Good Neighbor Podcast: TN-WNC-SWVA
Bringing together local businesses and neighbor of the TN-WNC-SWVA region. Good Neighbor Podcast hosted by Skip Mauney helps residents discover and connect with your local business owners in and around The TN-WNC-SWVA.
Is your business serving the residents of TN-WNC-SWVA? Then, we need to talk! Visit gnpTri-Cities.com to schedule your free interview.
Good Neighbor Podcast: TN-WNC-SWVA
EP# 278: Unleashing Community: The Johnson City Dog Park Story
What makes Jennifer Kirkby & Paulett Kehm with The Johnson City Dog Park a good neighbor?
The power of community shines brightly at the Johnson City Dog Park, where passionate volunteers have created something extraordinary over nearly two decades. Board members Jennifer Kirkby and Paulette Kehm join Skip Mauney to reveal the inspiring story behind this hidden gem that operates entirely on membership dues without a penny of government funding.
Founded in 2006, the Johnson City Dog Park stands as the Tri-Cities' first dedicated canine playground, earning national recognition when Modern Dog Magazine named it among America's top dog parks. What makes this achievement remarkable is that the park functions through pure volunteer effort—no staff, no city funding, just dedicated dog lovers who maintain pools, provide water stations, and ensure waste bags are always available. At just $55 annually for one dog and $20 for each additional pet, membership remains accessible while sustaining this unique community resource.
Beyond the physical amenities, what truly distinguishes the park is its remarkable social impact. "When I moved here I didn't have a lot of friends," shares Jennifer, who's been with the park since 2005. "Once I start going to the dog park, I got established in the community." The park has even sparked romantic connections, with at least two marriages tracing back to chance meetings between dog owners. Located within the beautiful Willow Springs Park area, complete with scenic walking trails, it offers a perfect setting for both canine play and human connection. Whether you're new to the area or simply looking to give your furry friend some socialization, visit JohnsonCityDogPark.org to learn how you can become part of this special community where dogs and their people find friendship, fun, and belonging. Ready to experience it yourself? Your dog's next best friend is waiting!
To learn more about The Johnson City Dog Park go to:
https://johnsoncitydogpark.org/
The Johnson City Dog Park
(423) 218-2305
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Skip Monty.
Speaker 2:Well, hello everyone, and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast of the Tri-Cities. We've got some very interesting guests with us here in the studio today, so I'm super excited to learn all about them and what they do, and I'm sure you will be too, because today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbors, ms Jennifer Kirkby and Paulette Kim, who are both on the board of directors for the Friends of the Johnson City Dog Park Association. Ladies, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3:Welcome, thank you.
Speaker 2:So, like I said, we're super excited to learn all about you guys and what you do. So if you don't mind, jennifer, why don't you kick us off by telling us what you do?
Speaker 3:Well, we are on the board of directors for the Johnson City Dog Park Association, like you said, and it's a non-profit dog park that is all volunteer run and paid for Wow, and we've been in existence since officially 2006.
Speaker 2:Wow, so coming up on 20 years.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so we were the first dog park in the area and at one time we were also in Modern Dog Magazine as one of the top dog parks in the country.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, Very, very interesting. Well, how did you ladies get involved with the dog park?
Speaker 4:Well, I went to one of the meetings and became interested in the dog park. I'm fairly new on the board. I am just a member at large. I've only been a member for going on I guess three years. Maybe Jennifer it's not too long. So I've just started becoming active in the membership and I am active at the park itself.
Speaker 2:Very good. And Jennifer, what about you?
Speaker 3:I've been with the park since its beginning. I've been on the board for since 2005. And I just got involved by going to a meeting and it was in desperate need of volunteers, and so it's kind of like long story short, it's just. And so it's kind of like long story short, it's just. I've been there ever since, and so the park wouldn't exist without people like Paulette that take care of the park, and we've been fortunate to have a good group of volunteers.
Speaker 2:Well, it sounds like somebody in the background wants to get on the podcast too. I don't know who that is.
Speaker 3:I'm sorry about that.
Speaker 4:That's okay, mine is sleeping, oh okay.
Speaker 3:I have a very sensitive one.
Speaker 2:Mine is sleeping as well. I'm a dog guy, so I support what you guys do. Well, what are some myths or misconceptions in the dog park association world?
Speaker 3:I think one of the big misconceptions is that we we receive funding from the state or the city or anything like that and everything is paid for our park and is kept up at our park by the membership dues, which are very reasonable. It's $45. Is it $45? No, I'm like that's $55. $55. Yeah, they upped it. So it's $55 for one dog for the year and then each additional dog is $20.
Speaker 2:So it's very reasonable. Yeah, incredibly reasonable.
