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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | DECEMBER 2020 23 Canine Corral Council Many things in our lives have had to be adjusted or eliminated due to this terrible COVID-19 pandemic. We are all doing what we can to carry on and make the best of the situation. Difficult times can also bring out the creativity and fortitude deep inside each and every one of us. As you all know, the Canine Corral was approved as a new, self- funded amenity in mid-February 2020. The Council was put together in March 2020. We set high goals for fundraising to create a fabulous off-leash dog park facility. Then, the COVID restrictions became tighter and tighter in an effort to protect us all. We soon realized that traditional fundraising efforts would be out of the question. We had to be creative and come up with "safe" ways to raise the money needed to open our dog park. Since we couldn't hold any events or social gatherings, our fundraising team came up with selling Honor Plaques and Honor Benches. There would be membership fees for using the Corral. We would sell smaller items to build community such as logo pet water bottles, dog-themed magnets, and team- building logo T-shirts. We had to lower our fundraising goal to a much more realistic amount and accept the fact that we would open the Corral without all of the bells and whistles we wanted, but we would accept the concept that we would open and continue working towards our dream of a more "finished" facility. Many thanks to our residents and local businesses who have shown their support for this important amenity. Our anxious dog- owners are wanting to get in and try out the new park, so even though it won't be completely finished, the plan is to get those early members a chance to use it! We are aiming for a "soft-opening" in January 2021. All of the fears and myths about having an area for our dogs to be able to exercise and enjoy life will be dispelled when we all see how well dogs behave when they are doing what they were meant to do, and we will receive much more support. Also thanks to everyone who has stopped by our information table at The Lodge on Friday afternoons from 3 to 5 pm. Due to the increasing popularity of the "Canine Corral Friday Afternoons at The Lodge" events, we have moved our table outside in the Loggia area. Please respect all social distancing and mask requirements when visiting the table, and we will be able to continue to have our "special guest events" for you to enjoy. We would also like to thank our Board and our Management Team for all of their support and encouragement. You can still contribute! If sponsoring an Honor Plaque or Honor Bench is not for you, then you can send donations of any amount to our account: "Four Seasons HOA, memo: Canine Corral." Every dollar will help. Fees from membership applications will also go towards improving and maintaining the facility, so get your applications in now. Our Council is prepared to process applications before we open so we will have members ready-to-go for our projected soft opening. Your membership will be valid for one year from the date you first use the facility, so you do not have to wait to apply. This is such a great opportunity for the dog owners in this community. Let's all help to make it happen. You can still order plaques and benches from Teri: teridimarino@gmail.com. The Council meets the first and third Thursday of each month at 10am on Zoom, and we have space for more Council members. ~ Sandra Butler-Roberts, sandirae@icloud.com Check with your committee chair to confirm meeting place, date, and time. Above, right: Display items at the Canine Corral fundraiser. Left: Teri DiMarino staffs the table in The Lodge lobby at the event

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