Vice President of the Association of Dog Owners Groups (ADOG), Bill Hindman, presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to 97-year-old Chotzi Van Bemmel, an original member of the group that was formed 25 years ago with the goal of establishing an off-leash dog park in Fountain Hills.

Van Bemmel was not able to attend the group’s 25th anniversary meeting and spaghetti dinner held in early April, at which three other members of the original group were also honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Van Bemmel and the other founders were recognized for their vision to create ADOG in 1998, their research and ultimate proposal to the Town of Fountain Hills that led to the establishment of the Desert Vista off-leash Dog Park. The park was opened a year later in 1999.