In 2010, Orlando Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady, with the help of family members, expanded the Orlando Township Food Pantry and established the Orlando Township Pet Pantry. He named it “Classy’s Closet” after O’Grady’s beloved rescue cat.
Today, Classy’s Closet helps many residents ease the burden of owning a pet and remains funded through generous donations from other residents and businesses. This is the main backbone of the town’s annual Petpalooza, held at the end of September each year for the past 12 years.
“Crashy’s Closet” benefitted the township’s annual Petpalooza, held Sept. 22 on the Orlando Township grounds at 14807 S. Lavinia Ave. in Orland Park.
“Petpalooza plays an important role in helping residents in need,” O’Grady said. “Thanks to the food pantry’s support, many of our customers will no longer have to worry about giving up their beloved pets due to financial constraints.
Donations not only help keep pet pantries fully stocked, they also enable the many local organizations participating in Pet-Palooza to provide valuable resources such as veterinary care and grooming assistance. Masu. These efforts truly demonstrate Orlando Township’s great sense of community. Without the generous donations and support from our vendors and sponsors, Petpalooza would not be possible each year. ”
Pet Palooza will feature pet boutiques, veterinary clinics, on-site foster pet rescues affiliated with the Animal Welfare League, As Good As Gold Golden Retriever Rescue of Illinois, Cash Creek Rescue, Fido’s Landing 501c3, Illinois Shorthair Rescue, NAWS Humane Society, South Suburban Humane Society, and St. Sophia’s Forgotten Cats.
Admission to Pet Palooza was free, but a donation of a 5-pound bag of pet food or a cash donation to the Orlando Township Pet Pantry was strongly encouraged.
“Personally, I like that Petpalooza partners with local animal shelters,” said Alexandria Cypior, public relations coordinator for Orlando Township. “Supporting local animals in need is critical to our mission. This event will also bring much needed support to our pet pantry, where pet food is available at the front gate. We are collecting a lot of donations.”
Fun Halloween costumes for pets and their owners are encouraged as well, but not required by town officials. All the dogs in attendance were able to enter one of several different pet competitions held this year, including Best Voice, Best Dressed, and Best Visor of the Year.
The Supervisor of the Year title went to Orland Park puppy Siren and his owner Michelle Reddin.
“This event provided a lot of opportunities to see what kind of organizations there are in Orland Park,” Shipiyor said. “Attendees had the opportunity to browse merchandise, gather information, check out all the adoptable pets, sample food, and listen to live music. Not to mention, pets had the opportunity to win great prizes. Participate in a great pet contest.”
All participating pets were required to have up-to-date vaccinations and display appropriate tags. Owners were responsible for cleaning up after their pets, and all pets had to be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
But Pet Palooza wasn’t just for pets.
This event was a fun day out for the whole family. Children will participate in an interactive kids zone that includes inflatable bounce houses, train rides, games, prizes, and more. Participants also had the chance to meet their favorite characters, from Spider-Man to Disney Princesses, as they roamed among the attendees.
Food and drinks were provided by local restaurants Papa Joe’s, Rock Bottom, Joe’s Red Hot, and Andy’s Ice Cream.
