People Start A Dachshund Parade To Cheer Up The Neighborhood
"They made a 97-year-old man very happy.”
Dogs have a special way of bringing people together — and this month, one little dachshund named Friday helped an entire neighborhood get closer when they needed it most.
Since Friday came into his mom’s life, he’s made quite an impression on her and her La Jolla, California, neighbors.
“He’s intelligent, fearless, playful and walks proudly with a strut that turns heads,” Lani Nguyen, Friday’s mom, told The Dodo. “He’s the most gregarious little dachshund, making friends with everyone he meets. He’s been dubbed ‘The Mayor of Marine Street Beach’ and everywhere he goes people smile as they shout, ‘It’s Friday!’”
Nguyen was walking Friday when she bumped into fellow dog lover Jacqueline Bokor.
“We struck up a conversation about how much joy and happiness dogs bring to our lives,” Nguyen said. “We were quickly reminded about the power of love a dog shares, and how each encounter can light up someone's day.”
Bokor mentioned that her 97-year-old neighbor Chris McCullough had missed having a dachshund since his dog passed away 14 years ago. It reminded Nguyen of her 96-year-old neighbor Carolyn Yorston, who was also a dachshund enthusiast and wished she could have one of her own.
So Nguyen and Bokor decided to put together something special to cheer up their elderly neighbors: A socially distanced dachshund parade.
Nguyen reached out to the San Diego dachshund community over Facebook, while Bokor began to design the decorations for the parade.
Within a matter of days, Nguyen had gathered 17 dachshunds and their owners to march in front of McCullough and Yorston’s houses.
“Chris said it made him feel really good,” Liz McCullough, Chris McCullough’s wife, told The Dodo. “He got to hold a dog, which was wonderful because he can’t walk too far … They made a 97-year-old man very happy.”
What started as a group of strangers coming together to spread joy with their dogs, helped strengthen the community in a difficult time.
“Carolyn said it brought her so much joy seeing all of the beautiful dachshunds on her lawn," Nguyen said. "Her heart felt full that day.”
Nguyen was happy to share the unconditional love that Friday offers with her neighbors. "Amid a global pandemic which has forced isolation, he’s reminded us about the importance of community and human connection," Nguyen said.