DERBY FOR THE DOGS

Junction City Roller Derby Teams Up with Golden Bark Foundation

NEWS

Junction City Roller Derby takes on Beehive Skate Revolution at the Derby Depot in March. Photos by Concretefoxy

Junction City Roller Derby’s competition season is just around the corner and on May 2, it will be going to the dogs. The derby’s season opener is offering ticket discounts in exchange for donations to local rescue Golden Bark Foundation, an organization aimed at giving senior dogs good homes for the last years of their lives. 

Donations needed include joint supplements, pee pads, belly bands, blankets, and most importantly, senior dog food.

“If we have food on hand, then we don’t have to spend the extra money and then that money can go towards other dogs that we can potentially help,” Seth Schilling, founder and executive director of Golden Bark Foundation, said. 

Regular tickets at the door cost $15, however attendees who bring these donations will only be charged $12. The event will take place at the Golden Spike Exhibit Hall, located at 1000 N. 1200 W. in Ogden. Doors will open at 3 p.m., with the match officially starting at 4 p.m. Those who buy a ticket online can still bring donations if they would like. 

Derby skater Jasmine Reyna said that Golden Bark Foundation has already been a vendor for a few games. This time, they will be bringing a few dogs that are up for adoption, as well as some stickers for sale with proceeds going to the foundation. 

“They just want those dogs to have a forever home and to live out the last days of their life in the best way that they possibly can,” Reyna said of Golden Bark.

The foundation, established in 2022, is based on a foster-care system. They adopt dogs in local shelters that are at least 7 years old and then those dogs are placed with a foster family until they can find their forever home. At the time of this writing, Schilling said they currently have 13 foster dogs, but can take up to 20 dogs at a time. So far, they have helped 102 senior dogs find homes.

Schilling said that the foundation covers any fees associated with fostering including vet care, supplies and food, so that fosters only need to provide a safe home for the dogs.

“We are a community volunteer organization and so we can’t do the work that we do unless we have the community behind us and we’re really grateful for the community,” Schilling said. 

According to Reyna, each derby game of the season is going to help a different nonprofit in the community. This game will feature local derby teams the Trainwrecks and the Locomotives against Naughty Pines Roller Derby and the Wyoming Outlaws. 

“We’re really about community involvement and just having Junction as kind of a big family,” Reyna said. 

Tickets to the game can be purchased here.