Molly's Challenge: 4-year-old helps raise money for Talbot Humane

Liam Markey stood between his two dogs.

The 4-year-old wore a Spiderman costume, appropriate because he was a superhero at the Oxford blessing of the animals Saturday morning.

He was a superhero on a mission.

The day before, Liam and his family laid to rest Liam’s grandmother, Donna Hanbrige, in Easton’s Spring Hill Cemetery. Now they were raising money for Talbot Humane in her memory.

The fundraiser, Molly’s Challenge, was named for Donna and her faithful dog, Molly, who was a rescue from Talbot Humane 17 years ago.

Liam’s mom and Donna’s daughter, Liz Hanbrige, a Pennsylvania legislator, explained the family spent many summers in Easton. They brought Liam and their two dogs, Kidis and Lucy, who also sported superhero costumes for the blessing of the animals and dog parade up North Morris Street.

Liz Hanbrige said when they came to Easton to bury her mom, it was serendipity that the animal shelter was having the fundraising event in Oxford, the city where Donna Hanbrige had her first date many years ago.

More than 30 dogs and their owners attended the blessing of the animals.

The Rev. Kevin Cross, rector at Church of the Holy Trinity in Oxford, blessed each of the animals with holy water.

“We do this every year,” he said. “It’s a good time.”

Patty Quimby, executive director of Talbot Humane, said the Hanbrige family made a $1,500 donation in their mother’s memory and challenged the community to match that donation.

Before the start of the event, $2,155 had been raised, Quimby said. More money was dropped in a collection box at the registration table. Donations are being accepted online.

Later in the morning was a dog show, where every canine was a winner.

“There’s literally a category for every one of you,” Quimby said.

Lori and Rob Milner of Easton brought their small dogs, 15-year-old Willow and 9-year-old Boca Raton, in a small wagon, each of the girls sporting a ribbon in her hair.

“They win the sweetie pies,” Cross said as he sprinkled holy water on each of their heads.

The rector noted that the event is called the blessing of the animals, but that is a misnomer.

“This being Oxford, it should be called the blessing of the dogs,” he said.

Donate to Molly’s Challenge by going to talbothumane.org/2023-oxford-day-strutt-your-mutts-for-talbot-humane and scanning the QR code.