iGive.com - an easy, free way to support MayDOG
Do you ever buy anything online? Do you use a search engine to locate information? Of course you do! Well, now you can donate to MayDOG at the same time as you search, surf, and shop online — at no cost to you!
MayDOG has partnered with iGive.com and iSearchiGive.com to allow you to support MayDOG by doing things you already do - shop and search online. Here’s how it works:
- Sign up at iGive.com. It’s FREE, private, & easy. Use this link: iGive.com/MayDOG
- Shop the Mall at iGive.com.
- Watch the $$ roll in for MayDOG! Up to 26% of EACH purchase gets donated. Make a purchase within 45 days of joining, and MayDOG will get an extra $5 donation, FREE.
And just in case you’re thinking, oh yeah, who wants to buy something from Never-heard-of-it.com, here are just a few of iGive.com’s 700+ stores: Drs. Foster and Smith, PETCO, PETsMART, Amazon.com, eBay, Office Depot, Lands’ End, JCPenney, Expedia.com, Orbitz, Gap, Barnes & Noble, Neiman Marcus, Best Buy, Dell, Drugstore.com, Staples, and more!
Now for the searching part: You can raise money for MayDOG, every time you search the web! iSearchiGive.com is the iGive search engine, powered by Yahoo! When you use iSearchiGive.com to search the web, MayDOG receives exactly $0.02 per qualified search (that means an honest search made by a real human being). The money comes from advertisers, so it costs you nothing, and it’s completely free for you and for MayDOG. If you’re like me, you may be searching dozens of times a day - here’s a blissfully easy way to make your searches count for more and go toward supporting our work to bring a dog park to Maynard. Sign up at iSearchiGive.com/maydog.
Join iGive today, and get good karma FREE with every purchase and search!
Medway Dog Park
One of the few fenced dog parks in Massachusetts is located about 45 minutes south of Maynard in Medway, MA. The Henry Garnsey Canine Recreation Park (named for the town’s first settler) was established in 2002 as an Eagle Scout community service project by Tim Dumas, who was 15 at the time.
Visitors to the park are required to obtain an annual permit and tag for each dog they wish to bring. The tags are free, but require that an application be filled out and sent to the Medway Animal Control Officer along with a copy of the rabies certificate for each dog and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The Medway Animal Control Officer contacts the officer in your town to make sure that your dogs don’t have a history of aggression or other complaints. Then they send you a packet containing the tags, a donation request form, a copy of the park rules, a schedule of fines for violating the rules, and recommended park etiquette.
The process took about 3 months in our case, mainly because the Maynard animal control officer was out on disability leave when Medway attempted to contact him. However, it’s worth going through the process if you want to take your dogs to the park, because the dog officer can and will fine anyone who does not have the appropriate tags. On the other hand, since the dog officer just makes spot checks, visitors are on the honor system for the most part.
In my opinion, this process could be used in Maynard, perhaps with the addition of requiring an annual fee of around $10 per dog for non-Maynard residents (Maynard residents would be permitted to use our park without paying any additional fee other than our annual dog license fee).
Notes from Meeting with Town Officials, Dec. 9, 2008
Meeting between Maynard town officials and members of the board of MayDOG
December 9, 2008, 3:30pm
Attendees:
Gerry Collins, Health Officer
Cathy O’Dea, Assistant Town Administrator
John Curran, Town Administrator
Lisa Lines, President, MayDOG
Bonnie Winokar, Director, MayDOG
Joannie Gray, Treasurer, MayDOG
Notes:
The purpose of the meeting was to orient the office of the town administrator regarding MayDOG’s proposal to create a dog park in Maynard. The goal was to answer all of the officials’ questions in preparation for bringing the proposal to a meeting of the full Board of Selectmen.
MayDOG presented a brief overview of the group’s organizational structure, mission, and ideas for a dog park. The administrator and assistant administrator asked a number of questions regarding location, financing, and operations. The administrator emphasized that the park will need to be self-sufficient in terms of generating enough revenue to cover the extra mowing and trash removal. The administrator also pointed out that a full proposal will be needed for the Board of Selectmen to review to give them a complete picture of what the group is asking for.
The consensus was that those present would take the following actions:
- The health officer will discuss the idea with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to ensure that this type of recreational use will be allowed under their regulations.
- Members of MayDOG will explore possible alternate sites off of Taylor Road and behind 129 Parker Street.
- The MayDOG board will draft a proposal to be reviewed by the Board of Selectmen that will cover the following:
- Introduction
- Overview
- Potential benefits of a dog park to residents and the community
- Description of MayDOG’s organizational structure
- Description of MayDOG’s efforts to date, including the petition signed by over 500 citizens so far
- Location
- Pros and cons for the landfill site
- Other possible sites
- Design
- Size
- Fencing
- Parking
- Trails
- Signage
- Amenities
- Financing
- For establishment of the park, the group will discuss possibilities for private and corporate donations, donations in kind, volunteer labor, fund-raising events, sponsorship, and grants.
- For ongoing maintenance, the group will propose raising the cost of dog licenses for Maynard residents and requiring that users who are residents of other towns purchase a special annual license.
- Oversight and management
- Members of MayDOG will be the peer enforcers of park regulations.
- MayDOG will organize regular clean-up and maintenance activities.
- MayDOG will conduct fundraising for park amenities.
- The dog officers will need to make spot checks for people using the park without appropriate licenses.
- Introduction
- MayDOG will forward a draft of the proposal to the town administrator’s office for review and comment.
Maynard Holiday Parade
MayDOG participated in the annual Maynard Holiday Parade on Sunday, December 7. A small group of dogs and their handlers bundled up, lined up behind the bagpipers and bankers, and marched our way through downtown Maynard. It was a blast! Thanks to all who participated. See more photos here.
