Four years after the death of a ten-year-old girl, the third annual Walk & Wag strives to keep her memory alive.
The Walk & Wag event incorporates animal interaction from dogs, the Knoxville Zoo and animal rescue groups to honor the life of Abby Gibson and her love of animals.
Jennifer Gibson-Boyle, whose daughter died in June 2010 after falling from a horse at a riding camp, said the girl had a special bond with animals and referred to encounters with animals as “making a new friend.”
“She brought joy into every life she touched and is remembered as a happy and spirited little girl who squeezed everything she could into each day,” Gibson-Boyle said. “She loved to laugh and had a smile that would light up the room. Abby was full of compassion and was a friend to everyone she met, especially if they shared her love of animals … she couldn’t wait to become a veterinarian.”
As co-founder and president of the Abby Gibson Memorial Foundation, Gibson-Boyle is honoring her daughter’s memory not only with the Walk & Wag event, but also by raising funds for the Abby Gibson Veterinary Medicine Scholarship Endowment at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, a scholarship started in Gibson’s memory.
With the help of family, friends, sponsors, donors and volunteers, Gibson-Boyle has been able to raise the necessary funds for the scholarship in less than three years, with a current goal to raise an additional $18,000 for a total of $50,000.
“Abby’s scholarship endowment is managed by the UT Foundation and will benefit generations of veterinary students,” Gibson-Boyle said. “Our goal for Abby’s scholarship is to help others achieve their dreams of becoming a veterinarian while remembering Abby.”
John Brynda, leader of the Philanthropy Team of Radio Systems Corp., was approached by Jennifer Gibson-Boyle three years ago and asked to sponsor Walk & Wag.
“Our team was so impressed with Jennifer Boyle, a young woman who has weathered immense tragedy and turned it into something so positive,” Brynda said. “Jennifer is an incredible person. She has a great sense of optimism, organization, and can-do spirit.
“Last year’s event was such a celebration of good will. There were dogs of all shapes and sizes, some even in costumes. The Walk & Wag is a classic example of an event that celebrates pets, and remembers a young girl for whom animals were everything.”
Gibson-Boyle is determined to see that her daughter’s memory and love for animals are able to live on.
“I believe that, although she is no longer here physically, she will still make a difference in the lives of people and animals through her veterinary medicine scholarship and through the many charitable projects done in her memory.”
The 3rd Annual Walk & Wag will take place June 7 at 10 a.m. at Victor Ashe Park, and is free for all children and teens with a $20 fee for adults.
