Rainbow Bridge pet memorial planned for Carolina Beach
CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A new project in Carolina Beach will offer residents a way to honor pets who have died — whether they had fur, feathers, or scales.
The memorial, called the Rainbow Bridge, will be installed in Carolina Beach and feature personalized wooden planks as a lasting tribute to beloved pets.
The idea came from Carolina Beach Mayor Pro Tem Deb LeCompte, who visited a similar memorial in Lake Lure shortly before it was destroyed by Hurricane Helene.
“I made a presentation to town council and it was highly accepted. Everyone was very excited about it, so we needed to find a 501(c)(3) that would help us sponsor the fundraising. So we reached out to the Friends of CB Parks and Greenways said, ‘Absolutely, we would love to be a part of it.’”
The Friends of Carolina Beach Parks and Greenways, a local nonprofit established in 2021, agreed to support the project. The group partners with the town on various community improvements.
Board member Yvonne Bailey says the Rainbow Bridge project aligns with their mission.
“We were created to support projects that are approved by the Town of Carolina Beach, and they’re very supportive of these projects we’ve worked on… There is this partnership and this getting together in our community that makes it a beautiful place to live…”
Fundraising for the Rainbow Bridge began just over a week ago. Organizers say 42 of the 133 available planks have already been claimed.
A $150 donation secures a personalized board on the bridge. A $25 donation allows supporters to purchase a name plate with their pet’s name and four lines of text.
Board Chair Janet Hoffer, who also serves on the Rainbow Bridge Committee, says there are plans for overflow space and a memorial garden nearby.
“Which will then just be placed around the bridge until there is no more space. We are going to put a memorial garden in as well somewhere in this location, which will be for other pets that are not just dogs, cats with collars — it’ll be for other pets that maybe don’t wear a collar.”
LeCompte, Hoffer, and Bailey are all members of the Rainbow Bridge Committee, along with resident Maureen Lewis, who says the project reflects the culture of Carolina Beach.
“How dog-friendly Carolina Beach is compared to any other beach on the Eastern Seaboard — that’s one of the reasons we actually moved here…”
Organizers hope to complete construction of the Rainbow Bridge by the end of summer, with the goal of unveiling it ahead of Carolina Beach’s annual Pets in the Park event.
For more information or to donate, visit the Friends of Carolina Beach Parks and Greenways website.
