People You Should Know

DENISE GUTNISKY

STORY BY KAYLA BERTUCCI

Love is a four-legged word and an action shown by one truly inspiring woman in the Northshore community, Denise Gutnisky. Known best for her selfless nature and constant desire to give to those in need, Gutnisky is one of society’s sweethearts. Her paw-pularity certainly sprung onto the scene in 1994 with the Mardi Paws parade, which was brought to life as a parade for our furry friends in the community as a way to dress up and celebrate the season in true carnival style.

“For 27 years, Louisiana’s famed “Mardi Paws” Parade has come at the tail end of Carnival season, always rolling on the Sunday after Fat Tuesday,” explains Denise. “The Super Krewe for K9s features hundreds of canines and their companions in costumes and is truly a paw-rade with a purpose.” Listed by PARADE Magazine as one of the “Coolest Mardi Gras Celebrations Around the US,” this parade has been seen in many publications including PEOPLE Magazine, Southern Living and US Weekly, to name a few.

Originally from the east coast of Florida, a small beach town called Indialantic, Denise moved to Louisiana after college. Celebrating almost 40 years of marriage, Denise and her husband, Gus, have worked in healthcare for many years.

“On top of being an animal and outdoor lover, I’ve also loved being a hands-on volunteer director of Scott’s Wish. I’ve always loved helping people navigate treatment and insurance issues when they have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. It’s an overwhelming time for them,” shares Denise.

For those of you not familiar with Scott’s Wish, it’s a nonprofit organization that helps patients and families who are going through any type of medical treatment to help close the financial gap needed not only with transportation, lodging, and meals, but also with requests such as car repairs, wheelchair ramps, and more. This organization also provides financial aid to animal welfare including dogs for veterans and therapy dogs.

Denise continues her tireless efforts in the community, partnering with longtime friend Patrick Theriot, on their Mutts to Models Gala, benefiting causes close to both, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and St.Tammany Parish’s open admission animal shelter.

Parish President Mike Cooper and Denise Gutnisky This star-studded evening consists of a runway show featuring celebrities, philanthropists, sports stars, media personalities, veterans and other heroes walking the runway with their dogs or a local animal shelter dog, all in support of charities helping people and pets. Hosted by Vampire Diaries Ian Somerhalder, this night of festivities is one that has been long awaited following Hurricane Ida, the COVID-19 spikes, and the NorthShore friends and families who’ve been longing to gather together for a night of celebration and giving back.

Donations to the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer center helps provide necessary resources for their patients and families such as expert treatment, advanced technology and survivorship to breakthrough clinical trials and translational research. Other funds raised from the gala will benefit St. Tammany Parish’s animal shelter, which Denise says is crucial to help with the overwhelming number of pets taken in each year.

“We are passionate about helping our parish’s only open admission animal shelter - St. Tammany Parish Dept. of Animal Services. For years they just didn’t get the community support they needed. They take in over 4,000 abandoned, stray and owner-surrendered animals each year and need the community’s help re-homing all these unwanted pets,” says Denise.

Whether it’s healthcare or pet care, whether it’s this foundation or that, Denise Gutnisky’s heart bursts with the desire to lend a helping hand. Time, effort, and true compassion is poured into the needs of those around her. To me, that’s the kind of powerhouse you want living in your community, and that’s the type of friend you want to connect with to remind you the importance of elevating others above yourself.

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