by the membership to serve for a period of one year on a voluntary basis. Nobody in the club receives compensation.

While most Golden Retriever owners who are not members of GRCH are asked why they haven't joined, the most common answer is "I don't show my dog." It is a common misconception that GRCH is a specialty club for owners of show dogs. Although many members do show their dogs, and one of our objectives is to conduct sanctioned and licensed specialty shows, showing your dog is only a part of what GRCH is all about.

Most people don't realize that the Golden Retriever is one of the most popular purebred dogs in Hawaii and, for that matter, the nation. As owners and lovers of the breed, we strive to educate people through the involvement of club members. One thing that all specialty clubs (there are over 4,000 nationally) have in common is that they are made up of members with a love for their breed. They are also affiliated with national clubs and licensed by the American Kennel Club and adhere to the same objectives. The objectives of GRCH are:

a. to encourage and promote the responsible breeding of pure-bred Golden Retrievers that possess the soundness, temperament and qualities reflected in the breed standard;

b. to urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed as approved by the American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by which Golden Retrievers shall be judged;

c. to do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed by encouraging sportsmanlike competition at dog shows and obedience trials;

d. to conduct sanctioned and licensed specialty shows and obedience trials under the rules of the American Kennel Club.

As an AKC licensed club, our primary responsibility is to put on licensed shows. However, we have also participated in Pet Expo and Celebration of Dogs and included many social functions in the past few years. These functions included veterinary talks about health care relative to Goldens, the changes in our quarantine laws, potluck picnics which included general grooming instructions for newcomers, Easter egg hunts for the dogs, Xmas visits to nursing homes and Halloween visits with dogs in costume to Kapiolani Women's and Children's Hospital. In addition, we created a Rescue Fund for Golden Retrievers and have sponsored heartworm treatment for several rescued Goldens.

While all members do own Golden Retrievers, ownership is not required. But since we are a purebred club and one of our objectives is to promote the purebred Golden Retriever, we must limit participation in our activities to purebred Goldens. What we ask from our members is that they fully support our objectives and assist the club with its endeavors such as fundraisers for our education, rescue and trophy funds. We currently have over 70 members on three islands with the majority on Oahu. If you are interested in participating in our activities and sharing our interest in and love for the breed, please feel free to contact us through this website.