Charlie's Day 2025, featuring a dual charity drive, will be held Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at White’s Road Park, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially debut Charlie’s Corner
Lansdale’s most famous feline may be gone, but this Sunday, the community that adored him will gather once again to celebrate his life — and finally unveil the permanent memorial born from a year of love, grief, and generosity.
Charlie's Day 2025, featuring a dual charity drive for Manna on Main Street and Stray Cat Blues, will be held Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at White’s Road Park Pavilion in Upper Gwynedd, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 12:30 p.m. to officially debut Charlie’s Corner — a new memorial space that honors the curious, social, larger-than-life orange tabby who captured local and national attention.
(Credit: Facebook)
White's Road Park CharlieA place built from heartbreak, joy, and thousands of memories
Charlie died in August 2024 after suffering severe injuries, leaving behind a heartbroken community and a Facebook group — White’s Road Park Charlie & Sonny — that today has more than 2,200 members.
Neighbors held an inaugural Charlie's Day tribute last fall, organized by photographer, digital creator and publisher Kristen Kidd, and a GoFundMe organized by Upper Gwynedd resident Linette Kalbach raised more than $6,700 toward its $7,500 goal since its launch in September 2024.
Now, that support has transformed into a lasting tribute.
Located near the playground, Charlie’s Corner includes:
“This will be a bright spot in the park where we can smile at the thought of silly Charlie and remember him with all of his love and curiosity,” said owner Kristen Ortiz.
Kalbach said the libraries were officially turned over to Parks & Rec this fall, and the first books are already stocked. Bookmarks with usage instructions — in English, Spanish, Korean, and Bengali — have been added to help keep the sharing space active. Temporary plaques will be installed for Charlie Day before permanent bronze versions arrive next month.
The memorial grows — and so does the community
Parks and Recreation Director Courtney Fox said her department has worked closely with organizers as the project evolved, and Charlie's Day was scheduled to align with the installation of the benches.
“Charlie was the most amazing animal, and you couldn’t help but love him,” Kalbach said previously. “We were so blessed to be adopted by him.”
Organizers — Kalbach, Ortiz, Dawn Cliver, and Karena Mandy Lewis — also plan to fund ongoing upkeep through sales of 2026 Charlie & Sonny calendars, stickers, decals, and more at Sunday’s event.
Event details: crafts, community, and giving
Charlie's Day 2025 will include:
The sharing library’s official Little Free Library listing can be found here: https://map.lflapp.org/Lcx5ZTJtKWb
Charlie’s stories live on
Check out below some children's tales, written by this writer, on Charlie and his adventures that can be found in the White's Road Park Charlie & Sonny memorial group:
The first three chapters – “Hello Charlie,” “Charlie the Wandering Cat & The Red Comfy Chair” and “Charlie the Wandering Cat Meets Blackjack” – can be found in the comments here.
Chapter 4: Charlie and the Cats Behind the Window
Chapter 5: Whites Road Park Charlie and the Secret Cat Club
Chapter 6: Charlie and the St. Stan’s Carnival Capers
Chapter 7: Charlie & Trixie: A Lansdale Love Story
Chapter 8: The Night the Cats Took Lansdale
As Ortiz said at the time of his passing, “He jammed enough adventures into his three years that most cats never experience in a long lifetime.”
On Sunday, Lansdale will celebrate all of them — and help his memory take root in a place built with the same warmth he gave the town.
