Sandy Summey and her dog were in a car accident seven months ago, but only one of them survived.

Summey, of Hendersonville, took a big step toward healing Saturday, when she and her two grandchildren attended a dog adoption and fundraising event at Jackson Park.

Summey was among eight people to fill out a pet adoption application within the first hour of the inaugural event, staged by the newly formed group, Friends of Jackson Dog Park.

Though she didn't need much coaxing, Summey received a lot of encouragement from her granddaughters, Julianna, 12, and Daisy, 5, both of Brevard, as she contemplated which puppy to take home.

“This one captured my heart the moment I saw her,” Summey said as her granddaughters took turns cuddling a black lab mix. “She’s very calm, and I like that.”

Thrilled by her decision, the two girls began suggesting names immediately. Lily, Rainbow, Star and Starshine were among the early favorites.

“This will be an all-day project, naming the poor thing,” Summey said, laughing.

Such heartwarming stories are common during adoption fairs, but there was more to Saturday’s event than finding new homes for dogs. Besides collecting 19 adoption applications, Dog Celebration also raised more than $1,000 that will go toward replacing the damaged shelter at the dog walk area in the county-owned park.

The event also provided pet-related education and outreach services, according to Don Woodruff, chairman of Friends of Jackson Dog Park.

Woodruff said he wasn't sure what to expect for the first-time event, but was pleased with the turnout and the participation of several area pet shelters, including the Blue Ridge, Foothills and Yancey humane societies; Brother Wolf; Charlie’s Angels; and Animal Rescue.

“It’s a wonderful cause,” Woodruff said. “I just wanted to bring a lot of people to the park. The underlying point was to raise money for the roof of the dog shelter.”

Several pet store vendors and dog service operators also took part, offering free dog treats and other items to dozens of people, many of whom attended presentations by local dog-care experts.

Among the presenters was Nicole Watts, a veterinarian technician for 12 years who went on to graduate from the Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage, a two-year school in Elizabeth, Colo., eight years ago. Watts spoke about using acupressure and massage techniques on dogs to help treat “everything from allergies to arthritis to behavioral problems.”

“I also use flower essences for fearful dogs,” she said.

Marianne Pendleton, co-founder of Friends of Jackson Dog Park and a “tech coach” who helps not-for-profit organizations create and maintain websites, said she was pleased with the Dog Celebration, but sees opportunities for growth.

“I think it’s great for a first-time event, but we need to get more people actively involved” in dog park improvement projects, Pendleton said. “We need more volunteers. It would be nice to have an event every three months.”

Information about the new organization can be found online at FriendsofJacksonDogPark.com.