Wellington dog show will go on, thanks to Main Street Market

The Wellington Pet Dog Show has been saved from the pound.

Main Street Market has agreed to take over sponsorship of the nonprofit event from founder Chuck Mayhugh.

“There will be a Wellington dog show this year,” Mayhugh said. “Travis (Vieira) and John (Leeb) at Main Street Market will spearhead the effort to put together the committees and volunteers.”

Mayhugh turned over the paperwork for the event to Vieira, assistant manager at the Market, at the end of February.

“The show needed a sponsor willing to put in the time and effort to make it happen,” said Vieira, who also is Wellington’s mayor. “I’m glad we can keep such a strong event in the community.”

Vieira said he’d like to hold the dog show at the same time of year as it has been for the past four years, just ahead of the Fourth of July celebration, as long as it doesn’t conflict with any other dog shows in the area.

The next step is to hold an organizational meeting sometime in early March.

“We’ll need lots of volunteers to help put the show on,” Vieira said. “We always need volunteers.”

Car show needs organizer
Another annual Wellington event in dire need of volunteers is the Fourth of July car show. Patty Lundy, liaison between the town’s Community Activities Commission and the show, said that longtime organizer Stephanie Bodkins is stepping down. Bodkins and her husband, Bill, ran the popular event for 15 years with the help of family and friends, including dedicated volunteers Doug and Cindy Corman and Rick Sorensen.

“We’d like to find an organization or a group of volunteers who would like to take it over,” Lundy said.

She echoed Vieira’s sentiment that the town is always in need of volunteers to make events like the Fourth of July celebration, and this month’s children’s Easter Egg Hunt, happen.

The Fourth of July is a massive undertaking for the town. In addition to the car show, which has in the past operated as a separate entity, the celebration includes a parade, vendors, food booths, musical entertainment, tractor pull and lawn mower races, a kids’ activity zone, and more – all before the fireworks show.

“There are plenty of things for people to do the day of the event, even if they only have an hour or two,” Lundy said. “We need ticket takers, parade marshals, judges for the parade, people to put up signs or help with the stage activities. And you don’t need to go to any meetings, if you don’t want to.”

But anyone who would like to help with the planning of the Fourth of July or any other community activities in Wellington is always welcome, Lundy said.

For more information, contact Lundy at Wellington Town Hall, 970-568-3381.