Toast for the Animals deemed ‘smashing success’
PET BULLETIN
‘Mews and Yips’ from the Central Aroostook Humane Society
Gloria J. Towle
Board Member
The fifth annual Toast for the Animals was a smashing success and an amazing fundraiser for the Central Aroostook Humane Society. This event is planned and put on annually by the Friends of CAHS auxiliary group and the CAHS Board members. Close to 180 people attended this event, our biggest fundraiser ever!
While the Toast has traditionally been a wine tasting, and last year a beer tasting, a lot of folks expressed interest in having both. Organizers decided to give it a go this year and worked with the Northeastland Hotel to get some unique beers and wines for attendees to sample. This year’s music was provided by Carol Ayoob and Dan Morin. Their band, called Enigmatic North, played a variety of soft, easy-listening music and the two kept Toast-goers in a festive mood all night long.
Again this year, a slideshow of adoptable animals available at the shelter, as well as shelter “success stories” that were lucky enough to find forever homes, ran throughout the evening, reminding everyone of the real reason they had come to the Toast: to help animals in need.
Friends’ group member Winona Christnot-Peters put the beautiful slideshow together for us. Winona has been an active member of the Friends of the Central Aroostook Humane Society auxiliary group since its beginning, almost six years ago. She has had the opportunity to volunteer in many unexpected and fun ways. Although a lot of planning goes into the Toast event every year, it has always resulted in a wonderful evening and this year was no exception!
Christine M. Smith was the Toast coordinator this year and did an amazing job! She, along with other board members, helped put the event together. The real heroes were the businesses and individuals who sponsored the Toast or donated auction items. The silent auction featured over 100 lots, and brought in the lion’s share of the funds raised as attendees bid high knowing the money was going to a worthy cause. The night also featured door prizes and a 50/50 drawing!
Our goal this year was to raise enough funds to install a fire alarm system in the shelter, for use in the event of a catastrophic fire. With the help of Presque Isle Rotary’s $2,000 grant, we met and exceeded the amount needed. Any funds raised above our goal were designated for the care of the animals and needed supplies for the shelter. None of the success we experienced this year would have been possible without all the volunteers who worked so hard to bring the event to fruition — especially the financial support of the event’s sponsors and many who donated money and items for our auction. We truly thank each and every one of you!
This years “Pitch in For Paws” was also a hugely successful event. As always, TAMC did it up big! The amount of supplies collected will help our shelter put monies otherwise used to purchase such items to use in other areas. Local businesses helped “pitch in” and made this event even bigger and more successful. It is amazing what we can do when a community comes together for a cause.
If you are looking for a friend for life, please visit the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Visit us on petfinders.com and Facebook. Please be responsible, spay and neuter your pets!
