NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Over $1,000 was raised at the first NAMAzing Dog-A-Thon to benefit the Eagle Street Initiative.   

 

A small group formed at the pocket park on Eagle Street on Friday evening to watch six worthy competitors dressed in their Sunday best ingest as many Jack's Hot Dogs as they could in in very long 20 minutes.

 

After going over the universal signal for choking and strategically placing a barf bucket near the table, competitors Benjamin Lamb, Geeg Wiles, Mike Walker, Annie Rodgers, Nathan Rodgers and Piper Jacobs, 8, loaded their plates.

 

What started out as a sprint soon became an endurance contest as Nathan and Annie Rodgers tapped out early while Lamb, Wylde and Walker fought it out to the bitter end.

 

Although Jacobs was named the winner, earning a Jack's T-shirt and coupon, Lamb inhaled 10 dogs and was able to down half of a dog to cheers from the small crowd before time ran out, raising $330 on his own.

 

The Dog-A Thon is only part of fundraising efforts to raise $25,000 for a MassDevelopment matching grant to revitalize Eagle Street. Lamb, City Council president, has been spearheading the effort by the NAMAzing Initiative through the crowdfunding website Patronicity and with the nonprofit Partnership for North Adams as the financial agent.

 

The fundraising has reached more than $13,000 with another 21 days left. The funds could be used to create pop-up "parklets" for more social space, gateways to mark each entrance of the historic street, branded trash and recycling receptacles and highly visible signage for each business.

 

Lamb thanked Jack's Hot Dogs for its donation as well as all those who attended the event.

 

"Thank you all so much for coming out and thank you for your support both being here and cheering us on and watching us destroy ourselves and contributing to the Eagle Street Initiative," Lamb said after regaining his composure.

 

The entire 20 minute contest was streamed through Facebook Live here.