In 1990, long time Renton community advocates and residents, Chuck and Mij Charbonneau, adopted a cute English bulldog pup and named him Budkis. Budkis was a very social and loving animal, and he accompanied Chuck and Mij to many community events ranging from Special Olympics activities to holiday celebrations.

It didn’t take long before everyone in the community knew Budkis and looked for him at special events. As Budkis was such a well-liked celebrity in the area, the Charbonneaus held yearly backyard barbecues to mark his birthday at the end of each summer season. Each year, the party would include family and friends, and each year, the party grew as Budkis befriended more and more people.

Since Budkis lacked for nothing, the Charbonneaus asked their guests to make a donation to a charity fund in his name as a birthday gift. Sadly, Budkis passed away in 2001. His family and friends wanted to continue the tradition of celebrating his birthday, so it became apparent that a more formal organization was needed to carry on the legacy. That legacy lives on in The Budkis Fund by benefiting low-income seniors and their pets within the Puget Sound community.