To the editor:

The Portsmouth Dog Park celebrated Earth Day last Saturday in its own inimitable fashion. All hands and paws were on deck for a very productive, delightfully chaotic spring clean-up. What a wonderful crowd!

Big thanks to everyone who worked so hard. Lots of volunteers appeared with their rakes and shovels and wheel barrows and, of course, their dogs. Twenty-three very productive Marines from the Naval Justice School also returned by popular demand. And this year, Rumford Pet Express and Animal Earth sponsored the event with yummy food, goodie bags and a raffle to support the dog park.

Special thanks as well to the Urban and Community Forestry Program for donating eight new trees to the dog park. Brian Woodhead, director of the Portsmouth DPW, and his team planted the trees, and supplied the mulch and top soil for us to use during the cleanup. We appreciate everything the Town of Portsmouth does to support this wonderful haven for dogs and their humans.

The dogs showed up in full force, played and romped and happily ignored all the activity around them. If they only knew all the people who came together on Earth Day to help make their playground clean and safe! On their behalf, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Please check out pictures from the event on our website at portsmouthdogparkri.com.

Jane Regan

Chairwoman, Portsmouth Dog Park Committee