when ever you can get pets and owners working together on projects from concept to
event like the Pinewood Derby, it is a sure winner. But as I sat in Blackbird Bakery with
Peter Grossetti watching the cold bitter rain falling, and falling, and falling. I opened the
Lakewood Observer to check starting time, 12:30pm. I looked down at the ad "Rain or Shine"
damn! So at 12:20 I climbed in the car and drove down to my parking spot. As I got out
and walked over tot he starting area, there was Ian Andrews, Director of LakewoodAlive,
and Ken Brand Marketing/Event Coordinator LakewoodAlive. It was Ken that inherited the
event when he took the job, and immediately made it bigger and better than ever. But in
this rain, that would be tough.
Cold rain falling, all the vendors set up, and ten dogs. You get that sick feeling in the pit of
your stomach, "Is this it?" "What am I going to tell the vendors?" that comes with running
a good event, and weather goes against you.
Next I tun into Ken Brand, the always upbeat marketing/PR coordinator for Lakewood Alive,
he has an infectious smile, and the cold rainy weather did not kill it. "Hey Jim, come here
take a shot of me with Alisson, the new Housing Outreach Coordinator from LakewoodAlive."
Nothing but smiles all around.
And then magic started to happen. Suddenly with less than an hour to the start, dogs, and
dog owners started showing up. They we coming in from everywhere.
Small dogs, and...
... and even smaller dogs!
Chomps with his a little rain ain't stopping me attitude.
Litter mates as Thing 1 and 2.
And then at 2pm sharp, they all turned towards Detroit Ave...
... rain or shine they started the parade.
While the spectators were sparse, there were at least a couple hundred dogs that showed
up for the parade.
OK let's get this thing going!
After all, anyone who owns a dog, knows, the worse the weather, the more they want to
go walking and parading around. This was perfect for them!
And after working for weeks, maybe months with their owners on bringing their ideas to
life, they were not going to be denied, nor should they.
School Board member Emma Petrie Barcelona as Gran with her son as Lincoln, pushing
the School Board Bond Issue.
The biggest crowd on the street was at Rozi's Wine House porch, where they were warm,
dry, having fun and shouting support for every dog and owner. Thanking them for parading.
Ward 2 Councilman, running for Council-At-Large Tom Bullock and wife.
And before you knew it, it was over. Hundreds of dogs, and dog owners having a blast
in Lakewood a city that is dog, family, friendly!
Law Director Kevin Butler, with a smile from ear to ear showing that those that showed up
to watch and support had fun too.
Well as I shivered my way back to the car, with a camera that had stopped working do to
the amount of rain falling, I sat in my car with the heater on full blast, and wondered to
myself, "Was that worth it?" The answer was a resounding YES! It is infectious, from
everyone at LakewoodAlive's positive feelings about the day, to the soaked vendors that
worried no one would show up, to the dog owners that showed up in droves to have fun
with their dogs, and finally to the dogs THANK YOU. It is the rain or shine events that
prove when a great event has caught on.
I cannot wait till next year, and hopefully no rain, but if it does, check it out, these people
all did it for you and our enjoyment.
Check out more photos from the day and the events at:
Take the time, you will smile.
.