- November 26, 2024
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The Ormond Memorial Art Museum finally unveiled the face of Dogapalooza 2019 on Tuesday, Dec. 4: a four-year-old blue merle Australian Shepherd rescue dog named Frankie.
Dogapalooza is an annual dog-friendly festival held by OMAM and presented by AdventHealth Hospice Care, which has a "Pet Peace of Mind" program that takes care of the pets of those receiving hospice care. All the net proceeds of the event benefit the Halifax Humane Society and the GreatDawg Rescue of Ormond Beach. Attendees are also encouraged to bring a pet food donation to help Sophie's Circle.
"The inspiration is simple," said Melissa Frankel, OMAM director of membership and marketing, in a statement. "We're trying to bring new people to visit our museum, while bringing awareness to the local organizations that tirelessly work to save the lives of mistreated and abandoned dogs."
Frankie's name was entered by Port Orange residents Terry Kern and Ed Lutman at the 2018 Dogapalooza held in January. Though the couple has been attending the museum's annual event for about five years, this is the first time they put their dogs names in the nomination raffle (They also entered Frankie's sister, Daisy).
Lutman said they adopted Frankie when he was four-and-a-half months old, and they enjoy attending Dogapalooza and meeting other people with rescue dogs. They especially love dressing their dogs up for the costume constest, and Kern said she's already started making them.
“He’s such a happy dog, why not, you know?" Lutman said. "He enjoys all those types of events.”
The painting of Frankie, made by DeLand artist Don Nedobeck, will appear on all the Dogapalooza promotional posters and marketing. Any dog who attends the upcoming Dogapalooza and is entered into the nomination competition is eligible to become the face of the next festival.
