There's going to be a 'pawty' in the park

Although Freedlander Pool closes for the season to its regular clientele on Saturday, Aug. 11, it will be open to a special crowd one last day on Aug. 12.

The fifth annual Paws in the Park Pawty will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at Wooster’s 400 Hillside Drive pool in celebration of furry friends and as a fundraiser for the nonprofit, Wayne County Humane Society.

Judy Mowrer, who has been the guiding force behind this event, said the public should preregister and save on the admission fee by emailing PawsInTheParkPawty@gmail.com or by downloading the event’s form from the Humane Society’s Facebook or webpage.

Forms and money received by Aug. 9 will receive a $5 reduction on the $25 admission fee, which is good for one canine and one human. The charge for each additional critter or human is $5, but children under 6 are free.

Robin Carlton, who is joining Mowrer this year as co-chair of the family-friendly event, recently moved back to Wooster, and although she has never been to the Paws in the Park Pawty, she’s seen the fun that can be had at a similar event in Arlington, Ohio.

“I’m looking forward to seeing happy pups running, jumping, swimming and socializing,” Carlton said.

In addition to swim time in Wooster’s largest pool, the afternoon will be packed with activities to keep everyone engaged with registration beginning at 11:30 a.m. Four-legged friends will need to be on a lead and wearing current rabies vaccination and dog license tags.

For the first 200 participants, there will be free chicken dinners, grilled right on the grounds. Hot dog baskets also will be available as well as ice cream treats for humans and frozen yogurt treats for dogs.

Both the large pool and kiddie pool will be open with a water Frisbee throw competition and a winner every 30 minutes. Dog owners can take a dip with their pet, but volunteers also will be available to swim with participants’ dogs in case anyone prefers to stay dry. To make it easier to get in and out of the deep end of the pool, a new ramp was built in memory of Nancy Baxter and David Muratori’s beloved golden retriever Brodie.

The atmosphere will be festive with returning disc jockey Charlie broadcasting dog-themed tunes and Bill Noffsinger with pet photography. Find Noffsinger at the big rock by the chalet and dress up for a serious photo or just take a quick shot between activities. Participants can then download photos from the Humane Society’s Facebook page.

Another returning favorite is officer Josh Timko and his K9 Haro from the Wooster Police Department. Lucky and Lex will join Haro this year to demonstrate their trained skills.

While returning participants can jump into their favorite diversion, a new activity for the kids this year is face painting by Mimi Doumbia.

Also joining the event for the first time is Rev. Dr. Elaine Strawn from the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wayne County, located across Burbank Road from Freedlander Park. An animal lover herself, the minister will lead a blessing of the event at approximately 12:15 p.m. and will be available throughout the event for individual blessings.

A graduate of both the Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. and the Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, Illinois, Strawn has a Doctor of Ministry degree. She previously served as a United Methodist minister and a fair-housing mediator. She has worked with Planned Parenthood, the Wayne County Interfaith Partnership and LifeCare Hospice, to name a few.

Although the Blessing of the Animals is most commonly associated with the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, many religions and cultures also take time to bless animals. Strawn said, “Animals enrich our lives. They listen, calm, play and often protect us. At the UUFWC we bless them each year in September because we recognize them as part of the family who deserve to be recognized and included.”

During the UUFWC’s annual service, Strawn said, “We invite each family to come forward to introduce their animal, and then we use the Buddhist blessing: ‘May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be whole.’ We also include pets who cannot attend the service or who have died. This recognizes the different needs of animals and acknowledges that relationships do not end at death.”

Mowrer said Strawn stands for “just plain old human kindness and dignity.”

The event will be held rain or shine and is not rescheduled if weather conditions become unsafe and lifeguards close the pool.

But odds are in favor of a warm Aug. 12, and event co-chair Carlton said, “People should come to support the Humane Society, escape the heat and have a blast doing it.”