A Star-Studded Event Benefiting the Humane Society for Boone County
January 2021
What’s February without a Mardi Gras Pawty? Join us on Saturday, Feb. 20, for the 2021 Virtual Fur Ball, presented by TDS Telecom, supporting the Humane Society for Boone County (HSforBC). While it may look completely different from years past, this year’s signature event and primary fundraiser for HSforBC will be the “must-attend” virtual event of the Mardi Gras season!
This year’s Virtual Fur Ball will feature acclaimed radio personality and Boone County resident Kristi Lee as the event emcee. Lee is with the nationally syndicated radio show “The Bob and Tom Show” and also hosts the “Kristi Lee Uninterrupted” podcast.
But wait—there’s more! HSforBC’s Executive Director Susan Austin has pulled a kitty from her magical hat of tricks and has lined up “America’s Cat Daddy” Jackson Galaxy as the speaker for the VIP Virtual Viewing Party!
Galaxy, a renowned cat behaviorist and author, is the host of the hit television show “My Cat From Hell,” featured on Animal Planet. Thanks to Austin’s well-penned plea to Galaxy, he will be entertaining the VIPs with his witty cat stories, followed by a Q&A session.
Why Is HSforBC an Important Organization to Our County?
HSforBC provides food, health care, vaccinations and spay-and-neuter services for all animals in its care. It is 100% volunteer operated and receives no tax dollars. In addition to its need of volunteers to help work at the shelter and to foster animals, there is a need for donations of requested items and monetary donations that will go toward the care of the animals and day-to-day operations of the shelter. HSforBC’s efforts and services have been even more critical to the community this past year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This annual Fur Ball raises awareness and funds that are crucial to its operating budget and to its volunteer board and staff.
A Virtual “Pawty” Loaded With Fun!
Zionsville Monthly is proud to be a long-standing sponsor of HSforBC’s Fur Ball, and joining us this year, in addition to the presenting sponsor—TDS Telecom—are fellow sponsors (including but not limited to) Dentons Bingham Greenebaum as the VIP Virtual Viewing Party sponsor, D.R. Horton Homes as the online auction sponsor, Tracy Ridings Realtor/Broker with F.C. Tucker Company as the Virtual Viewing Party Kit sponsor and The Farmer’s Bank as the Best Cat and Dog Mask Contest sponsor.
HSforBC is putting together an online auction that will include some unique and exciting items, including a chance to bid on naming a litter of puppies or kittens that are in the care of HSforBC. The online auction will go live a week prior to the Fur Ball and will end that following Sunday.
All contest prizes and auction items will be scheduled for pickup from the shelter following the virtual event.
“The VIP Virtual Viewing Party will start at 7 p.m.,” Austin shared. “The VIP preparty is ticketed, and the entire event will be run on a virtual platform. Then at 7:30 p.m., we’ll throw the ‘doors’ open—NO leash required—and then everyone can join in [virtually]. Tickets will go on sale at the first of February and will be $500, which provides 10 emails to access to the virtual gala and $50 for individual tickets with single email access.”
Although the event will be all virtual, it is guaranteed to be lively and fun! Attendees are encouraged to get creative and have fun with the Mardi Gras theme. For the first time in the event’s history, Austin and her team will be presenting the event live from the shelter!
“We’ll share what we did and our successes in 2020 along with a couple of stories from our fosters and caretakers,” Austin said. “We’ll highlight our programs, including how we expanded our pet pantry program, as well as showcase some of our adoptable critters—live from our shelter!”
Save the Date and Purchase Your Tables/Tickets Today!
This “must-attend” virtual Mardi Gras party features lots of fun, an online auction, and the ever-popular dog and cat mask contest! Individual virtual tickets and virtual tables of 10 are available to purchase for this fundraising event. The ticket link for this event will be live as of Feb. 1, 2021, and will close by Feb. 15. See the website link below.
HSforBC relies on corporate sponsors as well as donations of auction items from companies and individuals for this event to raise funds for the care of homeless dogs, puppies, cats and kittens. To purchase tickets to this year’s Virtual Fur Ball and for information on how to sponsor/support this fundraiser and HSforBC, visit hsforbc.org.
Writer:
Janelle Morrison
Photography:
Courtesy of HSforBC