WESTFIELD-With a goal of raising $2,000, members of the Westfield Dog Bark Friends are hopeful that area residents will support its annual fundraiser – Pasta for the Park.
“The community coming together has made this event a huge success for WDBF in the past,” said Lindsay Carr, who serves as secretary for the Friends group. “Please come out and help make 2019 the best yet!”
The pasta dinner is planned April 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Westfield Lodge of Elks on Franklin Street. A $10 donation is requested at the door.
The meal, catered by Nora’s Restaurant & Lounge, includes salad, rolls, pasta and meatballs with a vegetarian sauce option, and dessert. A cash bar will also be available.
Funds raised from the event will be used to maintain fencing and replace mulch at the dog playground at Arm Brook Park, 125 Lockhouse Road, according to Carr.
Highlights of the evening will include a 50/50 raffle at a $1 a ticket, a lottery tree, and a wide variety of raffle baskets. Tickets for the raffle baskets will be $1 each or an arms length for $10. Baskets will range from dog-themed gifts to beer and wine varieties. Businesses that have made donations at press time include Mama Cakes, For K-9s & Felines, LLC, Rosewood Home & Gifts, Tres Lounge, Westfield and Easthampton Feed, Nor’easter Organic Life Hydroponics, FRESH Cycle, Super Phipps Liquors, Skyline Trading Company, Kimberly Hatch Photography, Berkshire Brewing Company, Grizzly Property Maintenance, and Dog Pals Sports Camp (Adventure Dogs USA, Healthy Pets USA).
Businesses interested in donating an item, gift card or service for the raffle should send an email to [email protected] or message back via the group’s Facebook page.
A pre-dinner meeting to review event logistics is slated April 8 at 7 p.m. at Dunkin’ Donuts, 127 North Elm St.
“All are welcome to attend,” said Carr. “Please stop by if you’d like to volunteer or help out with the dinner.”
Westfield Dog Bark Friends, a 501(c)3 organization, is a dedicated group of volunteers working together to maintain the dog friendly area at Arm Brook Park, along with the Westfield Parks & Recreation Department. Friends members working behind the scenes on the event include Ed Phillips, president; Mariah Strattner, treasurer; and members Peg Hill and Carl Hartdegen.
“The dog friendly area has been established and is used daily by many of Westfield’s residents, both human and canine,” said Carr, who especially enjoys a weekly stop by with her beagle, Roscoe. “The community saw a need for this and every year continues to come together, show support and raise the funds to keep it going.”
For more information on the park, or to purchase dinner tickets in advance, visit www.westfielddogbark.com.
