By JAMIE BUSEN
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
Get ready to don some beads, see a parade, sip on Hurricanes and have fun with your pets. Mardi Paws is coming to Quincy's downtown.
Mardi Paws in the District happens Saturday. It's the first of what is slated to become an annual fundraiser for Paw Pals Inc.
Founder and President Jane Holt said she'd heard of similar events in larger cities and didn't see why Quincy have an event of its own.
"We hope it's successful," she said. "It will be a fun event for people and for their pets to do."
Paw Pals provides assistance to low-income pet owners and is a mobile community outreach program. It operates through grants and donations and has an annual budget of $25,000. There are no paid employees, not even Holt.
"We are a very small organization. Despite that, we provide a lot of services to the community," Holt said. "This is going to hopefully become our major fundraiser. I think it's a great time for people to just get out and have fun."
The event is labeled as a Mardi Gras celebration for dogs and their people. It will kickoff with a Barkus Parade at 1 p.m. Saturday, after which a canine king and queen will be chosen from the parade participants. Royalty will lead next year's parade.
There will also be weiner dog races; vendors; and exhibits featuring demonstrations, information and pet-oriented retails gifts; and food and drinks in Washington Park.
To get everyone in the spirit, entertainment will be provided by Ben Bumbry and the Messengers.
O'Griffs Irish Pub will be operating as the Mardi Paws in the District Hurricane Headquarters.
Sponsors include Gully Transportation, Pet Supplies Plus, WGEM, Jane's Pampered Pets, Arby's, Historic Quincy Business District, Refreshment Services Pepsi, Quincy Signs and Electric, Quincy Area Vocational Technical Center, The Business Centre, Klingele Veterinary Clinic, Farm & amp; Home Supply, Katherine Road Animal Hospital, Cory Wiemelt Plumbing, Mercantile Trust & amp; Savings Bank, Cleaning Solutions Commercial Cleaning Agency, O'Griffs Irish Pub & amp; Brewhouse and Nuessen Vet Clinic.
Paw Pals is the first organization of its kind to operate independently of an animal shelter. Paw Pals programs include no-cost spay/neuter/ vaccination services, urgent and emergency vet care assistance, behavioral advice, school programs dealing with pet safety and care, general pet care information, free pet food and supplies, feral cat population control program and weight-pulling contests.
For more information about Mardi Paws in the District or Paw Pals, go to www.quincypawpals.org.
-- jbusen@whig.com/221-3385
