Pawsitive Park
- Lev Narozhny
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
At the end of November, people from across Europe gathered in Thessaloniki to join forces to improve the quality of life for stray animals. The project was named, with a play on words, Pawsitive Park.
The project began on November 29 and ran until December 22. During this time, the team was able to draw local attention to the problem of homeless animals and focus on providing tangible assistance.
Before the project began, we discussed online who would be most helpful and in what areas. This resulted in two groups: one focused on creative work, the other on research. As the first few days progressed, each participant began to develop their own roles.
The first day of the project was not only informative but also useful. Esai En Roi invited a photographer to the office for a workshop: they explained how to take photos correctly and shared valuable tips. In the following days, each of us documented the events to use the photos on social media to promote the project's main idea ishelping animals.
On the second day, we went to the park to photograph the cats that live there. Each participant took about 50 photos, which were later used to create a calendar. Imagine how many photos we got, considering there were 23 of us!
The volunteers and the project manager decided that support could be provided in multiple ways. So, we began preparing for major events scheduled for later.
One such event, in mid December, was a school performance. The volunteers prepared two plays, which were presented in two elementary schools: The first performance told the story of a house cat who ran away from home and was later found by its owner. The goal was to instill in children a healthy attitude toward animals from an early age. We conveyed several key messages: the street is no place for cats and dogs, the importance of sterilizing and microchipping pets, and, most importantly, that animals have consciousness and feelings. The second performance was more dance based: the story of a man who gradually became kinder to the cats around him, followed by a dance routine by the volunteers.
Going back in time, during the first week, the volunteers had already prepared a short performance for the city's "Volunteer Day" event. We created music by clapping our hands, beating drums, and shaking rosaries. The rehearsal lasted only an hour, but we achieved incredible synchronicity.
One of the highlights of the first week was a visit to a veterinary clinic specializing in helping stray animals. Anyone who saw a sick cat or dog in Thessaloniki could call the clinic: specialists would take the animal and provide care and sterilization at the expense of the state, partners, and donations.
By the way, December is the month of Christmas and New Year! In addition to the main goal of Pawsitive Park, we focused on promoting the organization during festive events in the city. On December 5th, we began rehearsing dances to showcase our best side during the performances. There were several dance numbers: some performed by professional dancers, others by the entire team. That evening, we came up with an idea for an additional performance during the Christmas holidays: to sing Jingle Bells in the languages of the volunteers' countries of origin: English, French, Georgian, Estonian, German, Greek, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Czech, and Serbian. We ended up singing and dancing three times in different locations.
On December 12th, we went to a shelter near Thessaloniki. Our mission was clear, but it took time: we helped with cleaning and feeding the animals. The shelter housed cats and dogs from the streets looking for new homes. We arrived at 3:30 PM and stayed until 7:00 PM, gradually tidying up the shelter and creating more space for the animals.
The days went by as usual: rehearsals, preparations for performances, dancing, and singing. The school performances on December 16th and 17th were perfect! The children's energy was incredible: after the performances, they asked for autographs and photos. The time spent at the early morning performances was completely worth it, the emotions and impressions were worth all the effort.
In mid December, we staged dances in the park where the Christmas tree was lit, as well as at the Christmas markets. The audience was delighted. The research team spent the entire month collecting information and statistics on the animal
rights situation, not only in Greece, but also in the volunteers' countries of origin.
The final task of the project required time: each of us prepared a presentation of the project's achievements. Since the presentation was streamed on YouTube, everyone had to prepare not only slides but also a speech. The volunteers from the art team spoke about the tasks they had completed and the skills they had acquired. The icing on the cake was the research team they did a tremendous job showing which countries needed improvement in specific areas. This was the team's final work assignment. Afterwards, we went for a walk: sang Jingle Bells, handed out brochures, and danced two last dances.
Besides work, spending time outside the project was important to us: we visited clubs and bars, gathered at people's homes, and just chatted. We made great friends during these days, and on the last day, no one wanted to leave.
There were 23 of us, so we were spread across several houses. Special thanks to our house managers: Diametra, Maria-Theano, and Yiannis you are the best! Thank you for the delicious food, clean rooms, help with housekeeping, and wonderful company!
Our manager was Eleni. Thank you, dear, for making this project what it is. We had an incredible time and felt that what we accomplished in less than a month truly made a difference in improving the animal rights situation. Without you, this would not have been possible!
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