By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
This Saturday, June 1, the Barren River Animal Welfare Association — more commonly known as BRAWA — will have the annual Shake Your Paw Ball at the Cave Area Conference Center.
“It’s the fourteenth annual so we have been doing it awhile,” said Molly Taylor, a long-time volunteer at BRAWA. “It has changed and morphed over the 14 years and it has grown into something we’re really proud of.”
Taylor said the Paw Ball is the largest fundraiser the shelter holds each year with last year’s ball. She hopes this year’s fundraiser will surpass that sum as BRAWA is intaking more animals than before with last year’s intake being around 4,200 animals compared to the 2,500 the shelter normally intakes.
“This fundraiser helps with our budget for the year,” Taylor said. “It helps us keep doing what we set out to do which is to help the animals in our community. We’re hoping to surpass last year and we did a little over $20,000 last year so finger crossed this will be our most successful event yet.”
Tickets, which includes a person’s meal and two drink tickets, for this event are on sale currently for $60 and will continue to be sold up to the event — even at the door, Taylor said — with the proceeds going to the shelter. The festivities are set to begin at 6 p.m. at the Cave Area Conference Center with a cocktail hour, which is then followed by a “full Italian meal” catered by Diane White. An hour after the buffet opens DJ Shane White will play a variety of music — Taylor said this is the first time the event has hosted a DJ.
While attendees are enjoying their meals and listening, or dancing, to the music a silent auction will also be taking place from 6-9 p.m. Taylor said this year’s silent auction is the biggest it’s ever been and has something for everyone with a lot of local businesses, the schools and a Chicago artist Kate Hoyer donating items to the auction.
On the fundraiser’s fliers, and in promotional material, it is the 14th annual Shake Your Paw Ball – with a twist and Taylor explained the twist is the event’s overall tone. According to her it’s a lot more subdued that it has been in years past.
“We’ve always done more of a formal ball per se,” Taylor said. “This year our decorations and everything reflects something a bit more casual. We’re going to have the red-and-white checkered tablecloths and we’re going with the Italian theme, which we’ve never done before. So that’s the twist. You don’t have to come in a black tie or a big fancy dress. We just want everyone to come and have a good time.”
Doors open at 6 p.m. and, according to Taylor, the event will go to 11 p.m. roughly.
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