By RONDA GREGORY
News & Journal Staff Writer
Usher in a season of new beginnings and new hope with the twist, the stroll, bee bop, hip hop and any move that suits your groove.
Come out and “DANCE into SPRING for the Shelter Animals” with Rick K. and the Allnighters Saturday, April 9 at the Village Square on Rt. 19 in Clarksburg. Doors open at 7 p.m. with the fun event for our furry friends running from 8 to 11 p.m.
The Humane Society of Harrison County, Inc. (a no-kill shelter), along with Play It Again Promotions, is hosting the annual fundraiser to benefit homeless animals throughout the county.
Frankie Dennison, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Harrison County, said that the popular band is a big attraction.
“They are really good,” she exclaimed. “They draw a broad-ranged crowd. We actually have people that come all the way from Charleston.”
Dennison said it’s partly because the band plays selections from many genres and decades that appeal to many.
“They play a wide variety of music,” she reports. “It’s available for almost any age -from the 1950s to the present.”
And dancing in comfort will be easy with a casual dress code for the evening’s event.
To add to the dance party excitement, there will be raffle drawings, tip boards, 50/50 drawings and door prizes.
Dennison reports that Village Square has changed its policy about bringing in food from the outside.
“It’s a new rule of our venue this year that food will have to be purchased onsite,” she explained. “But there will be a cafe that will have fun foods, such as hot wings, appetizers, cold cuts and cheeses. And people can order hot or cold platters in advance, if they choose.”
Dennison added that all beverages – both alcoholic and soft drinks -will again have to be purchased at the venue. There will be a cash bar with soft drinks, beer, wine and liquor available for purchase.
Dennison said their annual fundraiser usually brings in a good amount of money each year for their sheltered animals, but that they can always use more.
“We usually make between $3,000 to $4,000, which is a lot,” she stated. “But we hope to exceed that.”
Profits from the dance go toward sheltering their onsite dogs and cats. They can house about 16 adult dogs and about 15 adult cats, plus some litters of puppies and kittens. To expand their sphere of help, the organization has a foster program they manage that allows them to house, help and place even more homeless animals.
“The profits from the fundraiser are used to help cover all the expenses for the animals,” Dennison explained. “They not only help cover the spay/neuter programs, vaccinations and any veterinarian costs and food, the proceeds go toward maintaining the facility to help house them along with insurance and utilities.”
The agency offers two spay/neuter programs. One, called “Kindest Cut”, is funded through their Thrift Store on Milford Street. Dennison said it helps pay 80 percent of the cost of the procedures for pets for clients who make $10,000 and under. The other program, funded through $20,000 from the Harrison County Commission, pays $40 for cats and $50 for dogs. This program helps about 600 animals each year get spayed or neutered.
Dennison noted that they’ve been able to shorten adoption times from homeless intake to getting a ‘furever’ home.
“We’ve had great success lately,” she reports, grinning. “Now our longest resident has only been here three months.”
Dennison emphasized that speed is not the main factor though. Everyone at the Humane Society of Harrison County works to ensure each pet gets a loving, forever home. They use a strident application process that is checked with scrutiny for each adoption. And they also work to make the most successful matchup of pet to human.
“We try to fit the best pet with the best person for the best outcome,” Dennison stated.
With the shelter open seven days a week, the agency is blessed to have a staff of six plus a dedicated group of volunteers, Dennison stated.: “We’re always looking for more volunteers. We love our volunteers.”
Dennison said they want people in the community to know they are there to help them and the animals.
“There is a large number of animal owners and animal lovers in this area,” Dennison said. “We not only want to provide pets for them and resources for them, we want our animals to be happy and healthy and find long-term forever homes.”
Cost of “Dance into Spring” is $25 per person or $180 for a table of eight. Individual tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door, but table reservations should be in by Wednesday, April 6, Dennison said.
For more information about the event, tickets, reservations or forms, or how you can donate or volunteer, go to www.hshcwv.org or call (304) 842-6510 or (304) 592-1600. Or you can visit the shelter from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. any day of the week at 2450 Saltwell Road, Shinnston.
