Four-Day Clusters don’t happen in a vacuum! This is my second year as Volunteer coordinator for our dog shows. And I can tell you that I am more thankful than ever for all of you that travelled to Lumberton on Thursday and Friday to help our club put together beautiful dog shows and Rally trials. It was wonderful when you came out locally to the Harness Track in 2023. But in 2024 you agreed to come to Lumberton. And THAT is a whole different level! Many hands made shorter work for all of us. Everyone covered for each other. It was not uncommon for someone to shift from one area to another that needed more staffing during a busier time! And, of course, the hope is that no one was overworked.

We all owe Jane Hammett Bright many words of Thank You — as Show Chair (not to mention President) – she is where the buck stops. And she has put in COUNTLESS hours first arranging so the club had all the correct paperwork in to join the cluster, and obtaining operations information from those more experienced than us, and generally fighting through the MBF and AKC Jungle. If you were at the event, you may have seen her blur running from one end of the facility to another.

There was a lot less to do to set up at this facility (versus the Polo Grounds)– so it really took a day (Wednesday) to set up and park incoming RV’s and Food Trucks. Many thanks to Charles Timms, Melissa Dewitt, Jane Hammett Bright, Jeff Cade, and John Zopatti for stepping forward and putting in the sweat equity (and I’m sure others).

One of the bigger profit centers has always been parking, which encompasses Car Parking, RV Parking and Grooming Stall Rentals. Thank you Melissa Dewitt, who engineered an RV Parking Plan and took reservations and money from pre-sales as well as last minute dry-camping spots and Stall Rentals. Charles Timms was the Parking Chairperson, and his jolly self could be seen tooling around in his golf cart making sure that vehicles were where they were supposed to be! Working the gates – front and back – were Kathy Scheidemann, Andrea Gumrich, Alan McKinnon, Don Bierer, John Stockman, Ken Shedarowich, Melissa Dewitt, and also Tammy and Craig Foster of the Moore County Pet Responsibility Committee. At one point, Katrina Haskell ping ponged from the Rally Rings, to the Catalog Desk to the Back Gate to make sure no one got into the facility without payment. She must do yoga, because that’s a bunch of flexibility.

The Catalog Desk also encompassed our Trophy Table. It also tends to be a place people come to ask questions, and it was manned by lovely friendly and kind club members, Diane Shedarowich, Melissa Dewitt, Katrina Haskell, Betty Chapman, Beth Verner, Mary Jo Stockman, Naomi Johnson and Marjorie Riddle Watson! When parking slowed down, Many thanks to Andrea Gumrich who also did a shift there when parking slowed down.
Many thanks to Jeff Cade who organized the Trophy Donations this year, as well as those that donated!

Many thanks are due to Lynne Teague, who stepped in as Chief Ring Steward. Her job was to supervise the professional stewards and put out any fires.

An army marches on its stomach. And Carol Dowd and her Judge’s Hospitality Committee, Naomi Johnson, Ursula Walsh and Marjorie Riddle Watson, fed our Judges and Professional Stewards some of the YUMMIEST food I’ve ever seen. Everyone was shown the Southern Hospitality from which we are known.

Club workers provided a lovely Pot Luck. Many thanks to Kathy Pellerino for her amazing chili, Jane Hammett Bright for her BBQ, Melissa Dewitt for her Kale Salad, and everyone else – I’m sorry I didn’t write everything down. There was an amazing cheese dip that I put on the chili – whoever made that – I want the recipe. I tried out a recipe for chicken fajita — and I hope all y’all enjoyed it. There were so many cakes, cookies and other things. Thank you all who brought all of it.

Speaking of Hospitality – if you ever want to get something done, contact Naomi Johnson. At the last minute, we discovered that food trucks previously contacted couldn’t make it. Naomi got the replacements. And I know every single exhibitor was thankful.

New to the dog show this year — a RALLY TRIAL. Thank you Kathy Pellerino for Chairing it! I worked the desk. Kathy Chaired. And others jumped in where necessary. The exhibitors were very complimentary of it – and that’s what we’re after.

Respectfully submitted,

Ellen Mantel Pfann

Corresponding Secretary

Volunteer Coordinator.