Our heartfelt gratitude goes to our two event sponsors, SouthernLINC Wireless and At Home Pet Care. Their sponsorship helped to underwrite the cost of our event so that we could raise more money to support BFAP's mission to establish and maintain dog parks in metro Birmingham. If you're looking for wireless service or pet care services, we encourage you to check them out, and be sure to thank them for their support of the Bark for a Park festival.
We also thank our many vendors, who brought their wonderful food, products and services to the event. We invite you to let those businesses know that you appreciate their support of Bark for a Park.
A great big group hug goes to the city of Homewood, who not only gave us the green light to use Patriot Park for our event, but who offered amazing support to the event's success in countless ways. Give a shout out to Homewood mayor Scott McBrayer by telling him how much you enjoyed the event and appreciate Homewood's support of Bark for a Park at 205-332-6103 or email Homewood mayor. (While you're at it, why don't you also tell him how much you want a dog park in Homewood?)
A special thanks to all the Bark for a Park volunteers. As a small, grassroots all-volunteer organization, Bark would not exist were it not for the admirable dedication and hard work of its volunteers. We're especially grateful to our Bark board, Claudine Arredondo-Graf (president), Jason Hebert (treasurer) and Erik Henninger (secretary/membership), who despite being super busy folks to start with, somehow made an enormous amount of time and effort available to work on this event. (And we thank their families, too, who have been patient and understanding above and beyond!) We also thank Margaret and staff at Creative Dog Training who trained our volunteers to help out in the demonstration dog park. We'd also like to thank our pro bono bands - George & the G-Men and Earthbound; you guys rock! Our unending gratitude goes to countless other volunteers who did everything from solicit donors/sponsors, packed member gift bags, set up the demonstration dog park fencing, wrote media releases, sold drinks and t-shirts at the event, and the million other details that made it all come together in such a glorious day.
A Wayne Campbell on-our-knees "We're not worthy!" to our generous donors and members. While there are many ways to support BFAP and we appreciate and need them all to operate, sometimes cold hard cash is needed. So thanks to everyone who opened up their wallets in these tough economic times to buy a t-shirt or a cold Pepsi at the event, became a "Founding Member" by purchasing a BFAP membership, or otherwise forked over the Benjamins. We hope to send out an email in the next few weeks updating you on the final take once we finish the tally. Not a donor or member yet? Get on board!
We appreciate the good souls who brought donations to our three featured grassroots rescues. Rescues across the country are feeling the economic pinch in addition to seeing record numbers of pets abandoned/relinquished due to the economy. We thank you for bringing donations of food, toys, bedding, pet medication, etc. to help support Cross My Heart Rescue , Two by Two Animal Rescue , and Have a Heart Animal Rescue & Adoption. Check their websites if you have room in your life to foster or give a forever home to a dog that needs your loving kindness.
Time and again we are taken aback by the generosity and willingness of businesses to support our mission. Thanks to the many companies that donated goods and services for our raffles and our member gift bags. We especially thank Mrs. Hebert who donated our member raffle grand prize of a 4-day/3-night stay in her Destin condo. (If you won a raffle prize we encourage you let them know you appreciate their support of Bark for a Park!)
Last but not least, we thank everyone who attended the event. We are truly, deeply appreciative that you came. And for those who brought their dogs to enjoy the demonstration dog park, we thank you for being responsible citizens and picking up after your pet and watching over their play. We are very pleased to report that every dog was on their best behavior!
If we've forgotten to thank anyone, it's simply because we're a little wiped out from the event. We welcome your comments and suggestions. We look forward to your support year 'round. Let us know if you want to get involved: email Bark for a Park. We can't wait until our first "real" dog parks open up. How about you? :)
Did you attend the festival in Patriot Park on October 3rd? Post a comment below and tell us about it!
It was an awesomely fun event! Thanks to everyone who made it so great.
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