“Jaws with Paws” Benefit dinner raise funds for local K9 units, honor officer

       A group of Sandusky County residents are organizing a benefit dinner Saturday, May 16 to raise funds for local K9 units and to honor Stefan Ried, an officer with the Fremont Police Department and a Sandusky County Deputy Sheriff who passed away recently.
        The event, “Jaws with Paws Enforcing Laws,” will be held at 6 p.m. in the 4H building at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds in Fremont.
        Dinner will be provided by Bella Cuisine, a local catering and culinary school. Chefs Tom and Linda Lambert are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America, did post-graduate studies in Italy and have managed several successful restaurants as well as operating their local culinary school and catering services.
        Following dinner, Brian Woods, owner of Lynnwood Kennels, of Fremont, will offer a presentation. A retired police K9 officer, Woods has been training police K9 dogs for close to 30 years, with those animals serving in communities throughout the United States.
        With the assistance of several K9 dogs and their partners from area police agencies, Woods will demonstrate training techniques, including searching and locating narcotics and other substances, finding lost people and taking down suspects attempting to escape or cause harm. He will also take questions regarding these special dogs.
        Guests will also be able to get close to these dogs, which spend their off hours at their partner’s homes as a part of their families.
        Tickets for the dinner and presentation is $40 and can be purchased through the Sandusky County Convention & Visitor Bureau, 712 North St.; Fremont; VFW Post #2947, 204 Birchard Ave., and the Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office 2323 Countryside Dr., Fremont.
        All funds raised from this event will go directly to the Canine Units of all law enforcement agencies in Sandusky County to enable them to purchase equipment, training, or canines that otherwise may not be financially available in agency budgets.
        Local companies and citizens are encouraged to be a sponsor for this event or to provide gifts for the silent auction and raffle prizes.
        For more information, contact Brian Woods at 419-355-3421 or Sue Bowden at 419-680-8012.