After launching a fundraiser over the summer, a local nonprofit has met its goal and is now preparing to make improvements to a public space next spring.
The Shaw Dog Park Board of Directors announced via e-mail the organization has met the fundraising goal for its “Fix the Fence” campaign.
The campaign’s goal was to raise $3,000 to repair the fence that encloses the dog park at 1673 11th St. NW.
According to an update posted on its website, the organization’s project began over the summer and was halfway funded by late October. The rest was raised just before the new year.
The e-mail announcement explained the money will be used to make improvements to the fence that encloses the 15,000 square foot dog park, including fixing its gates and latches. It also set early spring as the time frame for when these repairs will begin because snow accumulation is likely to cause further damage to the fence and gates.
All the park’s operating costs — including spraying the gravel, planting new trees and installing tree boxes — are covered by fundraising efforts and donations from local dog owners and supporters.
Photo via Facebook/Shaw Dog Park
Saturday May 18, Shaw Dog Park Cleanup. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.
The spring Shaw Dog Park Cleanup Day is this Saturday, May 18 at 10 am. Shaw Dogs asks that you bring garden tools, wheelbarrows and rakes (and remember to wear gloves). Tasks will include picking up litter in and around the park, raking gravel, filing holes, tending the tree boxes and performing some basic repair work.
The park is on 11th Street NW between Rhode Island Avenue and R Street and is run by the Shaw Dog Park Association, a non-profit organization, which holds monthly meetings.
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Shaw Dog Park’s Fourth Anniversary Party this weekend. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
Shaw Dog Park is turning four this weekend… and the Shaw Dog Park Association is throwing a party to celebrate!
On Saturday, November 3, join in the festivities with your dog and neighbors. The party will start at 11 am and will include snacks, beverages, a raffle and the opportunity to purchase the new Shaw Dog Park t-shirts, featuring artwork by Branddave.
Shaw Dog Park is at 1673 11th Street NW. For more information on the event, visit the Facebook page.
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The doggy casting call for a video was August 26 at the Shaw Dog Park. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.
A couple of weeks ago there was a video casting call for dogs (and their owners) at the Shaw Dog Park on 11th Street NW. A number of doggies showed up with their owners to be photographed and show their best profiles to the casting crew at the site. The finished video will be made available to animal rescue organizations to help them raise awareness and donations for pets in shelters.
We spoke to Robert Lawrentz, the creator of the video project (aka Robert Miranda, his stage name) who will sing “Addie’s Song” in the video about a “mutt” dog he rescued and adopted. The video project is geared to help various rescues and animal outreach programs along with the Washington Humane Society. Proceeds from the song will go toward animal rescue efforts, including the Washington Humane Society.
Robert Lawrentz. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Borderstan: You are releasing “Addie’s Song.” Can you tell us a little bit about what that involves? Proceeds will benefit the DC Human Society, correct?
Lawrentz: I am currently in the studio with my Music Producer Nate Jolley (Ready:Set:Impact) recording and producing my first CD, the Miranda Project. We are working to have Addie’s song released on the various Animal Rescue sites in order to promote the song/video. Jeannie “Kitty of the City” Jones is directing it and it will be included on the CD also. Proceeds of “Addie’s Song” will be donated to the various Rescue organization(s). My team and I are talking with various rescues and animal outreach programs that the song will benefit along with the Washington Humane Society.
Borderstan: Do you sing and play guitar as a hobby or semi-professionally? Did you ever work as full-time performer?
Lawrentz: I started playing guitar at age 8 and played my way semi-professionally thorough college — and after a long detour in High Tech sales & business development I have finally decided that the time was right to pursue my real passion — music. I am a late bloomer as they say.
Borderstan: I believe you said you had a stage name, “Miranda?”
Lawrentz: My mother’s family emigrated from Italy, but was originally from Spain. Like all immigrants their name was altered on arrival at Ellis Island. I decided to honor my family heritage by using the original family name for this project — Robert Miranda.
Borderstan: How did you come up with the idea of writing “Addie’s Song?”
Lawrentz: We adopted our rescue dog, Atticus, about 1½-years ago. He clearly had been very abused and has a severe case of PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] — even after 1½-years of love and care. I often wondered who abused him… what did they do to him… how could I ever know… and most importantly what can I do to help him. “Addie’s Song” comes from my efforts to understand and help him.
