Drink a pint. Adopt a pup. At least that’s what the sponsors and hosts of Pups ‘N Pints hope a lot of people will be doing during the 3rd annual event on May 4th. Pups ‘N Pints will run from noon to 5:00 pm in downtown Waxhaw, next to Mary O’Neill’s.
Participants will appreciate that not only do the proceeds from the event benefit South Charlotte Dog Rescue, the afternoon of fun will also highlight and find families for plenty of wonderful dogs that are ready to be adopted.
The Purpose of Pups ‘N Pints
According to their press release, Pups ’N Pints accomplishes three main purposes that make it a fun and feel-good event for the whole family. The event will:
- Unite: Bring animal loving communities and their pets together
- Educate: Benefits of adoption, the adoption process, and animal welfare.
- Celebrate: Food, Entertainment, Kids Zone, Puppy Zone, Vendors, Music, and lots of beer.
Event Coordinator Emily Zimmerman said, “We doubled the attendance from the inaugural year to the second year, so we are hoping to do the same for this year. We also want to increase the number of dogs adopted as well. Our goal this year is to adopt out about 30.”
While Pups ‘N Pints is designed to provide a fun afternoon for everyone, the heart and soul of the event is to get dogs adopted.
Getting Better Each Year
Host Jimmy Grappone, a local Realtor with Costello Real Estate & Investments, is excited about some of the new additions to this year’s program. “When we started this event we didn’t know how successful it would be. After the support we’ve gotten the past couple of years, we’re committed to making an event that will be here for many years to come,” Grappone said. He and Dr. Steve Bonilla, of Passionate Paws Animal Hospital, are the original co-creators of the event. Grappone is sure that, “Having the live band and all the vendors there will make it a really great year. Waxhaw always comes out and supports these events.”
Some new additions to the program include live music courtesy of Funkyard Dog as well as DJing by Big Pop Productions. There will also be raffle prizes as well as lots of beer, food, and vendors. Mary O’Neill’s will be providing food and drinks (including alcoholic beverages) to guests through their restaurant and outside bar. Non-competing food trucks will be on site as well.
The event will be divided into “zones,” including a Kid Zone and Puppy Zone. The Kid Zone will have face painting, a bounce house, and more family-friendly activities. The Puppy Zone will have the crowd-pleasing Puppy Kissing Booth where people can get their puppy fix.
South Charlotte Dog Rescue
South Charlotte Dog Rescue (SCDR) is a 501c3 non-profit, no-kill, volunteer dog rescue organization serving the South Charlotte, NC area. They are passionate about rescuing dogs in need and providing the opportunity for a happy and fulfilling life. SCDR places dogs in loving, responsible, committed, permanent homes.
Their adoption process is comprehensive and includes taking considerable care in finding good matches and educating prospective adopters about the responsibilities and costs of bringing a dog into their homes and lives.
When reflecting on the event this year, Dr. Susan Bonilla of Passionate Paws Animal Hospital said, ”As this festival grows, we are looking to promote the importance of pet adoption, provide education about the pet adoption process, and not only showcase the immediate benefits that adoption brings to the adopting family but also the long-term benefits adoption has on reducing the ever-growing population of shelter pets.”
For more information about Pups ‘N Pints, contact Emily Zimmermann at 314-800-3398 or gracecommunicationsagency@gmail.com. To help fundraise for South Charlotte Dog Rescue, or to find out more ways to help, email Danielle Spuler at scdrfundraising@gmail.com.
