Almost time for Tango's Trot

BERLIN HEIGHTS — An upcoming fundraiser promises a doggone good time for both humans and pups. The fourth-annual Tango's Trot takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Berlin Heights' Memorial Park on Memorial Drive near Edison Middle School. This event pays tribute to the late Maxton Soviak, a U.S. Navy Corpsman and a 2017 Edison High School graduate. Tango is Max's German shepherd, serving as the face of the dog walk. Proceeds from the event benefit the Maxton W. Soviak Memorial Foundation, which provides veterans and their families with adventure, experiences and resources "to live life to the Max," as its mission statement indicates. Walk this way People can register for the trot by visiting maxtonsoviak.org. There's a link on the homepage. Those registering by Sept. 1 can receive a T-shirt, dog bandana and canine-inspired swag bag. People can still register afterward, but there's no guarantee of receiving these items. Here's how people can partake in the trot: • A 2-mile dog walk through Riverside Cemetery, which allows participants and their pups to pay respects to Soviak at his final resting place • A 1-mile walk for smaller or older dogs around Berlin Heights • A virtual walk for those who can't attend; People and their dogs can walk in their own neighborhoods and then send in pictures to the foundation afterward. People can also attend the trot and walk or participate without bringing a dog. And, as in years past, organizers arranged to bring in several vendors, raffle baskets, food trucks, K-9 demonstrations, family-friendly activities and photo opportunities with cutouts. There's also a dog agility course pups can partake in. Maxton's parents, Kip and Rachel, welcome anyone to show up and support this cause. "It's something different that people can do," Kip said. "It's not an all-day festival. It's not a 5K. It's something quick that lets you get outside with your dog, if you have one, and buy dog-related items." Kip noted it's also a great opportunity "for your dog to interact with other dogs." "That's the neatest thing, to see how many different breeds of dogs there are in the area," he said. "They have all gotten along, and we have not had an issue with a dog-on-dog event. If you are a dog person, it's something you really should come out to." The foundation still seeks out sponsors for this event. Those interested can contact the foundation via maxtonsoviak.org. The community cares Proceeds from this event and other foundation-related efforts benefit the foundation. This past year, the foundation connected three veterans each with a service dog. Those dogs now live in their forever homes with those veterans. The foundation can purchase service dogs and provide other life-changing opportunities and experiences for those in need due, in large part, to Tango's Trot's participation levels. "It's whatever a veteran might need to help get through certain parts of their lives," said Kip, who served as the keynote speaker for a wreath-laying on Memorial Day in Columbus, which honored his son's legacy. Among those in attendance: Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel and former Ohio State running back/first-year Bowling Green State University head football coach Eddie George. "With dogs, they're specifically trained for the veterans," Kip said. "We work with K-9 professionals who train our dogs and can figure out what a certain veteran's needs are and work that into the training." In the trot's first three years, collectively, more than 1,100 people and several hundred dogs showed up. "We can't begin to express our gratitude for all the support we have been shown," Kip and Rachel wrote in a joint statement. "The foundation has been successful because of the hard work and generosity of all the communities coming together. We couldn't do this without their support, and, because of them, we can help veterans live life to the Max." Honoring a hero Soviak, 22, was among 13 U.S. service members who died on Aug. 26, 2021. Maxton died a hero, helping evacuate Americans and Afghan citizens, including children, at risk of being killed by the Taliban. Assigned to the 2nd Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California, Maxton earned the nickname "Doc" from Marines that he served with. He received the "Doc" title because of his relentless approach in caring for and saving people through his medical expertise. As a result of his brave actions in support of his fellow service members and mission, the Navy posthumously advanced Maxton to the rank of Hospital Corpsman Third Class on Sept. 2, 2021. He also received many honors, including the Purple Heart, the Congressional Gold Medal and the Fleet Marine Force warfare badge. Supporting Maxton Soviak People can make donations, learn about affiliated events or inquire about the Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak Memorial Foundation by visiting maxtonsoviak.org. Several verified social media sites also provide updates on the above: • Facebook: @MaxtonSoviakMemorial • Twitter: @SoviakStrong • Instagram @corpsman_maxton_w_memorial Since its founding, in less than three years, the nonprofit's two major events — the golf scramble and Tango's Trot — have raised enough money to specially train several service and therapy dogs for veterans in need. Additionally, the foundation helped provide adventures and experiences to other qualifying veterans. "I've said, since Maxton's funeral (in September 2021) that the community has been our rock. They have come out and been nothing but supportive to us in Erie and Huron counties, Norwalk, Sandusky, Berlin Heights, Milan and the state of Ohio," Kip said. "There has been tremendous support to help Rachel and I get through everything we have been through, and we're grateful they continue to come out and provide support to us and the foundation."