Over $4,000 raised at First Annual WOW!
The first annual WOW! Walk held on Sunday April 18th in Willow Springs was a wonderful day for the animals. Over $4,000 was raised to help the homeless animals of Triple R Pets and New Beginnings. The highest pledge winners were Lynn Morrello, Martha Sagris, Kathleen King and Penny Mulcahy, and Cindi Buczkowske. The first place prize was a handmade Adirondack dog bed.
The sun was shining as the dogs and owners stepped up to the starting line for the walk around the park. Several supporters who did not have dogs, brought photos of their cats and 
walked the route with them! On the second lap of the walk, some of the smaller dogs complained that their little legs were worn out, so their owners picked them up and bravely carried them over the finish line.
After the walk, everyone received a certificate and headed over to the food booth sponsored by New Beginnings for a delicious lunch of burgers and chips and tasty cookies!
After lunch there was time for participants to visit the booths that were set up. Our local stained glass artist, Mary Gaines, had a wonderful selection of stained glass dogs and cats, and next to Mary’s booth was the Knitters for Critters table. This group of ladies crochets and knits small blankets for the shelter animals that must stay in kennels. When the pets are adopted, the blanket goes with them to their new home so that they will have something familiar to help them feel more comfortable. Learn more about Knitters for Critters on their website.
Triple R Pets also had a booth showing how a TNR (trap-neuter-return) program can help feral cats and shelter pets. Tree House was there too. To learn about their adoption programs, please visit TreeHouse Animals website. A volunteer from EARS was there to show us the things we need to help our pets in an emergency disaster. Please see EARS website for more information on emergency pet preparedness.
The contests ended the day of fun. Cricket was paws down the best yodeler in the singing contest! The best kisser contest brought out the pooches for smooches especially when they found the peanut butter on their owners’ faces! And who could resist taking a photo of Mr. and Mrs. Santa Paws in the best costume contest?
Thank you everyone for sharing the day with us at the WOW! Walk where we all walked our way to a no-kill world, one paw at a time. Thank you and see you next year!
