Thanks for taking the time to speak with me! Let’s start with an easy one, you have pledged a generous $500 match to the spring mulch campaign. What motivated you to make this gift?
We really love the Horner Park Dog Park! We moved to Irving Park in 2020, and it has been so incredible to see this community come together to build this park for our dogs. So when you guys launched the mulch campaign, we obviously saw a need. There was always this mental calculus of “is it worth it if Gordon has to take a bath?”.
And had you supported the dog park before this?
We had made a few small donations before, including at the start of the campaign, and were a little bummed that it wasn’t progressing as fast as we had hoped. I knew we could do more, and we wanted to motivate others who may not have given yet, and hopefully take this campaign over the finish line.
I really think that it has energized the community! As of this conversation, we’ve already raised over $200 for your match, so thank you again for that.
Of course, that’s so exciting!
I’ve seen that you have an adorable pup, Gordon. Can you tell me a little about him?
Gordon is an English Bulldog, born in March of 2020, so he’s a pandemic puppy. Not long after we brought him home, we began looking for a house with a yard for him, and we eventually bought our current home in Irving Park. After we moved in, we were so excited to see there was a dog park nearby!
And what is Gordon’s favorite thing to do at the dog park?
[Laughs] Gordon loves to run really fast, grab the most disgusting tennis ball he can find, bring it back to me, and refuse to drop it. He just holds on to it and jams it into my leg. I keep telling him that if he drops it, I’ll throw it, but that’s just not what he’s into.
My Golden Retriever does the same thing, so that sounds about right! As we wrap up here, what do you hope the dog park achieves in the future?
I’m excited to see where we go from here! I know that things like this are more expensive to upkeep than people realize. Still, it’s so important to make sure that the park and amenities are safe and maintained. Plus, it really brings the community together. I’ve met so many people at the dog park, and I hope that the organization gets to a financial place where we can ensure the park is there for people’s use for years to come.
And finally, what would you say to someone who also loves the dog park but hasn’t made a gift yet?
I would say, think about how the dog park enriches your best friend’s life. We casually throw our money at so many things every day. But, if our dog had disposable income, I think this is what they would spend it on.
Written by: Sara Tews
Horner Park Dog Park 