Tag Archives: fundraiser

2019, Children, Dogs, Donate, Events, FOTAS, Fundraisers, News, Woofstock

Calling all Basset Hounds, Come Race at Woofstock!

Posted on by Bob Gordon
29
Apr

By Denise Parmentier, FOTAS volunteer

This Saturday, plan to attend Woofstock Doggie Derby Day 2019, FOTAS’s annual family festival featuring the famous Doxie Derby.

Denise gives TUCKER a pep talk before his next big race.

This year’s event, scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Citizens Park, will offer many dog contests, including “Animal’s Got Talent,” a best trick competition being judged by Simon Growl and Heidi Groom; best kisser; best costume; and best dog/owner look alikes. There’s also going to be kids races, pet related business vendors, balloon creations, face painting, great food, music and other fun activities for the whole family.

TUCKER has surprising speed for a Basset Hound

The festival kicks off with a cavalcade of adoptable canines and a parade of dogs that have been adopted from the Aiken County Animal Shelter over the years.

But the event I’m most looking forward to is a dog race – more specifically, the Basset Hound competition. If you like to laugh, you’re going to love witnessing these adorable, short-legged Basset Hounds with marshmallow feet hilariously race each other down a grass track.

Basset Hound racing mania struck me in the early ‘80s. I was introduced to this “sport of kings” by Jerri Caswell at her Annual San Diego Basset Hound Picnic. The first event was the Basset-to-Owner race and it was about the funniest thing I’d ever seen. Bassets running to the right, Bassets to the left, Bassets going down the course in the wrong direction, and some just stopping to socialize or sniff in the middle of the field! We laughed till we cried, and I knew instantly that someday I would put on a Basset Hound Race.

TUCKER is a two-time winner of Woofstock’s large breed dog race, and this year he’s competing against other Bassets.

Enter Aiken, a perfect place for a Basset Hound race –it’s such a horse friendly, dog-loving town! I saw an ad in the Aiken Standard for Woofstock and the FOTAS Doxie Derby. I wanted to run my Basset Hound, Tucker, with them, but he was too big to race with those little wiener Dachshunds. The crowd watched and laughed as the funny little sausage dogs ran down the 75-foot course.

But I didn’t give up hope of racing Tucker and was pleased to discover the following year’s Woofstock featured a large breed dog race. Despite the fact that Tucker was only 12-inches tall with 5-inch legs, he went face to face with German Shepherds and Border Collies. With a look of determination, he ran his heart out and won the race by a nose!

The next year we entered the large dog race again, never expecting to repeat that performance, but Tucker won again! Then, year three drew a whole new assortment of large, athletic dogs. Tucker finished fourth … maybe.

But on May 4, Tucker will finally get to race dogs of his own breed. He will compete against ten of his best Basset Hound buddies. I can’t wait to see these dogs “sprint” to the finish line and watch the hilarity ensue.

If you have a Basset Hound and would like to race in this year’s “Hush Puppy Handicap” please come to Woofstock early and register your dog for the big contest. Tucker welcomes the competition!

PETS OF THE WEEK

HATCH
Retriever mix, male, 6 years old, black/blue, 50 pounds – $35

J. LO
Domestic Shorthair, female, 1 year old, brn & orange Manx, 6 pounds – $10

2018, Children, Dogs, donations, FOTAS, Fundraisers, Junior FOTAS, News, TNR Program, Volunteer, Volunteers, Woofstock

Junior FOTAS Students Prove our Future Looks Good

Posted on by Bob Gordon
15
Oct
Junior FOTAS students took photos with adorable, adoptable Rosetta to post on social media.

Last year, a new after school program called Junior FOTAS was started by students at Tall Pines STEM Academy. Two teachers assist the students, including their language arts teacher, Mrs. Busby, who is passionate about helping shelter pets and a FOTAS volunteer, and their math teacher, Mrs. Mastromonico, who’s adopted pets from the shelter and is a strong animal advocate. Her son even raised over $400 for FOTAS’s Have a Heart Save a Heart program, a fund that provides heartworm treatment for shelter dogs.

