Clogging lovers gather for a good cause

KING — Clogging has a special meaning for many folks in the area, and the traditional dance’s unique draw was put to good use Sunday with the inaugural “Clogging for a Cause” event.

Held on June 2 at the King Central Park amphitheater, the free event featured three popular clogging companies who performed as a means of raising awareness and donations for the Stokes County Animal Shelter and the Friends of Stokes Shelter.

The Stokes County Arts Council event was headlined by the Bailey Mountain Cloggers, a repeated (31 times) national championship winning group from Mars Hill University near Asheville.

They were in town performing at the Stokes County elementary schools, and Bailey Mountain Cloggers Director Danielle Plimpton came up with the benefit event idea.

“So all of our dancers are animal lovers — we probably have 30 dogs on our team, and cats — but we just we love Stokes County,” she said. “We love coming here and performing for the elementary schools. This was just an added benefit to be able to support the local shelters too. And we plan on visiting tomorrow, so we may take home some of them.”

CC Dance Company, of Madison, and Elite Feet Cloggers out of Alamance County, also performed.

Despite a late afternoon shower (that cleared up just in time), the event drew a good crowd. Many in attendance visited the shelter tables to make a donation and say hi to “Spud,” a shelter dog available for adoption.

“He’s a lap dog, as you can tell,” said Paige Spriegel, animal shelter kennel attendant, with Spud nestled in her lap.

Renea Brown, FOSS services manager and FOSS Board Members Kate Waterman and Leslie Staples, said that the event was great publicity for their organization, which has saved 1,400 pets since it was founded.

“It brings awareness to what we’re doing,” Waterman said. “We’re just so thankful that they asked us.