As the summer season comes to a close, The Lakes of Valparaiso makes sure that they can put together one last special pool event for their residents. More specifically, this celebration is one for all the furry friends who live in the community. Weiss Entities hosted the annual Puppy Plunge event on Friday, September 6. Residents were able to bring their dogs down to the pool area to swim, splash, and make new friends.
The event has been going on for many years. After a brief hiatus due to COVID-19, this is the third consecutive year since the Puppy Plunge has returned. Jessica Storey, leasing consultant at The Lakes of Valparaiso, describes what this event means for both the people and the pets within their community.
“This is a great way for us to host the residents and their puppies while they can enjoy the water,” Storey said. “Any other time throughout the year, the puppies don’t really get this opportunity because of pool regulations. This gives them a moment where it’s just for the puppies to enjoy themselves, because they’re just as much of a resident as their human friends are.”
While this year’s Puppy Plunge was a bit chilly in comparison to previous years, many residents and their furry friends showed up at the pool and left with smiles on their faces. The dogs got a chance to make new friends or reconnect with some of their favorite pals in the neighborhood.
“It helps bring everybody closer and meet new faces,” Storey said. “Some of the dogs make friends at the park across the street from our office and have little play dates. It also brings our pet owners closer together when they see their dogs having fun together. For some people, this is the first event of ours that they’ve attended. It’s a great day for our new residents to get familiar with the community all while having a good time."
There are plenty of pool events throughout the summer that The Lakes of Valparaiso organizes for the people who live there. Donna Damron, community manager with Weiss Entities, shares how important it is to put together events that focus on the pets just as much as the people.
“This is a very pet-friendly apartment complex,” Damron said. “It’s great whenever we can do something to spotlight them every so often. We had our pool bash for the human residents not too long ago, but we couldn’t combine that with the pets due to legalities. We’re focused on bringing a better lifestyle and fun events for everyone here.”
Everyone in The Lakes of Valparaiso community loves this event. That’s a big reason why it continues to hold a special place in the hearts of everyone who has been a part of the event over the years. There’s always high anticipation to see everyone’s furry friends, no matter if they tiptoe the edges of the pool or jump in for the best cannonball.
“It’s exciting to see so many different dogs having fun together,” Damron said. “This always brings the community together. Everyone gets a chance to enjoy themselves at the end of the summer which makes it a great way for us to cap it off.”
For more information on The Lakes of Valparaiso, you can visit their website.
