By Kelly Harnett

Photos by Erica Lane Photography

The 2023 0.5K Dog Walking Dead (DWD) Prairie Berry Challenge did not disappoint. More than one hundred people and their pets from around the Black Hills region enjoyed a beautiful Sunday stroll at Hill City’s legendary Prairie Berry Winery and Miner Brewing Company for the last 0.5K of the Hobo’s Healing Heart’s 0.5K Trifecta Series.

Most Original costumes were beekeepers and their bees. — Beekeepers and their Bees. Bee costumes were crocheted by the Beekeeper, herself!

Dawning their costumes while three judges decided whose costume was the Most Original, Best Dressed, and Funniest, people and their pooches made the 0.31-mile trek to help raise $2,631 for Hobo’s Pennington County Chapter - Jake’s Fund!

Photos of the event can be found on our Facebook page under the 2023 0.5K Dog Walking Dead Prairie Berry Challenge photo album. We welcome you to grab photos of you and your pooch to share! Be sure to tag us!

This year’s DWD brought a new award to the festivities. The Mike’s Hobinator Spirit Award honors the Founder’s late father, Mike, who was a champion of Hobo’s Healing Heart often silently covering costs for fundraisers in the beginning years so all money raised could go to help people and their pets. Mike and Hobo were the best of friends. Mike was a huge Arnold Schwarzenegger fan and really enjoyed the movie The Terminator. It wasn’t long before he started referring to his granddog as “The Hobinator” in his best Arnold voice every time he said his name.

Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf, and the Woodsman.

The Mike’s Hobinator Spirit Award is bestowed upon individuals or organizations that exhibit unwavering dedication, initiative, motivation, a positive attitude, and a genuine love for animals. It recognizes those who have generously contributed significant funding or volunteer hours in support of Hobo’s Healing Heart.

Our first recipients are an individual and the organization she started that has exhibited remarkable fundraising efforts for Hobo’s Healing Heart over the last three years by raising thousands of dollars for Hobo’s as well as the Spearfish Ram Youth Football Leage.

For her remarkable fundraising efforts through her organization which pays tribute to the cherished memories of her late husband, Ben Yackley and his good friend who passed before him, Derek “Cheese” Snyder, Hobo’s Healing Heart presented the 2023 Mike’s Hobinator Spirit Award to Jenny Yackley and Smiles on Faces.