Borderstan: What can you tell us about Addie?
Lawrentz: He’s a mutt – we’re guessing American Fox Hound, Lab, and Shepherd. He came out of a high kill shelter near Richmond, VA. We volunteered to foster him after a friend sent us his picture from the rescue website. He came to us completely feral — he didn’t even know how to climb stairs! We always wondered why they placed this dog into an inner city home with no kids and no yard.
The funny answer to that question is while recently looking back at the original website photos my wife, Joan, and I made the startling discovery — that our Atticus was the wrong dog! While he bears much similarity to the original web photos, he clearly is a different dog. We love him all the same, but of course are trying to find out what happened to the original dog we “thought” we were getting.
Saturday, 10 am: Shaw Dog Park cleanup. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Borderstan
The spring Shaw Dog Park Cleanup Day is this Saturday, April 28 from 10 to 11 am. Shaw Dogs asks that you bring garden tools, wheelbarrows and rakes (remember to wear gloves). Tasks will include picking up litter in and around the park, raking gravel, filing holes, tending the tree boxes and performing some basic repair work.
The park is on 11th Street between Rhode Island Avenue and R Street NW, and is run by the Shaw Dog Park Association, a non-profit organization, which holds monthly meetings.
Related Posts
- George Kassouf: The Force Behind Shaw Dog Park
- Jan. 18: Shaw Dog Park Association to Hold First Annual Meeting
- Shaw Dog Park to Celebrate Anniversary, Improvements
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The annual meeting of Shaw Dogs/Shaw Dog Park is Wednesday, January 18. (Matty Rhoades)
The Shaw Dog Park Association will hold its first annual meeting on Wednesday, January 18. Time is 7:30 to 9 pm at Helix Hotel, 1430 Rhode Island Avenue NW. The group asks that you register in advance for the meeting on Eventbrite.
The association recently obtained official non-profit status as a 501c(3) non-profit corporation, apart from MidCity Residents Association. Members will elect a board of directors on the 18th. If you are interested in serving on the board, please contact George Kassouf at [email protected].
The park is on 11th Street NW between Rhode Island Avenue and R Street NW.
The Shaw Dog Park on the 1600 block of 11th Street NW celebrates major improvements and its third anniversary on Saturday, November 5. Luis Gomez Photos)
From Tom Hay. Questions for Tom? Send him an email [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter @Tomonswann.
Just in time to coincide with its third anniversary, the Shaw Dog Park will be hosting an open house event this Saturday, November 5, from noon to 2 pm to let the community see the enhancements made to the park over the last few months. The event will include refreshments, entertainment and a raffle to generate some operational funds to keep the park running throughout the year. The park is located on 11th Street NW between Q and R Streets.
Lillian Iverson, who is in charge of the anniversary party committee, pointed out some of the improvements made to the park since September.
- The installation of crepe myrtle trees in tree boxes, which come next spring and summer, will allow for additional shading throughout the park.
- The installation of benches for owners to relax while watching their dogs.
- An aesthetically pleasing, yet practical solution to our hydration system, which will allow for water to be accessible at the park year-round.
- The installation of a shade-sail and bench in the “under 25 pounds” dog enclosure.
Iverson emphasized that while this weekend’s event is a time to celebrate three years of success, it is also an opportunity to remind everyone that year-round functioning of the Park is dependent upon the not-for-profit Shaw Dog Park Association and volunteers. In addition to the raffle, Shaw Dog Park T-shirts will be sold to raise funds for operational upkeep.
When the 15,000 square foot park opened in 2008 — during the Adrian Fenty administration — it was the first legal off-leash dog park in DC. The money to plan and build the park came from a grant from DC’s Neighborhood Investment Fund. During the 2010 mayoral campaign Fenty was frequently accused of favoring young, newcomers to DC by supporting bike lanes and dog parks. Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans is expected to attend this Saturday’s event.
The monthly meeting of Shaw Dogs is Wednesday, October 19 at Hotel Helix, 1430 Rhode Island Avenue NW. The volunteer group runs the Shaw Dog Park at 1673 11th Street NW (between Rhode Island Avenue and R Street. NW. All are welcome to attend.
The Shaw Dog Park on 11th Street NW will be closed for three days next week, Monday through Wednesday. Shaw Dogs reports that workmen will be pouring concrete at the entrances. Weather permitting, new metal benches will be installed Friday. Shaw Dogs plans to re-open the park on Thursday morning.