Every other week, the group meets after school along with myself and FOTAS Volunteer Marnie Munger. During each meeting, we introduce the students to a new shelter pet and teach them the importance of spaying and neutering and about the Trap, Neuter Release (TNR) program, heartworm prevention and other key FOTAS and ACAS initiatives.

The students surprised all of us! They made videos about FOTAS programs such as Doggie Days Out, Fix-a-Pet and Community Outreach. They held a car wash that raised money for heartworm treatment and marched in the Aiken Memorial Day Parade in t-shirts that they designed, singing a cheer about spaying and neutering.

And at last year’s Annual Woofstock Doggy Derby Day, members of the group sold snow cones to raise money for shelter pets. These kids are incredible!

Junior FOTAS members raised money for the shelter animals at Aiken’s Makin’.

This year, during the first meeting I was blown away when more than 40 students joined the group! These young people are enthusiastic and ready to get to work. Members of the group took the initiative to sell raffle tickets for a FOTAS fundraiser at Aiken’s Makin’. They sold $100 in tickets and took in over $400 in monetary donations to help the shelter pets.

Most recently, Junior FOTAS visited the animals at 333 Wire Road and enjoyed a tour by Shelter Manager Bobby Arthurs. Bobby showed them the entire facility and taught them the history of the ACAS. The students were really interested in the process of how animals arrive at the shelter and how they are adopted. They all took turns hugging and loving the shelter’s longest canine resident, Rosetta, and brainstormed on how they can help dogs like her find homes faster. One idea was to make flyers, while another was to take pictures and selfies with her and share them on social media. Who wouldn’t want to adopt a dog that is so awesome with kids, right?

To see their eyes when they hugged a homeless dog was beautiful and Rosetta was in heaven! What a perfect world it would be if everyone was so eager to love!

Despite Junior FOTAS’s promotion of Rosetta on social media, she has yet to be adopted.

FOTAS is thrilled to see young people take an interest in helping the shelter animals. We have all heard that “children are our future,” and if these students are this driven at their young ages of 11-14, our future is looking pretty bright!

Please keep an eye on these upcoming leaders in animal advocacy and contact us at (803) 514-4313 or info@angelhartlinedesigns.com if you’d like to start a Junior FOTAS group at your learning institution.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

 

— By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director

 

Pets of the Week

ADELI
Domestic Medium-hair, female, 2 years old, 7.6 pounds – $10

LILITH
Mixed breed, female, 2 years old, 35 pounds – $35

2018, donations, essay, Events, FOTAS, Fundraisers, News, Volunteers

Leadership & Teamwork Make FOTAS Golf Tourney a Signature Event

Posted on by Bob Gordon
09
Oct

FOTAS just held its Fifth Annual Playing Fore the Pets Golf Tournament and Helicopter Ball Drop on Oct. 1. The event was bigger than ever, with 176 golfers participating in the tournament and 996 ball drop raffle tickets sold.

A golf tournament participant checks out the prizes and gift baskets provided by sponsors.

In just five years, this special event has become the biggest FOTAS fundraiser of the year. It’s quite an achievement but such success doesn’t happen by accident. The event has grown and progressively raised more money to benefit the homeless pets at the Aiken County Animal Shelter due tostrong leadership and a lot of hard work.

The leadership? Sandy and Ross Staiger, co-chairs of the event. When Ross retired in 2011, the couple moved from New Hampshire and made their home in Aiken. Sandy joined FOTAS in 2012 as a dog-walking volunteer and soon put her photography skills to good use, taking high-quality pictures of shelter dogs to promote their availability and use in their profiles. She helped out at various FOTAS events, including the organization’s annual Woofstock festival, and

On tournament day, Sandy Staiger reviews final details with a representative from The Reserve Club at Woodside.

thought adding a golf tournament to the FOTAS schedule of events could be a nice fit.

Never one to sit quietly when she has a suggestion, Sandy shared her idea to start a golf-themed fundraising event with FOTAS President Jennifer Miller. The event would include their signature attraction, a helicopter hovering 300 feet in the air, dropping hundreds of numbered golf balls onto a target below. Each ball would represent a $10 raffle ticket and the person whose ball landed closest to the target would win $1,000. Miller and the FOTAS Board liked the idea and held the premier Playing Fore the Pets fundraiser in 2014.

