What happens when five people work together to chase after a dream to make a pawsitive impact in their community?

Doggone good things!

In late 2017 when Brenda Kersey, Mike Arnold, Joanne Gordon, Jill Pepper, and Erika Teague first met up, they had the goal of creating a community space for dogs. “White House needed a space for people without fenced backyards to come to so their dogs could play, get exercise, and socialize,” says Brenda, owner of White House Realtors, LLC. 

Less than one year later, that dream became a reality, and it was so much better than they could have ever imagined. The fabulous five started fundraising in efforts to build a dog park around an existing pavilion in White House Municipal Park. They first approached business owners within the community for donations. Shortly after, the City of White House contributed funds which brought them even closer to their goal. 

The scales were really tipped in their favor when the group received a grant for $25,000 from the Boyd Foundation, a foundation that supports animal welfare and youth education in Tennessee. According to their website, their Dog Park Dash has awarded over 100 grants to communities throughout Tennessee, totaling $3 million. 

Thanks to the extra cash boost from the grant, Rover’s Ridge Dog Park has some incredible features. The fenced-in areas for both the small and large dogs are extremely spacious with multiple dog friendly playgrounds scattered throughout. There are drinking stations, fire hydrants, a doggy blessing box, picnic tables and benches, and a personal favorite— a cool mist spray that comes down from the pavilion. 

What makes the park even more special, they offer scheduled events and meet ups throughout the year for local dogs and their owners. Their biggest event is their annual celebration on the first Saturday in June where they invite local vendors, food trucks, and animal shelters to set up around the park, and they offer prize giveaways throughout the day. This year approximately 100 people and their pets were in attendance. They also host an annual canine splash pad event at the end of the summer and a Halloween Mutt Strutt where our four legged friends get dressed up in their costumes and walk to Sonic for a pup cup. 

Despite the park’s facilities and events already being so spectacular, the group plans to host a future fundraiser to create a water feature such as a splash pad or doggy wash station to make Rover’s Ridge even better. 

The park is free to use and open from sun up to sun down. They do not restrict breeds but ask that dogs are vaccinated and non-aggressive. Many four legged friends have visited Rover’s Ridge since it opened five years ago, including the famous Molly B, Brenda’s rescue dog, whose face is pictured throughout the park, and Henry, a beagle from a nearby neighborhood who frequently visits and then finds his way home. Dogs and their owners have even traveled from other nearby cities like Gallatin and Hendersonville to enjoy the park. 

“It’s been so much fun watching our dog loving community come together and grow,” says Brenda. “Each time I’m there, I hear another story of how the park has benefited both the owners and the pups that play at Rover’s Ridge.”

If you’d like to learn more about Rover’s Ridge Dog Park and stay up to date with its current happenings, you can follow them on Facebook here. The lives of many have been blessed thanks to a kind gesture and the hard work of a few people who teamed up together for a common goal. 

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