TORRINGTON – Fresh haircuts, food, games, raffles, and prizes – all for a good cause. Today, beginning at 9 a.m. and running until 5 p.m., all proceeds from the ninth-annual Class Act Cut-A-Thon will support the proposed Candy Thompson Memorial Dog Park.

“(Candy) was a client of ours, and a really good friend,” Class Act owner and event coordinator Jan Alexander said. “Just one of those people you really loved, and when we went to her memorial service last year, and Mike (Thompson) started talking about what she wanted done with the dog park … we said, ‘That’s it.’” Alexander said of the Cut-A-Thon’s next cause to champion.

“One of Candy’s greatest loves (was) dogs. In honor of her, we are seeking community support to establish a beautiful, fenced-in, off-leash dog park in the Torrington community,” per The Class Act’s Facebook page. Dog park organizers Mike Thompson and Holly Hatley will be at the Cut-A-Thon and available to answer questions.

“If you don’t need a haircut, please feel free to stop by, have some food and fun and make a contribution to help fill the donation box.”

There’s plenty of food and fun to be had, as evidenced by the schedule of events:

n 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: cutting hair – walk-ins are welcome, $20 minimum donation; t-shirt sales ($20 each); raffle ticket sales for various items, including an Aqua Kinetic Water System from Walsh’s Water Service ($5 each), a dog kennel from Bomgaar’s ($5 each) and several other donated items ($1 each); and games.

n 9 a.m. until sold-out: free-will donation bake sale, including Broncho Grillhouse breakfast burritos.

n 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Lunch – burgers, brats, and hot dogs with chips and a water or pop for $5.

n 1 to 5 p.m.: Kids Kraft Table (sponsored by Torrington Office Supply).

n 1 to 2 p.m.: tennis ball in pantyhose contest.

n 2 to 3 p.m.: water balloon contest.

n 3 to 4 p.m.: watermelon-eating contest.

“For the games in the afternoon, the more people we have, the better – it doesn’t cost anything, we’re just doing it for fun,” Alexander said. She explained those who participate in the tennis ball in pantyhose contest will wear pantyhose on their heads with a tennis ball hanging in the foot portion, and try to knock over water bottles.

“(Goshen County) Search and Rescue will be there also, and we also have the Girl Scouts doing a crafts table, and Torrington Office Supply doing a crafts table,” Alexander said. “We’re also doing face-painting and temporary tattoos.”

The goal is to raise $10,000 for the Candy Thompson Memorial Dog Park.

“We’ve done it once before – we were close last year – we’ve done it once with Search and Rescue,” Alexander said. “We’ve had a really good start this year. Everybody’s been phenomenal. It just shows everybody really wants a dog park.”

Indeed, the list of supporters and participants continues. Ms. Lorri’s Car Wash will donate proceeds from its automatic wash that day, and Job’s Daughters will provide all automatic car wash customers’ vehicles with a towel dry.

Bill Pickerel; the Stroud family; State Farm Insurance; Torrington Livestock Markets; Goshen County Sheriff’s Office; Frito-Lay; Main Street Market; J&B Liquor; First State Bank; Pinnacle Bank; and many others provided additional donations, Alexander said. Attendees can also expect to see guest stylists from His and Hers salon and volunteers from Eastern Wyoming College Cosmetology Program.

“This is our ninth year of doing (the Cut-A-Thon),” Alexander said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun … I really, really would like to see a lot of people come out just to play games and have a lot of fun. It’s all for a good cause.”

The Class Act is located at 1916 Main Street in Torrington.