Dog Parade, Show Planned to Raise Funds for Dog Park

A dog show and parade will be held Sept. 14 to benefit the St. Peters Rotary Club Dog Park at Lakeside 370 Park.

St. Peters Rotary Club is hosting the event, which they hope will raise money toward the club's $30,000 commitment for naming rights to the park, said Christine Rutherford, events chair.

The "Bark for the Park" event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

It will feature a vendor fair, food available to purchase at the Gator Island Grill, a parade at 9:30 a.m. and dog show at 11 a.m. Categories include "wiggliest butt," "best vocal performance," "best purebred," and "best mirror image dog and owner" among others. Cost is $5 for each category entered.

Cost to participate in the parade is $20 for humans, which includes a t-shirt, and an optional $5 for dogs, which includes a bandana. Attendees will also be able to view plans for the dog park.

Rutherford said raising funds for the dog park is a way to get the Rotary Club out into the community.

"A lot of people aren't familiar with Rotary," she said. "We are a civic charitable organization. We contribute to projects locally and internationally."

Rutherford, who has two dogs of her own, said this dog park will be convenient because it's located near a major highway in the middle of St. Charles County.

"It's a great park to have a dog park at," she said. "You have the lake, all kinds of trails, wide open spaces. Having a water feature at the dog park I think will be an added bonus."