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Community Corner

Meet the Second Beach Mascot, Lilly

Lilly has become somewhat of a local celebrity at Second Beach.

Sachuest Beach, known to locals as , is 1.2 miles of  sandy white beach, grassy sand dunes, a beautiful view of the homes along the coastline and a short walk to and the

When you enter the Second Beach parking lot it clearly states, ' No Dogs Allowed.' There are times in the wee morning hours before the beach is open, when you are allowed on the beach to walk your dog as long as they are on a leash.

But, there is one dog who is allowed and she has become a local celebrity and Second Beach mascot.  Her name is 'Lilly' and she is nothing short of fabulous with her adorable squishy face that smiles. You'll find Lilly up on the boardwalk next to Tim Coen, her owner.

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Coen, now in his fourth season as beach manager, actually started out as a lifeguard at Second Beach fifteen years ago. On the off summer months, Coen worked as a resource teacher in special needs but is now retired.

You won't see Coen without Lilly walking right beside him. She follows him everywhere and according to Coen, "I always knew that Lilly was a very special dog. Shortly after getting Lilly from a breeder in Hungary, Lilly grew very ill." 

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After a stay at Tufts Animal Hospital, Lilly came home to Coen and his wife Beth.

"In 2006, my wife Beth passed away after a brief illness and Lilly never left my side," Coen said.

Never?

There is much work in getting the beach ready for the summer season and things running smoothly all summer, and Coen has all sorts of meetings with the town administrators and employees at Town Hall.

"Lilly comes to every meeting and it wasn't long before she became the highlight of those meetings," said Coen. "She would be doted on with treats, food and water. No one asked how I was doing, it was always, 'how is Lilly?'"

The same holds true for Lilly at the beach. Families come to Second Beach and only want to see Lilly. They come to take pictures, pet her, talk to her and give her little kisses.  (Like this writer did and got a very wet face!)

Recently, one of the lifeguards dressed Lilly in her own lifeguard uniform. And yes, there are photos of this in the image gallery above.

"Kids have grown up with Lilly. She is a very friendly dog and loves the attention," Coen said.

Second Beach has an awful lot to offer. If you're in the area, swing by and say hello to Lilly, one of the brightest spots on a spectacular small town beach managed by a community with a big heart.

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