EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — A four-month-old pooch is the new Pride of East Palestine, with the school district trotting out its new mascot that’s got the town howling.
The village of East Palestine has long been home to the Bulldogs, but these days there’s a new top dog in charge.
“The best is everyone knows her name now,” said MaLynn Bistarkey, JV volleyball coach. “We walk into the game, and all of the little kids are, ‘Hi, willow! Hi, Willow!'”
Willow, the four-month-old English Bulldog, is the mascot for East Palestine and friend to all.
Several months ago, Shawn Yarian, a 1987 graduate from East Palestine who runs the bulldog breeder the Wrinkle Shack, wanted to donate a bulldog to his alma matter.
“It just adds so much fun to the family atmosphere here — the players, the athletes, the fans,” said Rick Gates, girls basketball coach. “Especially the young students at the games just get the biggest kick out of running up and petting her.”
Since early December, Willow has slowly been dipping a paw into her new duties. She’s a slam-dunk with the girls basketball team, on hand for player introductions and standing at attention for the Star Spangled Banner.
“She runs out with some of the starters,” Bistarkey said. “She’s very involved with the athletes. She loves them. She follows them all around.”
Willow might not be as intimidating as other mascots, but she’s no less inspiring, drawing plenty of attention from her teammates and their opponents.
“I think it’s sticking us out in the league now,” Bistarkey said. “It really gives us the chance to have a real mascot at every game.”
After tipoff, she takes in the action from the stands. But the plan is for Willow to be roaming the sidelines come football season.
“We have pep band here for the varsity boys game. The horns, not a bother. She sleeps most of the games anyways,” Bistarkey said.
For a town that’s been dogged by disaster, Willow’s got the town barking about something positive for a change. And in her line of work– that’s nothing to wag your tail at.
“I think it does bring some positives to the town and the school after everything we’ve been through the past couple years,” Bistarkey said.