Dog Park light - who paid???

 A travel agency from Windsor gave HMCC a donation of $408 to the Hantsport Memorial Community Centre for a light for the dog park. Deanna Byrne, President of The Destination Experts, lives in Martock and frequently brings her dog to the park. She realized that a simple light would make the park safer and more accessible to dogs and their owners.

During the winter Deanna spoke to people at the park who were concerned. By 4:30 PM it was dark and the park was unsafe. Her company donates money every year to two non-profit organizations. And she had considered donating picnic tables to the park. When Deanna mentioned this to Ron Such of HMCC, he thanked her but suggested a light instead. She put it in her budget with another donation to a pet rescue society in the province. 


Deanna realized that the park draws people to the town. They go to TIMS for a coffee. They go to the grocery store, the hardware store, the pharmacy. They spend time and money in Hantsport. Many have never been to Hantsport before.    

The $408 covered the installation and the first 12 monthly payments, according to Ron Such. Several people had volunteered to contribute to the cost which is approximately $34 a month. 

Samara Millin, also an HMCC board member and active  dog park user, feels it is worth every cent. She lives in Lockhartville and works in Halifax. With the light installed she can walk her dog at 6 AM before going to work or in the evenings after work all year round. 

In addition to being handy for her two pugs and giving her exercise, the dog park prompted Samara to get more involved in the town. She met local people and joined HMCC. She began shopping at the local grocery store, hardware store, and pharmacy. And Samara's not the only one to have discovered Hantsport by way of the dog park.

Who would have suspected such results?
-----------------------