KWAS and Mobile Mutts host Summer Garden Party

The Knox Whitley Animal Shelter (KWAS), in collaboration with Mobile Mutts Rescue Transport, are hosting the Summer Garden Party in an effort to raise money to help with providing care to local animals.

All proceeds from this event will contribute towards spay and neuter programs, as well as saving as many lives as possible. The garden party is going to be located at the Oak Hill Gardens on Saturday, July 30, from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Deanna Myers, director of KWAS, Vikki Crook and MaryAnn Smyth of Mobile Mutts are coordinators of the fundraiser, which they described as a fun, unique community event meant to show how partnerships can work together to support an important cause.

“This charity event is to ensure life saving abilities for us through spay and neuter, which is gonna save thousands of lives in its own. Of course the rescue groups, if they wasn’t here to help us pull animals in to rescue, we could not save them,” said Myers. “We are facing odds that we could not do alone. That’s what this event is about, it’s about community, working with rescue groups and partnerships.”

“We feel like we work with the best shelters, and Knox/Whitley is one of the best shelters,” said Crook on the Mobile Mutts partnership with KWAS. “They are working their tails off to save the lives of every animal that comes through the door.”

Activities of the event include a live musical performance from the Kites, followed by a fashion show from Hill Street Loft and Paperdolls Boutique beginning at 5 p.m. The fashion show will feature clothes from both sponsors, as well as a few canine models strutting the catwalk.

“Ruger is going to be in the fashion show. He was a stray that we rescued from Knox County,” said Crook.
At 6 p.m., the band will take the stage yet again, accompanying a silent auction for guests to participate in. Throughout the evening, there will be a variety of games, including crochet and bean toss, played on the lawn. The Wrigley Taproom will have featured food items at the event. There will also be desserts and Sangria punches.

Crook says there have been several items donated to the silent auction, such as a Microsoft Surface Pro tablet, a Dooney and Bourke purse, a $100 gift card, gift baskets and much more. Oak Hill Gardens, located in London, was also donated for use by one of the owners of the venue, Josh Samples, for this event.

“He follows our rescue work and our shelter work, so he offered to do an event for us to raise funds for the shelter and for our rescue efforts,” said Crook. “He and his family are very loving animal advocates.”

Crook expressed that she was amazed at the amount of donations they have received for the fundraiser.

KWAS and Mobile Mutts say their goal is to raise $20,000 through this event that will be used for spay and neuter programs. These programs help to reduce over-population, allowing an increase in the animal save rate by the two organizations.

“As far as a goal, the funds will 100 percent stay in our county to help animals from this shelter. The over population of dogs and cats in our area is extensive,” said Crook.
“We could not do what we do if it was not for fundraising. If it was not for rescue, we couldn’t save lives,” added Myers, also stating that the shelter relies more on rescue than adoption based on the sheer intake flow of animals. There are around 6,500 animals that go through KWAS each year.

The KWAS and Mobile Mutts would like to encourage local businesses to participate in advertisements at the fundraiser. They are offering three levels of sponsorship categorized as bronze, silver, or gold. For example, bronze level sponsorship ($100-$149) will grant the sponsor/business name on the sponsorship board and they will be verbally recognized as well.

“We are still taking sponsorships,” said Crook.

All sponsorships purchased via advertisement will go towards the care of these animals. Those looking to advertise through a sponsorship should contact Mary-Ann Smyth at 606-526-6943 or 606-261-4381.

Individual tickets to attend the event are $75. Anyone who wishes to purchase a ticket should call 606-526-6943, Vikki Crook at 606-524-9364, or Deanna Myers at 606-515-7040. For those who would like to donate without attending the event, please visit their website at www.kwas.org or www.mobile-mutts.org.

KWAS and Mobile Mutts hope to make this an annual event.