A party for a cause
♦ Community members come together for Rome for the Rescues.
Over 400 tickets were sold for the third Rome for the Rescues event, held at the Vogue building downtown, with attendees and corporate sponsors supporting the efforts of local animal welfare organizations.
Friday’s event was put on by the nonprofit Claws for Paws, which has been holding fundraisers for local groups the last 12 years.
People filled the first and second floors of the recently refurbished building at 247 Broad St., munching on small plates of food served up by Harvest Moon Cafe and enjoying drinks from the full-service bar and craft beer station. Matching the theme of 2018 being the Chinese year of the dog, the food and event space had an Asian theme.
Ten items, including vacation or experience packages, were available for bidding during a live auction, and Julio Flores — DJ Don Julio — played music late into the night.
Nancy Knight, one of the committee members tasking with organizing the event, said over $50,000 was contributed by corporate sponsors. However, an exact number for what was raised this year was not available, since total expenses had not been accounted for. Last year, a total of $60,000 was raised, with $20,000 of that figure coming in the form of a foundation’s matching funds.
The primary use of funds is for spay and neuter initiatives, Knight said. From last year’s funds, 250 feral animals have been sterilized so far, she added.
A piece of this year’s funds will go toward the construction of a shelter over the outdoor space and kennels at the PAWS — Public Animal Welfare Services — facility. The project will give dogs cover from the rain and shade from the sun.
The efforts of animal welfare groups continue to progress through increased dialogue stemming from the North Georgia Animal Partnership, Knight said, which brings different groups together under a common cause.
“Everyone is talking,” she said.