“The goal of this event is not only to provide a fun time for amateur golfers and raise money for the animals, but also to build awareness of the needs at the County Shelter and inform the community about FOTAS’s many helpful programs that help these unwanted pets,” Sandy said.

The hard work of planning and executing the tournament is done by the Playing Fore the Pets event committee. According to the Staigers, this group is the “heart” of the tournament’s success. No outside contest experts are hired. No consultants provide support. It’s up to this small unit to minimize expenses and do all the leg work. FOTAS volunteers fill the role of the event’s service staff on tournament day.

During the helicopter golf ball drop event, nearly 1,000 golf balls are released from 300 feet onto a target below.

The committee includes: four-year veterans Karen Loughran, Sharon Johnson and Connie Jarzmik; two-year vets Jan Barker and Cori McCorkle; and Cindie Davidson, who joined the committee this year. These women start organizing and seeking sponsors in May and their work doesn’t let up until the day of the tournament and golf ball drop.
This year, sponsorship signs, banners, and beautiful prize baskets dominated the tournament grounds more than ever — all due to the work of committee members and the generosity of both long-time and freshman sponsors.

“The best part for Ross, me and the committee is seeing the result of our efforts,” Sandy said. “It’s all about benefiting the County Shelter animals.”

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

 

By the Numbers
In the first four days of October, the County Animal Shelter received 120 strays and surrendered pets – an average of 30 animals per day!

 

Pets of the Week

TULIP
Domestic Shorthair, female, tortoiseshell, 1 year old, 7.2 pounds – $10

ALLEN
Retriever mix, male, brindle, 1 year old, 52 pounds – $35

2018, Bully Dogs, Dogs, Events, FOTAS, Fundraisers, News, Pibbles, Woofstock

Introducing Woofstock’s Awesome, Adoptable VIPs

Posted on by Angel Hartline
29
Apr

This Saturday, FOTAS is hosting Woofstock, our biggest family event of the year. The celebration will take place at Citizens Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and once again feature many contests, including the Doxie Derby and other canine races and contests. Everyone is invited to join in the fun and pet dogs are welcome, too!

Bo is a senior but has the energy of a much younger dog.
Bo is a senior but has the energy of a much younger dog.

In fact, there will be a variety of furry VIPs from the Aiken County Animal Shelter in attendance. These special dignitaries will be easy to spot with their designer “Adopt Me” scarfs and vests. You can visit with these canine celebrities and, since FOTAS volunteers will be doing adoptions on-site, even take them home with you.

Woofstock’s canine guests of honor can be yours for only $35 each. Although there will be many available, here are some of the top shelter celebrities who would love to walk the red carpet all the way to your front door:

OTIS: A two-year-old Corgi mix, Otis is playful and loves to play fetch. He’s 5 years old and acts like a pup. He arrived in bad shape, with a lot of fur missing from a skin infection, but now he’s got his rich red coat back and ready for a forever home.

Hilde is a special girl who needs to find a good home ASAP.
Hilde is a special girl who needs to find a good home ASAP.

MASON & CHEVY: These two big, sweet guys arrived at the shelter together as strays and really should be adopted as a bonded pair. Mason is 4-1/2 years old, Chevy is 2 and each weigh about 70 pounds. The mixed breed bosom buddies need a home with lots of love and a fenced-in yard.

Bell is an alpha dog who's both goofy and smart.
Bell is an alpha dog who’s both goofy and smart.

JACKSON: This shy but sweet Hound mix is 4 years old and will make a perfect addition to anyone’s home. Handsome and athletic, Jackson loves other dogs and is friendly, gentle and calm. His best friend at the shelter is Vinny. They met for the first time at 333 Wire Road and became instant BFFs.

BELL: One ear is always up and the other down, giving 2-year-old, mixed breed Bell a very cute look. Her personality is even better. She’s lovable, funny and very smart. Give her a belly rub and she’ll love you forever!

Otis is a happy, playful Corgi mix.
Otis is a happy, playful Corgi mix.