Speaker 3:We have great amenities we have pools, we have water, we have poo bags and you know. So occasionally we do get members that will come in and think they don't have to do anything like pick up their poo, because they think there's a staff. But there is no staff. You know, it's us.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm sure you got those little baggy things all around too, don't you? Oh yeah, Try to encourage folks to use them. Well, outside of work, well, this isn't really work. This is volunteer work for you guys. But outside of this, what do you like to do for fun?
Speaker 4:Hike, walk my dog. I like to sew. I'm involved in a lot of different things. I also teach part-time.
Speaker 2:Oh, very good. What do you teach?
Speaker 4:I teach dental assisting at Northeast State oh nice, so you're a.
Speaker 2:at one time were a dental assistant.
Speaker 4:Yes, and I was the program director, but now I am just part-time adjunct, just to help them out.
Speaker 2:Very good.
Speaker 4:Jennifer, what about you?
Speaker 2:Very good, Jennifer. What about you?
Speaker 3:I like antiques and I like to travel and see the area and I'm always out exploring something, whether it's here. Lately it's been cemeteries. I've been interested in the history and the cemeteries and and it's just yeah.
Speaker 2:Fascinating. So where are you guys from? Are you originally from Johnson City?
Speaker 4:No.
Speaker 2:Where are you from?
Speaker 3:You want to go first, jeff? Okay, I'm originally from St Charles, missouri. I've lived here for 20, I guess, going on 25 years now. Yeah, years now 20.
Speaker 4:Yeah, oh, wow, and I'm from Allentown, pennsylvania, and I came for a position, for a job. It was started out with ETSU and then it went to Northeast State, the program, and I've been here probably a little over 30 years.
Speaker 2:Wow, allentown, there's a Billy Joe has a song.
Speaker 4:Yes, that's right.
Speaker 2:Yes, he does.
Speaker 4:That's what I always say when people ask where you're from I'm going. Well, do you remember Billy Joel's living here in Allentown?
Speaker 2:That's where I'm from that's it, but it's actually not about Allentown.
Speaker 4:It's actually about Bethlehem, but Allentown fit in the song better.
Speaker 2:Wow, did not know that.
Speaker 4:Learn something new every day, exactly.
Speaker 2:I'm sure everybody in Allentown knows that, though.
Speaker 4:Oh yes.
Speaker 2:Probably Well. Um, if you guys could think of one thing that you would, you would like our listeners to remember about friends of the Johnson City Dog Park Association, what would that be?
Speaker 4:Probably the friendliness of the people that go there. I think dog people in general are a friendly group. We all kind of get along and the dogs seem to get along really well. I think the friendliness and the openness of the park.
Speaker 3:I have to agree with Paulette. When I moved here I was I didn't have a lot of friends and then, once I start going to the dog park, I got established in the community, made friends and people are extremely nice at the dog park. I got established in the community, made friends and people are extremely nice at the dog park. The dogs are required to have their vaccinations. The dogs are all vetted.
Speaker 2:We take care of things there. I'm not concerned with taking my dog to a dog park. Has always been. You know they might have a tussle with another dog. Does that happen very often it?
Speaker 3:happens, but it doesn't happen very often.
Speaker 4:And usually the owners intervene most of the time. The other thing that's interesting is we have I don't remember. I know there's at least two relationships that were started at the dog park, which is pretty cool.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 3:One's ended up in marriage. I know. Well, I think two actually have. I didn't know.
Speaker 4:The other person which I haven't seen for a long time. But they actually got married too, but they met at the dog park.
Speaker 2:Wow, wow, great, great story, wow. Well, for those of us who have not been to the dog park or are intrigued by what you ladies are saying, it sounds like a great place that my dog would love. How can we learn more about what's available?
Speaker 3:We have a website. It's JohnsonCityDogParkorg, and that's the best way to get information about the park. You can see all the rules and sign up for membership and anything that's going on in the park.
Speaker 2:So you can actually fill out a form for membership on the website.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 4:Awesome, very good the park is located at Willow Springs Park, which is a beautiful area. It has nice walking trails.
Speaker 2:So other stuff to do too.
Speaker 3:Yes, beyond the dog park. Oh, it's a great park, it really is.
Speaker 2:Awesome. Well, we will definitely have to check it out. You've sold you ladies, sold me so, and I'm sure you've sold some of our listeners too. So you heard it here uh, guys, if you got a dog and they need friends, go to the Johnson city dog park and Johnson city dog park and, uh, have a blast. So, ladies, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you, uh, taking time out of your schedule to spend some time with me and with our listeners and wish you and your families and your dogs and the dog park all the best moving forward.
Speaker 4:Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnptry-citiescom. That's gnptry-citiescom, or call 423-719-5873. ¶¶.