Locals can help dream of a dog park become reality in
Hollister
Hollister potentially has come upon a windfall thanks to local
resident Tammy Ballew and efforts from the Hollister Dog Owners
Group to develop a dog park in the city.
Ballew deserves immense credit for applying for the Beneful
brand’s WagWorld dream dog park contest
– which is giving away $500,000 toward the development of a dog
park.
Locals can help dream of a dog park become reality in Hollister
Hollister potentially has come upon a windfall thanks to local resident Tammy Ballew and efforts from the Hollister Dog Owners Group to develop a dog park in the city.
Ballew deserves immense credit for applying for the Beneful brand’s WagWorld dream dog park contest – which is giving away $500,000 toward the development of a dog park.
The dog owners group, or HDOG, also deserves acclaim for having such solid plans in place for an opportunity like this one.
Ballew’s application was chosen as one of 10 finalists in the contest out of 65 entries.
Now, at least partially, it is up to residents to get behind the idea and show their support. Because the more support the Hollister plan gets, the higher the likelihood that the local application will win the prize.
And boy, could we use it.
It is not that other communities aren’t suffering through the down economy. It is that Hollister and San Benito County are getting whacked disproportionately, and this type of jackpot is just the kind of infusion the area could use.
Without it, it will be an uphill battle to get a nice dog park developed anytime soon, considering government revenues are way down and charitable donations have slipped, too.
For that reason, and because this area is ever fond of its pets, particularly dogs, it would be surprising if local residents do not come out in force to support the Hollister effort in the national contest. Every vote counts, and the online ballot portion could play a significant role in who wins the prize.
Ballew and fellow HDOG members, regardless, have come a long way to this point.
A first round of applications required an essay and two-minute video explaining how the money would be used. The video can be viewed online, where people can vote until Aug. 11.
The winner will be picked based on creativity, feasibility and showing the proposal’s effectiveness.
A victory for Hollister in this contest would provide a big boost not only because it would prevent the use of any tax dollars and donation funds that could go elsewhere, but it also could provide an added opportunity to draw outsiders to the area.
A well-attended, well-kept dog park can have the tendency to draw people from other communities, which has been the case in Morgan Hill, as it attracts users from other counties and cities.
Additionally, it provides another health benefit for the area, not only for the pooches who have a large area to run around, but also for their owners who have that extra motive to get out and be active.
Residents can vote at http://dreamdogpark.wagworld.com.
