DERBY – The Reese family of Derby held a lemonade stand June 29 on the sidewalk near Derby High School on behalf of their best friend Ozzy, an Australian/dachshund mix who passed away in April.
The idea came from Keri and Brad Reese’s young son, Jack, 4, who wanted to do something in his furry companion’s memory.
The family, which also includes one-year-old Benny and another rescue dog Rocco, was hoping to raise a few bucks for the Shelton Animal Shelter.
They didn’t charge for the 20 gallons of lemonade they served but rather asked for donations to benefit shelter dogs and cats.
They ended up raising a whopping $3,070.26.
“It left us completely speechless,” Keri Reese told the Valley Indy Wednesday (July 2). “Ozzy gave us so much love. This was our way of sharing that love with other animals still waiting for homes. And (to all those who donated) you have no idea how much better you made the dogs’ lives at the shelter.”
Jack said his favorite part of working at the lemonade stand was pouring the lemonade for people and handing it to them – and, of course, petting the dogs that came with people who stopped by.
Keri Reese said the family adopted Ozzy in 2016 from Puerto Rico. Ozzy had been living on the streets and came to a rescue infested with fleas and ticks, Reese said, and he bore a scar on his nose. Ozzy had been adopted twice before but was returned. When Reese saw his sweet face and giant eyes on a rescue site, she knew she had to meet him.
Reese, not long before meeting Ozzy, lost her beloved poodle, Curly, in 2016, whom she had had for 18 years throughout her childhood, right up until she moved into her first house.
“Something told me I had to meet Ozzy,” Reese said.
The family drove four hours to a foster home in Massachusetts, took one look at Ozzy, and the rest is history. Keri Reese said for the past nine years, Ozzy was more than just a dog.
“He was a best friend, hiking buddy and source of unconditional love,” Reese said.
Ozzy passed away in April due to complications from a medical issue. To help ease the pain of the devastating loss, the family launched Deeds for Dogs, a tribute project designed to support animals in need and keep Ozzy’s legacy alive. The slogan is “every deed helps a dog.”
Reese said in the days and weeks following Ozzy’s passing, the family donated tennis balls, dog food and other goodies to the shelter.
Every last penny from the approximately $3,000 raised in lemonade stand donations was given to the Shelton Animal Shelter, Reese said. Reese and Jack hand-delivered the check to the shelter the other day.
Reese said she chose the Shelton shelter as the beneficiary because Derby doesn’t have a shelter of its own, and at the Shelton shelter, “they really love and take great care of their animals.”
Shelton animal control also covers the City of Derby through a governmental agreement.
The money will be used to help the Friends of the Shelton Animal Shelter get necessary veterinary care for the shelter dogs and cats. It’ll also help with costs to spay and neuter the animals to get them ready for adoption to their forever homes, according to Shelton Animal Control Officer Sara DeAngelo.
“This was such an enormous donation for us, it was awesome,” DeAngelo said. “Jack delivered the check to us the other day. He has such wonderful energy, and all the animals just wanted to be around him.”
DeAngelo said the shelter currently has nine dogs and seven cats available for adoption. She said the donation from the Reese family will go far toward getting the shelter animals adopted quicker, especially because their initial vet care needs and costs are covered.
“With the economy not so great, we could use that money more than ever now. It’s just amazing,” DeAngelo said.
The Shelton Animal Shelter is located at 11 Brewster Lane, Shelton. For more information, visit their Facebook page or call them at 203-924-2501. To make a donation to the shelter, visit the Friends of the Shelton Animal Shelter on Facebook.
Reese said she can’t thank the community enough for the donations.
“It made us all so happy, especially Jack, who has the biggest heart,” Reese said.