Hello everyone,
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, PLEASE CHANGE YOUR SOPODOG EMAIL ADDRESS FROM THE PREVIOUS YAHOO ADDRESS TO southportlanddog@gmail.com. THIS IS OUR NEW, PERMANENT ADDRESS. Thank you!
It's been quite a while since I've had a chance to update blogs, work on SoPoDOG activities and it took time to recover from the work of the election we won to keep dogs on Willard Beach! Yay! But we're back, stronger than ever and committed to continue our mission of responsible dog ownership, stewardship of the open spaces where we walk our dogs and protection of the access we have in South Portland for off-leash dog recreation.
On Saturday, January 2 from 8-10 a.m. we have our Beach and Parks Clean-up, but according to the weather forecasts we will probably be overwhelmed with snow and won't be able to get to the trash. So whatever you see pick it up please! It is very important we continue to keep our parks and Willard Beach very clean to show the city of South Portland that we are responsible and we do respect the places where we walk.
Clean-ups traditionally occur on the first Saturday of each month, but in the winter months they are not as consistent due to weather and snow, so keep picking up and remind others to as well. February will be another month to try, March and April are the best months to catch up when things start thawing (ok, I know that's optimistic of me to say, thawing in March and April?). "Doo" your best!
The SoPoDOG Website will be getting a bit of a makeover to make it easier for people to find what they need in a smaller space. Right now the homepage has a lot of photos and information on it, and over the next month I will be redesigning it to be more user friendly. If you have suggestions or comments please feel free to send them to me (kindly please, I am sensitive!) at southportlanddog@gmail.com.
Membership for 2010 is off to a good start, but we need YOU to send in your membership form and dues. Now it is easier than ever to sign up to be a member of SoPoDOG. You don't need to live in town, anyone can be a member! Just go to www.sopodog.com and you can sign up online, and pay online! Or you can download the old fashioned paper form and send it in with a check. Membership is $10 for an individual membership and $15 for a family. Just think of it, $1.00 a month to walk on Willard Beach, Hinckley Park, etc. How wonderful!
Please become a member. Without our membership this fall I can say with certainty we would have lost access to Willard Beach due to the referendum that was voted on in November. It is very rewarding to walk on Willard and see everyone enjoying themselves with their dogs off leash. If we had lost the referendum we would have to have our dogs on leash all winter and would be banned in the summer, which would significantly limit their exercise and socialization.
Even though the days are short and cold (10 degrees this morning without windchill!) we are enjoying the beach more than ever because 60% of the voters in South Portland told us they approve of us being there. Let's be the best dog owners we can be so we make that percentage even higher. We need to keep it higher than all of the presidential approval numbers, always!
Thank you again to everyone who donated their money, time and energy and voted to protect our access to public space - space for all to share!
Have a Happy New Year!
-Crystal Goodrich
