He’s arguably the most popular political figure in Colorado, and everyone is invited to his birthday “paw-ty”.
Three years ago, Parker the Snow Dog was voted the Honorary Mayor of Georgetown, Colo. by the town’s Board of Selectmen. According to the honorary mayor’s website: “He is committed to bringing hugs, love, and cookies to the people of Georgetown.”
Perhaps denoting a growing trend in politics, Parker is one of several dog mayors in the United States.
Honorary mayor is just one of the positions that Parker, a Bernese Mountain dog, holds. He’s also the official mascot of Loveland Ski Area, and works as a therapy dog at Easterseals Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Village (RMV) camp.
In honor of Parker’s 7th birthday, Easterseals Colorado will hold Parker Palooza from 12-4 p.m. Saturday, at their Rocky Mountain Village (2644 Alvarado Rd. Empire, CO 80438). The event will be free of charge, but donations are welcome. Activities will include live entertainment, a silent auction, food, and drinks (for a minimal donation), a kid zone and more. Dogs are, of course, welcome.
“I’m so excited to emcee for Parker Palooza once again,” the event’s master of ceremony, six-time Olympic Gold Medalist Amy Van Dyken-Rouen said in a release. “Easterseals camp is something that is near and dear to my heart. For these campers they don’t need easy they just need possible. For them to be able to do all the things campers get to do such as zip lining or taking Chelesa’s Boardwalk, a fully accessible trail, to the top of the mountain, and being surrounded by others who share some of life’s experiences is something that is priceless and can’t be replicated in any other way than being together.”
Founded in 1919, Easterseals is a nonprofit organization that provides a wide range of services, support, and advocacy for individuals with disabilities and special needs, as well as their families.
According to the organization, Colorado's RMV camp is regarded as one of the top Easterseals camps in the country. It is fully accessible and used by more than 1,200 children and adults living with disabilities throughout the year. The camp provides a wide variety of recreational activities that are all made accessible for its campers. They get to enjoy swimming, fishing, arts and crafts, sports and recreation, hiking, dances, music and drama, horse-back riding, zip-lining and more. The camp provides a safe, barrier-free environment for children and adults living with disabilities to experience all aspects of the camp without the usual limitations, Easterseals says.
Proceeds from the event will be used to fund scholarships for campers. According to the event’s organizers, more than $25,000 in scholarships was raised at last year’s event.
For more information on Parker Palooza, you can visit the event’s website.
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