By Nicole F. Park
Daily Titan Staff Writer

In 2008, the City of Lake Forest proclamed the day of Pet Extravaganza "Responsible Pet Ownership Day." Photo courtesy of FOLFA

The Friends of Lake Forest Animals will celebrate its second-annual “Family Pet Day” at the city’s Pittsford Park on Nov. 7. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In hosting the day of fun and fund raising, its organizers aim to unite animal lovers throughout Orange County “to raise awareness of the plight of lost and stray pets,” the press release states.

For five future practitioners of public relations, the event will not only allow them to actively make a difference in the lives of local animals, but will also get them one step further to graduation.

Ashley Greaney, Audrey Huynh, Natashia Tomek, Nicole Pierce and Steven Muniz comprise Avant Garde Public Relations. The “firm,” though it does conduct genuine PR campaigns, is solely an academic endeavor. Avant Garde PR will function as a team throughout the semester, serving different clients for various assigned projects.

AGPR has been working with their client, FOLFA, since late August 2009.

“Family Pet Day” will include a pet whisperer, pet butler, the Lake Forest Police K-9 squad, music, trick contests, an animal magician and a face painter for kids. There will also be plenty of specialty pet bakeries among the vendor booths providing tasty treats for four-legged attendees. Free goodie bags will be given out to the first 200 guests.

Animal adoption will be available from local pet shelters and rescues for those looking for a companion and local veterinarians will be on hand to answer questions and offer specials on pet health care needs for those with a pet in tow.

FOLFA’s Heather Cereghino encourages families to come and bring their pets along as well.

“There is no cost for entry and the entertainment and activities are free. We wanted this event to be fun for families and did not want to have our guests worry about an entry fee or paying for the activities. This is a great event for families to get out enjoy a day on us and the City of Lake Forest. Remember to bring your four legged friends because they are family too!” Cereghino said.

The event is expected to be a massive hit among animal lovers. Last year’s “Family Pet Day” welcomed over 700 guests and with AGPR on board, the crowd is anticipated to be larger. The AGPR team, along with FOLFA, is looking for animal lovers to volunteer at Family Pet Day. Volunteer duties would include passing out goodie bags and food, setting up booths, cleaning up, posting fliers to increase the event’s visibility and help generate community spirit for Family Pet Day.

AGPR’s Ashley Greaney urges students to take part in the event as a student volunteer.

“Volunteering is important in a student’s life because not only do you build experience on your resume, but it also sends a message to potential employers about how well-rounded your activities are and gives them an idea of what kinds of causes are close to your heart, and it may even help them identify with you on some level. And we need volunteers for Family Pet Day!”

“Students who volunteer can request a letter of recommendation from the board of directors, fulfill assigned community service hours and gain hands-on PR. experience,” said Huynh.

According to its Web site, The Friends of Lake Forest Animals, established in 2008, was born from the South County Animal Shelter Coalition (SCASC) to address the animal welfare concerns of the citizens of the City of Lake Forest. FOLFA’s mission is to create a safe harbor for the community’s lost, stray and abandoned animals. The group donates pet food to food banks throughout the year and also has its own food distribution program “to ensure that during this rough time our community can still feed their animals,” Cereghino said.

For more information about Family Pet Day and how to volunteer, log onto www.folfa.org or email events@folfa.org.