Elon Community Church is known for its weekly farmer’s market and exam week study space, but in less than a week, it will hold a unique and beloved event for students — the Dog Day Mixer.
From 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13, Elon University students and community members are invited to the main church lawn to enjoy free food and, more importantly, to get some quality time with fluffy strangers. This event is all about petting and playing with four-legged friends.
But, the dog-filled paradise is nothing new.
“The event was started about three years ago at the suggestion of Chaplain Jan Fuller,” said Sherry Scott, chair of the event and university relations committee at Elon Community Church. “Shortly after our committee was formed, we asked faculty and staff about student needs that they saw. Chaplain Fuller suggested a pet play day.”
The dogs were meant to remind students of home — and take away homesickness.
“She thought it would be good therapy for students who might be terribly homesick.” Scott said. “They’re homesick for family but also for the family pet as well.”
Church members are asked to bring their dogs and share them with the students and community, and each year a crowd of wide-eyed, tail-wagging friends show up to receive tons of scratches behind the ears and love.
The university relations committee develops and hosts programs throughout the year focused on connecting the university community with the church. Some are fundraisers and others are free opportunities for fellowship like Dog Day.
Though students do not have to be members to enjoy the events, Scott said she and the committee hope to make students feel more comfortable attending church services as well. This outreach is meant to make them feel welcome and extend hospitality.
The dog day event is focused on offering relief from homesickness, but students interested in long-term pet care can also make connections with local organizations.
“Nature’s Emporium is going to be out,” Scott said. “They will talk to people about pet fostering.”
Freshman Andrew Moffa plans on attending the event — he already misses his chocolate labrador retriever, Charlie. But, Moffa said, having a pet while in school might be too much of a commitment.
“On the one hand, it’d be great to have a little companion living with me besides any roommates,” he said. “On the other, a dog is a lot of responsibility, and I don’t know how big of a time investment I can afford on top of everything else I’ll be doing in college. All in all, it would depend on how I’m situated in later years, but I might want to.”
Freshman Jenna Bayer already has her mind made up.
“I want to apply for this opportunity as soon as I am able to,” she said. “At home, my dogs would give me constant love and support and I would love to have this feeling while here at Elon. At the same time, I would be able to give back to the community by training the animals that I love.”
If Moffa or Bayer decide to foster or own a pet while at Elon, he or she would have to move off-campus and out of Elon housing for good. The university’s residence life office has a zero-tolerance policy for pets that are not registered as therapy or service animals.
But, Scott said, organizations are looking for volunteers, as well.
“The Humane Society is looking to talk with university students about possibly volunteering at the shelter,” Scott said.
In past years, the Humane Society of Alamance County has received proceeds from donations collected at Dog Day. During last year’s event, one of the Humane Society’s volunteers, Danielle Griswold, discussed how the organization uses this money.
“The monetary donations will probably go toward our low-cost spay and neuter program where we provide vouchers for people to get their pets spayed and neutered at a prorated price,” she said.
She added that time spent volunteering is just as valuable as monetary donations from events like this.
In addition to the dogs in attendance, the church will provide free food at the event. Picnic staples like hot dogs, veggie-dogs and hamburgers will be accompanied by ice cream from Smitty’s.
As the event continues to grow, Scott said Fuller’s idea has been impactful. The Dog Day Mixer gives students a chance to escape homesickness, if only for a couple of hours.
“This tends to help,” Scott said. “[Each year, students will] come out and be with people and laugh and have a good time and play with the dogs. It’s a good way to make friends.”