Dog Park Committee Holds Third Giant Community Rummage Sale for Future Dog Park

On Saturday morning, Oct. 12, an arc of balloons greeted visitors entering the parking lot at Walgreens on the corner of Barton Road and Mt. Vernon Street in Grand Terrace, where The Foundation of Grand Terrace Dog Park Committee held its third community rummage sale to raise money to build the city’s first dog park. According to Mike Auld, co-chair of the Dog Park Committee, the property on which the dog park will be built has already been purchased and is on Vista Grande Way, across from the Terrace View Elementary School. “We need to raise money to build fans and pump the water,” he said. “Eventually we would like to be able to purchase equipment for the dogs to play around with.” Auld explained that anyone who wanted to sell items bought a space and donated 10 percent of their sales to the dog park. The E-Z UPs around the perimeter were set up by individuals and families selling used items, such as toys and furniture, and businesses advertising their products and services. The vendors included Avon, Farmers Insurance, Nature’s Select Super Premium Pet Products, Home Accents Alliance, and Cruzin Tacos. Committee member Sue Taylor said that the Dog Park Committee, which also participates in Community Days, is hoping to do more fundraisers that get the community involved, such as a car wash. “I think [a dog park] is a real big need in the city,” she said. Taylor owns two dogs and said they transform into “different dogs” whenever she takes them to a dog park. “When dogs are unleashed, they’re so friendly,” she said. “A great big old Great Dane will come up to my little poodle and they just have fun and play. The dogs just need exercise, the people need to get out into the environment, and the view is going to be absolutely beautiful on a clear day. But I just think that the dogs need a place to have fun, just like kids.” Peter C. Saldana, who is a special education teacher for the Riverside Unified School District, donated his services as a DJ to the event for free. He and his family own five dogs. Sadly, one of their dogs of 16 years passed away the day before the rummage sale. Saldana, who goes by the name “DJ Ottie,” says he DJs just for fun. “I like to see people smile and I was fortunate enough to get the equipment and have the money to do something that I like to do,” he said. A resident of Grand Terrace since 1988, he explained that he loves the city and would do anything he could to help it. “Having any kind of animal is such a positive thing for the kids,” he added. Danny Flores and his wife, Gracie, bought a space to sell both personal items and items donated by family members who asked that 100 percent of the proceeds went directly to the dog park fund. Flores, who was a truck driver for Stater Bros. Markets for 44 years, said he has been getting more involved with the community since his recent retirement. He brought his dog Toby and is hoping to join the Dog Park Committee soon. “Lucky for me, the dog park will be close to my home,” he said. Flores also used his booth space to show support for and provide information on Grand Terrace’s proposed Measure C. Auld and his wife, Bev, who is also on the committee, ran a booth with their granddaughter Ariana, where Grand Terrace Lion Bill Nessel took photos of dog owners and their dogs for $12, donating the proceeds to the dog park. Nessel also took photos of the event for The Foundation. The rummage sale was a family affair for visitors as well. Raúl Huidor brought his wife and two children. “My son likes to look at toys and see all the people,” he said. According to Bev Auld, the committee is halfway to their goal. The Foundation has already raised $7,500 for this project, and many people and organizations have been generous in their support. She shared that the Azure Hills Seventh-day Adventist School donated a chain-link fence. Auld hopes more volunteers will come to the Dog Park meetings, which take place every second Thursday of the month at Food Connection. The first two rummage sales to raise money for the dog park took place last November and last June, Sue Taylor explained. “I know that some people say, ‘Oh, yeah, you’ve been talking about dog parks for a long time,’ but we’re closer now than we ever were,” said Taylor.