Basset hound mix (Chapel), treeing walker coonhound (Jolene) and English foxhounds (Norma Jeane and Churchill)
By Beth Hauptle
Bekki McMakin and her daughters, Jenna and Paige, are dog people through and through, according to Jenna. And while they would love to foster pups, the “wolfpack” at their home in Clarksville, fuels out that option, says Bekki. “We decided to get creative to see how we could play a part in our own way.”
Bekki, Paige and Jenna McMakin.
The women had dabbled in producing pearl earrings over the past few years as a hobby, says Paige. “One day the idea popped into our heads to sell some to benefit a local rescue.” The idea was a success, turning a profit for the rescue organization. “We realized we were on to something,” says Paige. The idea of Pearls for Pups was born. After a year of raising funds from their hobby, the threesome decided to take the business online and apply for 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax exempt status.
The nonprofit organization based in Howard County, has so far raised more than $60,000.
Pearls for Pups earrings are made with Swarovski simulated pearls, which Jenna describes as “the Cadillac of faux pearls.” Different colored pearls are renamed for dog breeds. There’s the white Great Pyrenees, the rose gold beagle, and a rose peach pearl honoring a boxer, the family pet that passed away unexpectedly, Jenna says.
Pearls for Pups are sold at Cloud 9 Salon in Highland and online at pearlsforpupsco.org. The trio also sells earrings at fundraising events for shelters and organizations.
Cathy Mundy, a volunteer with the Canine Humane Network, says Pearls for Pups helped the organization raise more than $2,000 in three days. “The earrings are beautiful and well-made,” she says. “This organization is just amazing.”
