THE LONG BEACH RECREATION DOG PARK ASSN.
Secretary's YEARLY REPORT FOR 2002

For fiscal year 2001-02, the association has compiled the following list of accomplishments:

• The organization had its second elections, with three members - Pablo Drobny, Shirlee Hitchcock and Buzz Minnich joining the board. During the year, the president received the resignation of one, Gerry Facon.
• The Long Beach City Council voted to renew the city's agreement with the association to improve and maintain the Dog Park. The extension will run through September, 2003.
• The initial covering of decomposed-granite ground cover, which covered about 20% of the park a year ago, has been completed. Additional deliveries will have to be made on an on-going basis to fill in thin spots.
• A study is under way to determine the best cost-effective plan to automate or partially automate the perimeter sprinkler system, to cut down on dust.
• Talks are under way with the Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine and the city arborist to lengthen the life of the park's dying eucalyptus trees and to get several varieties of new trees planted before the old ones come down.
• Drain improvements at the east watering station of the main park have been successful. The large mud hole has been eliminated. New gates have been installed at the east end of the park and the sagging fence on the west end has been replaced. Large flood lights have been installed on the north fence.
• The association's website at www.geocities.com/lbdogpark continues to attract traffic. The site's home page went from 2,000 hits a year ago to 6,500 this month. Membership forms are now available to be printed out and mailed in. Members are emailed about upcoming scheduled park closings for maintenance. The association continues to receive emails from other cities across the nation about how to set up a dog park.
• Fund-raisers this past year have included the 2001 Pet Fair, several yard sales, our second Ice Dogs benefit, an author book-signing.
• Memberships for the 2001-02 year totaled a record 226. The association received about $7,400 in memberships -- about 40% of our operating budget. Again, renewals and new memberships were about evenly split. About 1 in 10 memberships was for an advanced level. A look at the last few years' membership drives:

The first portion of the 2002-03 membership drive has been conducted by email. A breakdown of the results thus far shows 81 memberships, with 35 of those being new and 46 renewals, for a total of $2,735.

• The association established the Adabisi & Zoeie Emergency Animal Assistance Fund ("A to Z") to help pay about a $3,500 vet bill of a Long Beach family whose two dogs were shot in retaliation by suspected drug dealers. More than $6,000 was raised; the additional money will be kept in the fund to use for a future extraordinary circumstance. Other donations made this year are:

  -- $500 to the Volunteers of America's Companion Pet Program (money from Pet Fair proceeds)
  -- $500 to the Pet Assistance Foundatioon (money from Pet Fair proceeds)
  -- $500 to the Golden State Humane Sociiety (money from Pet Fair proceeds)
  -- Shortly after the War on Terrorism bbegan, the association, through the sale of Lillian Estrada's bandannas, made the following donation:
  -- $100 to the Afghan Children's Fund iin care of the White House (money from donations for Lillian Estrada's bandannas; and $28 from the association's general fund)
  -- $300 to the North Carolina Zoo Socieety to assist the maimed and ill animals at the Kabul Zoo in Afghanistan. (money from donations specifically earmarked for this charity; and $60 from the association's general fund)

-- JIM WALTERS, July 27, 2002