McCandlish Lillard hosted the first annual Hound Dog Day community event on Saturday, August 1, to raise funds and awareness about pet adoption for four local dog rescue groups. The free event brought local community members and their happy dog companions out to Lake Fairfax to enjoy an array of outdoor activities and listen to the hound dog proclaim whether there would be six more weeks of summer.
R. Peyton Mahaffey, President of McCandlish Lillard, read the Hound Dog Day proclamation and informed the public that on Saturday morning, the hound dog did indeed stop and drink from his water bowl, meaning six more weeks of summer. The event raised a total of $8,000 for its beneficiaries: Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA), the Shiloh Project, Homewards Trails Rescue and Mutt Love Rescue. Event Co-Chairs, Laura Golden Liff and Rachael E. Ander, presented the event beneficiaries with checks for $2,000 each from the funds raised through sponsorships and t-shirt sales.
The public enjoyed free music, glitter tattoos, strolling jugglers, a photo booth and over twenty pet-related exhibitors. Barbeque, hot dogs and snow cones were among food items available from local food trucks. The exhibitors offered pet-related products and non-profit information on local pet rescue and support groups.
The late Jesse B. Wilson, III, a principal of McCandlish Lillard, created Hound Dog Day in the early 1990’s as a summertime counterpart to Groundhog Day. The “legend” says that if the hound dog walks across the front porch and stops to drink from his water bowl, summer will continues for six more weeks; if not, fall will come early. McCandlish Lillard attorneys and staff have celebrated this holiday ever since with an annual cookout. This was the first year the holiday was celebrated as a free community event to support local dog rescue groups.
About McCandlish Lillard: Founded in 1908, our lawyers have been involved in the growth of Northern Virginia generally, not only from a legal perspective, but in a wide variety of civic and professional endeavors. With offices in Fairfax and Leesburg, our 22 attorneys and our staff believe community service and pro bono activities make us better lawyers and better people. Please visit www.mccandlishlawyers.com, or phone us at (703) 273-2288, for more information.
