By Mike Stoll
Special to The PREVIEW
The 25th annual Auction for the Animals is right around the corner. Whether you are a local or a visitor, this year’s silver anniversary gala celebration is the summer event you don’t want to miss. Join us for a fun and entertaining evening and help make this important fundraiser a great success for the dogs and cats at the Humane Society of Pagosa Springs animal shelter.
This year’s event will be held on Friday, Aug. 23, at the Ross Aragon Community Center. The evening will feature a delicious catered dinner and delectable desserts, along with a cash bar featuring fine wine, great beer and soft drinks. Doors open at 6 pm.
The Auction for the Animals is a terrific way to help the dogs and cats in our community’s only animal shelter and a great way to have a fun-filled night, too. Live music will be provided by the Tim Sullivan Band and the dance floor will be open.
The Humane Society is very fortunate to have generous supporters and donors both locally and from afar. Here is just a sampling of some of the fabulous items donated for this year’s auction: exquisite diamond and ruby necklace, earrings and bracelet; framed “Rock N’ Roll All Night Long” B.C. Rich Warlock guitar autographed by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and the members of Kiss; mint CZ model 452 .22 LR bolt action rifle; framed and autographed Jimmy Page and Robert Plant performance photograph with certificate of authenticity (COA); “Gallon’s Gettysburg” framed montage of prints by renowned civil war artist Dale Gallon; new Sony RX100 VI compact digital camera; date-night and weekend getaway packages for either Durango or Pagosa Springs, including lodging, dinning and great activities; shaken-not-stirred James Bond martini gift basket, including autographed Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan photographs as Bond, with COAs.
Other auction items include exquisite jewelry; works of art, with limited prints and original paintings; lodging and trips (domestic and international); sporting goods and memorabilia (including an autographed Dan Marino Dolphins helmet); home décor and furnishings; and much, much more. You’ll also find a wide variety of gift certificates for ski packages, spas, local dining and activities, and an assortment of gift baskets, including baskets of adult beverages and accoutrements perfect for entertaining. There are gifts for your furry family members, too. It’s a super opportunity to do your holiday gift shopping in August and find awesome gifts for those special folks on your list, including yourself.
New this year: starting Aug. 1, you can preview auction items on the Humane Society of Pagosa Springs website (www.humanesociety.biz). New auction items will be added regularly for previewing until the week of the auction. Can’t attend the auction but want to bid? No problem. In addition to previewing, you can also bid on both silent and live auction items online from Aug. 1 through Aug. 22. Leading online bids for all items will be transferred to the silent and live portions of the auction the day of the event. Winning bidders not in attendance will be notified.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the evening’s festivities kick off with socializing and the start of the silent auction. Dinner will be served at 6:45 p.m., followed by the live auction. Tickets are $50 and may be purchased online through www.humanesociety.biz or in person at the Humane Society thrift store, animal shelter or Two Old Crows Gallery. Tickets are limited. The event has sold out the past several years, so don’t delay.
Please help support your local Humane Society by attending and participating in this very important annual fundraiser. The Humane Society of Pagosa Springs does not receive any funding from the Humane Society of the United States, American Humane, the ASPCA or United Way. Your local Humane Society relies on revenue from private donations, the thrift store and fundraisers such as the Auction for the Animals to fund the care of over 700 animals that enter the shelter each year and to fund the many programs that also support community members and their pets.
Remember to purchase your tickets in advance. For more information on the event, visit our website at www.humanesociety.biz or call 264-5549. Come on out Aug. 23 and enjoy a wonderful evening — you’ll be glad you did.
