Groundbreaking ceremonies for the Bluffton Community Dog Park on March 14 were a time for smiles, cheers and tears. The creation of a place for dogs to run safely off leash has been highly anticipated by area dog owners. That included Bluffton teacher and heart transplant recipient Katrina Riepenhoff, who passed away after a sudden illness in 2024. Her family has become a key supporter of the dog park.
Many at the well-attended event wore green t-shirts bearing the message “Live like Katrina Riepenhoff” and “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good”--and paw prints. Also in attendance were Baxter and Tilly, Riepenhoff’s two dogs and her parents, Becky and Joe Riepenhoff.
Some half of the guests were Riepenhoff’s students at Bluffton Middle School. MORE ▶︎
Local Boy Scouts are distributing door tags on March 1 to notify Bluffton residents of the Scouting for Food program.
They are asking residents to "recycle an old grocery bag and place canned goods or non-perishable items inside it for pick up by one of your neighborhood scouts. Items collected will be donated to your local community food pantry. No glass items, please.
"Place bagged donations on your front step by 9:00 a.m. on the second Saturday in March for pickup [March 8].
Plans for the Bluffton Community Dog Park on Lake St. have been finalized by the Bluffton Dog Park Association (BDPA) in collaboration with the Village of Bluffton. Minutes of the February 18 Parks and Recreation Committee meeting provide details for the new facility and the Village agreement with the BDPA.
The park will provide a 120' x 100' space for small dogs and 240' x 100' for large dogs on Lake St, starting as close as possible to the drives to John's Body Shop on the east and extending 360 feet to the west.
Asphalt parallel parking will be near the double-door entrance between the large and small dog sections, with a concrete sidewalk and walkway to inside the gates.
A 4' black, rubber-coated metal fence will be around the perimeter, between the two sections, and the entrance gates. Stone will be used at the base of the fence for easier maintenance.
Signs will provide welcome, donor recognition and rules/reminders information.
Bluffton High School has announced that on Tuesday, February 25, Juniors will be taking the ACT. In order to have the best testing environment for the Junior Class, there will be no school for 9th, 10th, and 12th grade students.
