Where fashion meet passion

By Gretchen Ammerman

Oregon Coast TODAY

Highly trained K-9 unit dogs and their handlers help to apprehend criminal suspects when other means fail. But sometimes, even they need to take a break and have some fun.

Lincoln City Police Department Officer Molly Sears and K-9 Nato are going to do just that this Saturday, Oct. 16, when they take on the very important role as judges for the inaugural Anna’s Animal Fashion Show at the Lincoln City Cultural Center.

“She’d been planning this for a long time,” said Anna’s mother, LeeAnn Gabler. “She’s very passionate about animals and doing anything she can to help them.”

The show has three categories: Halloween; owner/pet look alike; and Disney, but it isn’t just a way to gather and parade dressed-up pets. It’s also part of Anna’s goal of getting a Girl Scout Gold Award by creating projects with a higher purpose.

“I’m trying to raise money and get donations for the Oregon Coast Humane Society, the Lincoln County Animal Shelter and the Lincoln City Food Pantry, because they give food for pets too,” she said. “But I’ve also included the Rose Lodge Grange for the fire victims in Otis. They are still struggling out there.”

To achieve the award, the high school senior had to come up with three different projects.

“The gold award is very specific,” Anna said. “You have to start with an idea and there are many rules to follow. You actually make a plan contract and go from there.”

The first project was a bottle and can drive.

“That has gone really well and has raised $1,500 so far,” Anna said. “The Oregon Coast Humane Society is going to take over the project now to continue raising money.”

Next, Anna created and published an emergency checklist for animals.

“None of us out here at the coast were prepared for the wildfires,” she said. “Especially what to do with pets.”

That fact was driven home during the Echo Mountain Fire, which tore through the community of Otis in September 2020, destroying 293 homes. Anna signed up to help as soon as she could.

“There were so many burned kitties,” she said. “It was very, very sad.”

The very busy teen also has a pet-sitting business, and while planning her Gold Award events has been going through the town to talk about her project to organizations like the Eagles and the Kiwanis Club.

Anna started in the Girl Scouts 10 years ago as a Brownie and is now in the final year, but she’s hoping to come back and volunteer as a leader, in addition to some other plans.

“I’m going to enroll at the Oregon Coast Community College and eventually want to do something where I can take care of animals and maybe kids,” she said. “I’m also really interested in acting and musical theater.”

Girl Scouts takes kids aged five and up, and have made it through the rough patch of meeting virtually due to the pandemic.

"Things have been a little different but we made it work,” Anna said. “Luckily we are slowly starting back to meeting in-person again.”

Anna is looking forward to achieving the goal she set for herself.

“The Gold Award is the highest award you can get in the Girl Scouts,” she said. “Only six percent in the country that try, actually make it."

She has our vote.

Anna’s Animal Fashion Show is at 6 pm at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, 540 NE Hwy. 101. Admission for participants or spectators is by donation of dog or cat food. To enter, text your pet’s name and category to 541-921-3242.

For more information about the Girl Scouts, go to gsosw.org.