By James Coulter
Yogi is an 11-month-old pit bull-lab mix. He’s 25 percent pit bull, 75 percent Labrador, and, as his owner claims, 100 percent cute and cuddly. No wonder then that this lovable big pup won first place at the Lake Wales Rotary Club BBQ & Dog Show.
Yogi was one of the two dogs that participated in the dog show last week. He won first place with a ribbon, a trophy, and a basket full of treats. His owner, Lauren Brown, wanted to get him out into the community more, so she figured the dog show was the best opportunity. Winning first place proved to be the icing on the cake—or rather, the dog biscuit.
Her dog loves to cuddle with her on the couch and play in the lake near their house. He goes swimming many times. Last week, he had the opportunity to swim in the pool.
“It feels really good,” Brown said of her dog winning first place. “It is cute to have a dog that won…I love that he is a very loving and gentle dog. He loves to cuddle and be around people.”
The other participating dog that morning was Bentley, a mixed terrier, and the only existing dog in the line of terriers raised by Edward Bok himself: The Bok Terrier. His owner, Thomas McCane, loved attending the event that day, though, admittedly, winning second place, “feels very secondary.”
McCane appreciates everything that the Rotary Club does for the local community, especially expanding its outreach to serve the people of Lake Wales. Most of all, he especially appreciates the American Legion, which prepared the barbecue that day. In his own words, “Without the American Legion, nothing would have happened.”
The annual dog show and barbecue were hosted last Saturday at Nelson-Gill Funeral Home. Nearly two to three dozen people attended the event to enjoy a barbecue prepared by the American Legion and a dog show hosted by the Rotary Club.
“It was a good turnout,” said event coordinator Joy McCartney. “We had some great people here today, we had a good time, and that is all that matters.”
Proceeds from the event will go toward scholarships. The Rotary Club offers two a year, one through a speech contest, and the other through a general scholarship contest. Six students will be conferred scholarships on Monday at Lake Wales High School.
McCartney plans on hosting the event next year in the fall when the weather is cooler and the June Bugs are not active. Overall, she has great expectations for the club and its future functions moving forward.
