STILWELL, Kan. — A local photography studio is giving back to the community in an un-fur-gettable way. They’re taking pictures of people and their pets for free. All they expect in return is a donation of dog food.
TheRYEstudio in Stilwell has been giving away photography sessions in exchange for dog food for fifteen years. It’s gone from a small event where they’d donate a few bags of food, to a months-long event where they end up with about 5,000 pounds of food.
“People don't just do their dogs. They'll bring their families and kids jump in,” said Chase Ashurst, owner of theRYEstudio. “Kind of kill two birds with one stone and donate to a good cause.”
They offer this special from January to March. During that time, they get hundreds of people and their pets in, all helping to ensure dogs in Kansas City are getting the care they need.
At the end of the event, theRYEstudio donates the dog food to KC Pet Project, Unleashed, Great Plains SPCA, and Chain of Hope, who hand out pet supplies and veterinary care to people who can’t afford it.
“Our outreach families, they love their animals, and by getting this food donated to them, by us bringing it to them, they can save their money to put towards bills and to feed themselves,” said Megan Brown, Chain of Hope.
Chase and Amy Ashurst, who own theRYEstudio, are lifelong dog lovers who think of the fundraiser as a small way they can give back to people that help our community.
“It’s places like Chain of Hope; they do the work that nobody else wants to do honestly. They do the tough work going down and in the cold winter months of collecting the food and donating to people that maybe can’t afford food,” said Chase Ashurst. “They have huge hearts, so this is just a small part that we can do to help.
This fundraiser is going until March 17. If you want to get some free photos all you have to do is call theRYEstudio and bring a bag of dog food as your payment.
KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
