Memorial Day - Make a Difference in a Veteran's Life

Ah, Memorial Day.

Hamburgers.  Hot Dogs.  Sunshine.  Cape traffic. 

Its a tradition and transition point to summer time.  In the passion of embracing all of what is summer, it is easy to forget what Memorial Day is all about.

At Fenway Bark we have been aligned and supportive of NEADS, a Massachusetts charity organization that trains dogs for the deaf and disabled.  One important program that is near and dear to our hearts at Fenway Bark is a program NEADS offers to provide working canines to injured and disabled combat veterans suffering either physical or psychological injuries from battle.



From Saturday, May 19, until June 3 we will be collecting donations for Canines for Combat Veterans.  If you would like to make a donation, you can do so at the concierge (make check payable to NEADS), add a donation to your purchase at the front desk, or donate on line.

It takes approximately $25,000 in donations to provide one dog to a combat veteran injured in the line of duty.  If we collect enough to purchase one dog for one veteran, we will be able to name the dog. 

Make this Memorial Day truly in memory of those who have sacrificed and donate today. 

The Great Mistletoe Challenge!

Introducing the 

Fenway Bark Great Mistletoe Challenge!

As a female entrepreneur in the first year of business, I don't get out much. 

OK, not at all.

In order to enjoy the holiday season, I need to bring joy through my front door at Fenway Bark for my customers, staff, and guests. 

Which brings me to the 

Fenway Bark Great Mistletoe Challenge!

For each of the local celebrities listed below who come to Fenway Bark and are photographed kissing me on the cheek under the mistletoe between now and Christmas, Fenway Bark will donate $1000 to one of the following charities of the celebrities choice:

1)  MSPCA
2)  Animal Rescue League of Boston
3)  Great Dog Rescue of New England
4)  NEADS - providing service dogs to the deaf and disabled
5)  Fairy Dog Parents

Here is my Great Mistletoe Challenge Christmas list:

Tom Brady

Keith Lockhart

Steven Tyler

Matt Damon

Scott Brown

Curt Schilling

Big Papi

Jack Welsh

Mark Wahlberg

Denis Leary

Steve Carell

So, Fenway Bark fans, use your social media, Rolodex, and contacts to get the word to the 10 Mistletoe Challenge targets on my Christmas list and help generate $10,000 in charitable donations to some very worthy animal welfare organizations.  Don't hold back because you don't know anyone on the list directly.  It is said that everyone knows everyone else in this world by four connections.  Spread the word using your contact list and the word will get to each of them if the Great Mistletoe Challenge is passed on through your networks.  We will publish the pictures on the blog and Facebook for each celebrity who accept the Great Mistetoe Challenge!

The mistletoe is waiting boys.  

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Jane

Attention pr contacts: contact Fenway Bark.

Update

Hi Everyone!

As the summer draws to a close I want to provide you with a brief update on Fenway Bark.

First, I am grateful to all of you who have spread the word about Fenway Bark.  We couldn't ask for a more helpful group of advocates than the Fenway Bark community.  Please continue spreading the word about Fenway Bark.  We hope to make it a place where you and your pups will enjoy visiting together!

Second, I want to convey to you that Fenway Bark is committed to bringing a wealth of vetted dog services to Boston and although we had hoped to open in October, we will be delayed a bit by process and will keep you up to date as things develop.

Here are a couple of things you can look forward to:

• Fenway Bark will be participating in the MSPCA walk on September 12.  Look for us!
• If you didn't see the Facebook post, South Boston Running Emporium on W Broadway is willing to give people a 10% discount if you buy new sneakers from them and give an additional 10% to the MSPCA if you mention Fenway Bark.  As a female, I have to say you can never have enough shoes and the MSPCA walk and the start of the school year are as good of excuses as any to buy new shoes.  Visit Bill Hartford and get some good fitting shoes then take the pup for a long walk on Castle Island.  The MSPCA, Bill, and your dog will thank you!
• If any other non competitive small businesses in South Boston that support the MSPCA and Fenway Bark want to match Bill's offer in an extension of goodwill to the MSPCA, let me know and I'll be happy to use my blog network to cast out the information to help a good cause.
• Fenway Bark will have a booth at the South Boston Street Fair on September 18.  We will have some special giveaways so please bring your pup with you to the festival!

Finally, we are so proud of our charitable partners, Alliance for Animals and NEADS.  When we open we will be working with Alliance for Animals to bring a pet food pantry to South Boston.  NEADS is doing some extraordinary work and they were featured in a Worcester Magazine article today. 
Please take a moment to learn more about them.  We look forward to providing Boston working space for NEADS at Fenway Bark after we open and to have their graduates visit us!

As we slog through some additional process issues, it is a great time for you to provide us with feedback on what you are looking for in a dog care destination and share any ideas you might have. We pride ourselves on listening to our future customers.  We have made some great adjustments to our layout and business plans by listening to you, our future clients, guests, and neighbors

Have faith!  We will open.  Welcome to small business in the 21st Century! Thank you for your support and patience.

Jane

Announcing partnership with NEADS

Fenway Bark is very touched by the outreach of many of its future clients and the support we have received from so many as we work through permitting issues in South Boston.

We don't want to have the permitting situation distract us from communicating to you who we are, what we are about, and what we believe in.

Today we are pleased to share with you that we have a partnership with NEADS, an important organization that places dogs with deaf and disabled Americans.  NEADS has many important programs, one of which is to place specially trained dogs with combat veterans needing assistance.  To learn more, please see the  CBS news regarding NEADS.  You can also visit the NEADS website.

If, as a dog lover, you are looking for a meaningful charity to support this holiday season, we highly suggest you look further into NEADS as a charity worth supporting.

Happy Holidays from Jane, Jim, Corky, Mojo, Tasso, and Dutch!