Fourteen brave souls who had gathered donations braved the rain and wind Sunday morning, Oct. 14, along with family, friends, and volunteers, for the Walk for the Animals event to benefit the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.

A large number of walkers brought their dogs. One walker commented that her dog could “now put faces to all the scents around town.”

The two-mile trek had a police escort and included a pit stop at the halfway point: Mama D’s Café on Union Street. Jeff Karns of Boothbay Harbor manned the pit stop, providing water for the walkers and a prize for the first dog and human team to arrive, which was Bonnie Reed and her dog Aussie.

Veterinarian and owner of the Boothbay Animal Hospital Dean Domeyer also joined the walk to ensure the safety of the many canines on the route. 

Many volunteers set up the prize table at the start/finish line at the Meadow Mall. Sue Karns worked for two months before the walk, securing prizes from generous businesses and donors around town.

First-place winner for money collected was Tabetha Harrington of Boothbay Harbor, who secured $2,051.94. She raised the money through two bake sales, a yard sale with her father, Ed Harrington, and going door-to-door, not just in Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor, but also Edgecomb, Southport, Bath, Brunswick, and Damariscotta. 

Tabetha Harrington said she worked hard because she loves animals and wants to be a veterinarian someday. She has two dogs, Tuffy, who joined her on the walk, and Moose, a 13-year-old Great Dane mix. 

Her father said, “she worked extremely hard and did wonderfully. I’m very proud of her.”

Jay Krouse, vice president of the Board of Directors of the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, said of Tabetha Harrington, “I am overwhelmed at how dedicated she was. She really extended herself and we at the shelter really appreciate all her hard work.” Krouse also said it was the second-greatest amount of money ever raised for the walk.

Tabetha Harrington chose a $100 gift certificate to Two Salty Dogs as her prize. 

Other top fundraisers were Gail Reinertsen, $1,000; Jean Conte, $911, Two Salty Dogs, $600, and Jeff Karns, $575. 

The total amount raised reached close to $7,000, with walkers bringing in a total of $6,000. The T-shirt sponsors, so-called because their donations offset the cost of the shirts given to participants, donated so much that there was close to $1,000 left over after the shirts were purchased. 

These sponsors included Aura hair design, Dan’s Auto Body, J. Edward Knight, Two Salty Dogs, The Animal House, Video Loft, Ames Supply, Boothbay Animal Hospital, Coastal Veterinary Care and Star's Jewelry.

There are a few extra “Walk for the Animals” shirts available for purchase at Two Salty Dogs in Boothbay Harbor. Proceeds from these will go to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.

Krouse expressed his thanks to Pat Higgins and Larry Brown of the Boothbay Harbor Police Department for escorting the walkers, Sue and Jeff Karns for securing gifts, the shelter volunteers and all others who assisted in the walk, the sponsors, the pledgers, the walkers and all the merchants who donated.

Katrina Clark can be reached at 633-4620 or katrinaclark@boothbayregister.com. Follow her on Twitter: @BBRegisterClark.