A new festival, Barktoberfest, is set for October 22, 2016 from 5 p.m. to midnight at the Depot Civic and Cultural Center in Brownwood.
Organizers held a kick-off luncheon at the Brownwood Country Club on Wednesday, introducing the event to supporters.
Bartoberfest is a festival for a cause, featuring Texas music, food, a beer garden, wine and a silent auction. Live musical entertainment will be provided by Prophets and Outlaws, Callahan Divide, Bush Holloway Band and Last Dance Band. This year’s Barktoberfest will benefit the PAWS Project at Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correction Center this year.
Leona Cleveland, the creator of Barktoberfest, stated that she envisioned the festival as a way to help the local shelter and rescue programs in the area, many of which struggle to find funds for shelter, food and care of animals.
“It is my hope that Barktoberfest will provide a little cash flow for these organizations,” said Cleveland. “This year’s Barktoberfest will benefit the PAWS Program.”
Sponsorships are now being sought at a variety of levels:
$5000 Presenting
$3000 Diamond
$2500 Platinum
$1000 Gold
$500 Silver
$250 Bronze
For more information or to become a sponsor, please contact Leona Cleveland by calling 325-203-0261.
Mr. Chris Burton spoke to the attendees of the luncheon and explained how the PAWS project was created and how it benefits both the students at the Ron Jackson facility as well as the Corinne T. Smith Animal Center (CTSAC) and its canine residents. Burton stated that the PAWS Project started in 2010 with 5 dogs and students and has grown to 18 currently.
“I’m really proud of our success rate,” stated Burton who explained that over the past six years, only 5-6 dogs entered into the PAWS project were not graduates and adopted, being returned only for behavior reasons. “I’m excited about what the project brings to the youth and to the community.”
Burton stated that not only do the students work with animals from the CTSAC training them to be more adoptable AKC trained “Good Citizens”, but now help students also train dogs for Service Dogs, Inc. which provide mobility and hearing dogs for those in need.
PAWS, or Pairing Achievement with Service, is a program at the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Corrections Center in Brownwood. The PAWS program helps girls and boys at the center to learn vital skills and how to care for another living creature while at the same time, benefiting the Corinne T. Smith Animal Center by training the dogs and making them in turn more adoptable. Through the program participants learn responsibility and team work. Even important vocational skills, such as grooming and caring for animals is learned through the program, which can potentially turn into a job such as dog groomer, dog walker, or even a job as a veterinarian tech.