The Shaw Dog Park was awarded an $85,000 grant last fall from the Neighborhood Investment Fund (NIF) to pay for the upgrades.
The Shaw Dog Park on 11th Street NW is getting some improvements over the next few weeks. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Tom Hay. Questions for Tom? Send him an email. You can follow him on Twitter @Tomonswann.
The Shaw Dog Park will receive some major improvements over the next few weeks. The park, on the east side of 11th Street, NW between Q and R Streets, was awarded an $85,000 grant from the Neighborhood Investment Fund (NIF) to pay for the upgrades. (See Shaw Dog Park Gets $75,000 City Grant for Improvements, September 13.)
The NIF is administered by Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. Some of the planned improvements will include:
Shaw Dogs is the volunteer group that runs the Shaw Dog Park at 1673 11th Street NW (between Rhode Island Avenue and R Street. Their next monthly meeting is Wednesday, May 18, 7 pm at Hotel Helix, 1430 Rhode Island Avenue NW. All are welcome to attend.
Shaw Dogs reports that Hotel Helix has restarted their weekly Doggie Happy Hours on Wednesdays from 5pm to 7pm on the Patio. Complimentary doggies snacks are served, and there are drink specials for humans.
News from Dupont-Logan-U Street (mostly).
From Tom Hay. Questions for Tom? send him an email.You can follow him on Twitter @Tomonswann.
Dog Park Meeting
The Shaw Dog Park’s monthly meeting ,of the dog park committee is this Wednesday, April 20, 7 pm, at the Hotel Helix. All are welcome to attend. Shaw Dog Park located at 11th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW (just south of R Street) and operated by Shaw Dogs, a volunteer group. Our newest contributor, Tori Tyree, has some tips for the dog park.
Dupont Group Fundraising on eBay
Interested in bargains and want to help a local organization? Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets is holding an eBay fundraising auction. HDCMS’s mission “is to make Dupont Circle’s commercial corridors economically healthy, improve our quality of life, and reflect our community’s pride and history.” As of this writing they still have lots of cool vintage cufflinks, collectibles and artwork available to the highest bidder.
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Volunteers do monthly cleanups at the Shaw Dog Park on 11th Street NW. The park just received a $75,000 city grant for improvements. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Shaw Dogs has received a $75,000 grant from the city to make improvements at the public dog park at 11th and R Streets NW. Shaw Dogs is the non-profit group with responsibility for maintaining and operating the park.
George Kassouf, co-chair of Shaw Dogs, said he was notified Monday that they will receive the grant through the DC Neighborhood Investment Fund. NIF is handled by the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development.
“We applied for the grant in May and got tentative approval a few weeks later, but I didn’t want to announce it until we received the official notice. We basically have Mayor Fenty, a big supporter of dogs parks and other recreational facilities, to thank for this grant,” Kassouf said.
Kassouf said that the funds will help pay for upgrades and improvements to the surface, water systems, fencing and gates. In addition, Shaw Dogs will be able to purchase landscaping items, including planter boxes, trees, shrubs and shade sails. They also plan to purchase new, sturdier benches.
According to Kassouf, only certain, targeted neighborhoods in DC are eligible for NIF grants. The Shaw Dog Park falls just within the border of one of those areas.
The monthly volunteer clean up of the Shaw Dog Park is Saturday at 9 am. (Luis Gomez Photos.)
The next clean up at the Shaw Dog Park is this Saturday, August 28, at 9 am. Volunteers are always needed and should bring shovels, rakes, push-brooms and wheelbarrows, if possible.
You can join the group’s Yahoo! listserv, Dog Owners of Greater Shaw. Shaw Dogs is a non profit that takes care of the Shaw Dog Park at 11th and R Streets NW.
Check out the photo gallery. Shaw Dog Park clean up. (Luis Gomez Photos)
On a beautiful and cool Saturday morning, a group of dogs and their owners volunteered their time to help clean up the Shaw Dog Park at 11th and R Streets NW.
Some 20 volunteers and theirs dogs showed up early with their cleaning tools–with great help from the dogs, naturally. We got some pictures of these hard-working dogs and their owners.
The park is managed by a volunteer, not-for-profit group, Shaw Dogs.
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