No sniffs, sands or mutts
Everybody nose the Beach Bark is the place to be
Have you ever noticed that when you go out to eat with your pet, they never offer to pick up the check? Well, not only can’t they pay for their own food, they also can’t pay for their own medical expenses.
To paws with the joking, pets don’t choose their circumstances, a fact that led to the creation of the Beach Bark Fund to provide veterinary care for pets in need.
Help replenish the fund while enjoying time with fellow dog lovers at the next Beach Bark dog walk, beginning on the beach at Lincoln City’s Chinook Winds Casino Resort this Saturday, Oct. 18.
The event kicks off at 10 am, with walkers starting at the resort beach access near Chinook’s Seafood Grill. Participants can stroll as far as they wish, exiting at any beach access point of their choice, with the “official” end point being the D River. All are welcome to participate in the walk at no cost.
“Walkers can choose to bail out along the way or go all the way to the end,” said event volunteer Dave Price. “Each beach access spot between Chinook Winds and the cultural center affords a traffic light crossing so that people can get across the highways safely with their dogs.”
Following the walk, everyone is invited to gather for lunch at the Lincoln City Cultural Center between 11 am and 1 pm. Lunch is complimentary with the purchase of a $35 commemorative Beach Bark T-shirt. Event shirt collectors note, this year’s shirt is bright red — the first of its kind. Without the shirt, meals are $8. Lunch, sponsored by NW Natural, includes a hot dog, chips and a soda.
“Beach Bark is a joyful way to bring people and pets together for a serious cause,” said Heather Hatton, director of public relations for Chinook Winds Casino Resort and event volunteer. “Every step taken and every T-shirt purchased helps ensure local animals get the emergency care they need.” Hatton added that the Beach Bark is celebrating 15 years this year, having been founded in 2010 by Kip Ward and some of the volunteers still involved today.
The Beach Bark Fund, managed by the Central Coast Humane Society, supports emergency veterinary care for animals in North Lincoln County, ensuring that pets in crisis can get lifesaving help when they need it most.
“We want people, for example, to feel that if they see an injured dog on the side of the road, they don’t have to worry that if they take it to a vet they will be stuck with medical bills,” Price said. “It’s also a fun and productive way to remember Kip.”
Leashes, sandy paws and community spirit will be on full display during the family- and pet-friendly walk along the beach to support animals in North Lincoln County.
Saturday's walk begins at 10 am on the beach at Chinook’s Seafood Grill, 1501 NW 40th Place, with lunch from 11 am to 1 pm at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, 540 NE Hwy. 101. For more information, go to the Beach Bark page on Facebook or text 541-921-2306.