To the Editor: 
    Who would have guessed that 49 precious pups would turn out for the Madison Artists Guild’s first Parade of Pooches? These doggies and their owners helped the Guild raise $250 for Companion Animal Rescue, Inc.! Thank you so much to all of them for putting on the dog with us on such a beautiful day.
    A very special thank you goes to the generous sponsors who provided prizes and refreshments: first place from Main Street Vet, second and fourth Place from Wild Berry Health Foods, third place from Artisan’s Alley and Laughing Moon. Thanks also to Barkin’ Dogs Shoes for the much needed bottled water, Town 220 for the delicious culinary samples, and The Shops at the Icehouse Underground for the very specially home made doggie biscuits! Dog Ear Books deserves a “Thank you very much!” for the prizes they donated for the Doggie Doodles Art Show, which opened right before the parade.
    The show hangs at The Shops at the Icehouse Underground till September 1, and all the little kids who participated had a great time at the reception.
    Thanks to Julie Noland, Amy Bryan, Carolyn Glenn and Jan Reilly for all their help with the opening. Please visit this great little show!
    A legion of Guild members and folks from CARI were responsible for the success of the parade: Donna Prior and her team, Joanie Bruce, “Big Mitzi,” Jan Reilly, Lisa Hamilton, Tim Reilly, Greg Strelecki, Pete Muzyka, Bill Scholly, Mary Leslie, Kiki Pollard, Ellen Warren, Peg and Wanda Harvard. Guild member and photographer Kelley Channell worked hard snapping pictures of all the entrants and is donating any money collected from the sale of those prints to CARI. Check out her Web site, www.kelleychannell.com, for her posting and to order prints of your parading pooches!
    Great thanks, Kelley, for this generous contribution. From the bottom of the Guild’s collective heart, thanks so much to everyone who made this barkin’ fun event happen! 
Karen Strelecki
Director, Madison Artists Guild
Via e-mail