Ogunquit News
pAWSitively Ogunquit gets into full swing at OgunquitFest celebration
The OgunquitFest Parade featured costumed characters and some special "pets" as it serve the dual purpose of celebrating the festival and the kickoff of pAWSitively Ogunquit.
Photo by Jordan Freedman
OGUNQUIT - The town known as the "Beautiful Place By the Sea" has gone to the dogs and, yes, the cats, with the official start of pAWSitivley Ogunquit this past Sunday, Oct. 22.
And it's all in the name of helping homeless pets throughout York County while supporting local businesses and artists.
Continuing for a full year, until October of 2007, pAWSitively Ogunquit has been coordinated by the Animal Welfare Society (AWS) of West Kennebunk and Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce and involving over 25 businesses, artists, sponsors and promoters.
"Ogunquit's streets and businesses will have dozens of fiberglass felines and friendly pooches decorated by the area's famous local artists on display throughout the year," explained Katie Dolloff of the Animal Welfare Society. "Similar public art events have seen Chicago's Cows on Parade and Portland's decorated lighthouses."
During OgunquitFest this past weekend, the pAWSitively Ogunquit fiberglass animal friends joined in the Costume Parade at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22, along with some of the shelter dogs who are currently in residence at the AWS.
As part of pAWSitively Ogunquit, the "naked" fiberglass animals are being adopted by sponsoring businesses, paired with local artists, for the painting and decorating to begin.
"Following their completion, the dogs and cats will be on display in Ogunquit at different local events throughout the 2007 season including Patriots Day at Ogunquit Beach, the opening of the Ogunquit Playhouse 75th Anniversary Season and AWS's Strut Your Mutt parade, among others," Dolloff explained, adding, "pAWSitively OGUNQUIT will end with an auction in October of 2007 with all proceeds equally benefiting the Animal Welfare Society and the Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce."
The mission of AWS is to provide humane shelter and care to animals temporarily in need of housing, and to further the cause of responsible animal adoption and ownership through education and public awareness.
The Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce is a not for profit organization focused on the advancement of the commercial, recreational, cultural and civic interests for Ogunquit.
Current pAWSitively Ogunquit sponsors include Spoiled Rotten, Paul J. Gitnik, Yardarm Village Inn Wine & Gift Shop, Animal Instinct, Gazebo Inn Ogunquit, Julie's Ristorante, Perkins & Perkins, Harbor Candy Shop, Gorges Grant Hotel, The Milestone, Meadowmere Resort, Norseman Resorts, Juniper Hill Inn, Bintliff's Ogunquit and Bread & Roses Bakery.
For more information call 646-1279, e-mail paws@oqunquit.org or visit http://www.ogunquit.org/paws/.
