Watermelon Milk. Surfin. Has Gone To The Dogs. Burt Reynolds Surfaces. Taylor Swift Corn!

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PRESS RELEASE FRIDAY

Newest shark bait in California – Dogs on Trays! Watermelon Fermented Milk. Burt Reynolds is alive and attending cowboy beer fests! Taylor Swift Gets Her Own Field of Dreams.  It is Press Release Friday, albeit six days late. A whack of interesting press releases that crossed my desk in the past seven days.

IS NORTH AMERICA READY FOR THE WORLD’S FIRST WATERMELON FERMENTED MILK DRINK?

Lifeway Foods announced this week that it has successful launched its new Low-fat Watermelon Kefir drink!

“Watermelon Kefir, the company's first summer flavor, generated the strongest sales of any limited-edition kefir in Lifeway's history and will remain on store shelves through September,” reads their press release. “In 2016 the company will also be re-releasing its popular Birthday Cake flavored Kefir in honour of Lifeway's 30th anniversary.

Watermelon Milk.Pumpkin Milk And More!

Kefir is not a well known drink in Canada.  According to Wikipedia “ Kefir, keefir, or kephir, milk kefir, or búlgaros, is a fermented milk drink made with kefir "grains" and has its origins in the north Caucasus Mountains. It is prepared by inoculating cow, goat, or sheep milk with kefir grains”

DOG SURFIN’ IS A BONE-AFIED SPORT! 

In California dogs have been taking part in surfing competitions for over a decade, and now pup owners around the world are getting their animals to climb on board too.

Last week the Helen Woodward Animal Center' staged  the 10^th annual Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon in San Diego. The phenomenal success of their dog surfing competition has turned 'dogs on surfboards' into a platform to raise life-saving funds and awareness for orphan pets at similar events worldwide.

Helen Woodward Animal Center's canine surf contest is the largest of its kind in the country and featured more than 80 dogs surfing in four different weight class competitions. Winners were selected based upon their ability to ride the waves, have fun and stay on their boards. Celebrities, surf pros and aficionados judged each surFUR heat.

Sur-FUR dogs brush up on their surf skills 

“Emmy-nominated Executive Producer Michael Levitt, an avid animal welfare proponent and creator of the groundbreaking nationally televised dog rescue spectacular, FOX's Cause For Paws, served as a costume judge at the event,” reads press release issued by the Animal Center. “Teen actor Lou Wegner, is showed his support for the annual Surf Dog fundraiser by serving as a costume judge. The young animal-focused philanthropist has appeared in such movies as Trouble With the Curve (starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, and Justin Timberlake), The Pledge, A Christmas Tree Miracle and many more. “

TAYLOR SWIFT’S CAREER TAKES A CORNY TURN OR TWO THIS FALL. 

For the past 19 years Summers Farm has dared to be different in Maryland’s agriculture-entertainment industry. This year the farm is daring to be different in their 12-acre corn maze.

Corn Maze:Taylor Swift and Dare to Be Different Message

“Every season’s corn-carve challenge hinges on inspirational creativity -- and this year’s attraction depicts one of America’s hottest musical stars who exudes boldness, courage, and passion,’ reads the farm’s press release. “ Maze-goers will have to rely on “Taylor-made” clues interspersed throughout to find their way out of the cornstalk labyrinth. For Swifty fans, that might not be so easy. The farm has sown over 300,000 corn plants in the field.”

This year’s harvest festival, which opens September 26 and runs daily through November 1. The Taylor Swift Maze experience includes hayrides, a pumpkin patch, live music in the silo (don’t look for Taylor there though) and pig races!

BURT REYNOLDS IS ALIVE AND WELL IN DODGE CITY. 

Burt Reynolds, a TV and movie star from the last century (Dan August, Deliverance, The Longest Yard, and Smokey and the Bandit) has seemingly dropped out of the public eye, until now!

Boot Hill Casino & Resort and Roundup Rodeo has announced Burt’s celebrity appearance in Dodge City, Kansas this weekend!  The casino is staging a tribute to the Gunsmoke TV Show and has invited back some of the stars, including Burt!

 “Gunsmoke has been part of cultural history for sixty years this September,” reads their release. “From 1955 to 1975 families gathered around their television sets to se the latest drama unfold in the Wild West. The series still stands as the longest-running prime time, live action show.” Sixty years later, audiences still cheer on the Gunsmoke characters as they bring justice to the streets of historic Dodge City.

Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds, who portrayed Quint Asper on the series from 1962-1965, and Buck Taylor, who portrayed Newly O'Brien on the series from 1967-1975 are two of the last three remaining series regulars. Both are scheduled to attend Anniversary events in Dodge City, Kansas.

Reynolds is expected to sign autographs and meet with fans at many of the weekend events including their Wild West Beer Fest, a Jared Daniels Band concert, and an outdoor drive-in screening of some of Gunsmoke’s best episodes!

SHORT PR BLASTS - Gameloft, a leading digital and social game publisher, and Hasbro Inc. announced the launch of smart phone launch of one of Canada’s greatest Games. TRIVIAL PURSUIT & Friends mobile game will be soon available globally on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android and Windows Phone.

“The TRIVIAL PURSUIT & Friends offers players endless fun with fast-paced gameplay wherever they are,” reads the release. “With new relevant content, the mobile game invites everyone to get in on the trivia action.”

CONQUERING ‘DEATH BY POWERPOINT’. Post-secondary students have until October to upload to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter photographs of the most cluttered, crowded and convoluted Power Point slides shown by professors in their classrooms. The winning entry will receive $1,000.

"We started this contest to improve the quality of classroom education," says Eric Bergman, author of 5 Steps to Conquer 'Death by PowerPoint' In a recent press release. "The research is absolutely clear: The more cluttered the slide, the less effective the lecture."