BO: Ten years old with the playful energy of a puppy, Bo is a staff and volunteer favorite. This wonderful black Beagle mix needs to find a home as soon as possible. 

HILDE: An apricot-colored Retriever mix, Hilde is a true gem. She loves people and walks well on a leash. She’s one of the smartest dogs at the shelter but also has a goofy side. She’ll make some lucky adopter very happy.

So, come visit these canine celebrities at Woofstock on May 5 or – even better – visit them at the Shelter tomorrow! If you adopt one (or two) of these wonderful dogs, they can still attend the Woofstock festival as VIPs, but with you, their new friend and owner, at their side.

Their lives are in our hands.

— by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

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By the Numbers

April 1-28: 331 stray and owner surrendered pets were brought to the County Shelter

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Pets of the Week

malissa looking upMALISSA: Wire-haired Terrier mix, female, 3 years old, light brown, 62 pounds – $35

 

lizzie POTWLIZZIE: Domestic Shorthair, 8 years old, tan & black Tabby, 9 pounds – $10

 

Children, Donate, FOTAS, Fundraisers

Kids today, they’re so generous to shelter animals in need

Posted on by Angel Hartline
11
Aug

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

We’ve all heard and read the negative comments about today’s youth. Kids are lazy these days! They’re more interested in their iPhones and video games than the world around them. They’re not as engaged with society and care more about taking selfies than reaching out to others.
But despite such negativity and the glut of news stories about today’s children being more selfish, we are not seeing it. In fact, just the opposite. More kids than ever are donating time to the shelter and FOTAS has received a wave of donations from children who want to do something special for the homeless animals at 333 Wire Road.
In many cases, the kids leverage their birthdays to raise donations for the animals. Seven-year-old Marli Cook is a great example. Rather than receiving traditional birthday presents, she asked her party guests to instead bring animal food donations. Ten-year-old Christina Proctor did the same. So did Harper Still on her fifth birthday.

Seven-year-old Marli Cook with the donations her guests brought to her birthday party.
Seven-year-old Marli Cook with the donations her guests brought to her birthday party.

Audrey Dietzel even hosted her eighth birthday at the shelter last year and did the same on her ninth birthday, donating all of her cash gifts to the animals. Thanks to her asking for donations and the generosity of her party guests, FOTAS received $300 from Audrey last Saturday.

Birthday girl Audrey Dietzel (holding cash donation) hosted her birthday party at the Coun
Birthday girl Audrey Dietzel (holding cash donation) hosted her birthday party at the Coun

“We gave Audrey other options for parties – the girly spa, a pool party, Air Strike, the Great Wolf Lodge – but she loves the animals and the shelter,” said Audrey’s mom, Wendy. “That’s where her heart is right now.”
Most recently, three very young but enterprising friends from Wagener sold lemonade and used the full $100 they raised to buy food and other goodies for the shelter’s animals.

Three young friends from Wagener sell lemonade to raise money for FOTAS.
Three young friends from Wagener sell lemonade to raise money for FOTAS.

Eight-year-old Hayden Collum and his 6-year-old brother, Colton, joined their 6-year-old pal, Natalie Tyler, to raise money for the FOTAS donation. Natalie asked for a lemonade stand on her birthday and her mother, Nikki, obliged.

The three musketeers who raised money to buy food and other gifts for the County Shelter animals: Hayden Collum, 8; Colton Collum, 6; and Natalie Tyler, 8.
The three musketeers who raised money to buy food and other gifts for the County Shelter animals: Hayden Collum, 8; Colton Collum, 6; and Natalie Tyler, 8.

“As a parent, I think it’s important to get the kids out there doing something besides playing video games and watching TV,” Nikki said. “Learning responsibility is important and Natalie enjoyed working and giving goodies to the shelter animals.”

The three kids had a great time and informed their customers that all the proceeds from the lemonade sales were going to FOTAS.

Lynn Collum, Hayden and Colton’s mother, always encourages such altruistic actions from her boys. “A lot of kids have enough these days,” she said. “In my family, we were taught to give back to the community and raise money for other causes.”

Children don’t always wait for their birthday to give money or food to the animals. Nancy Bates and her two daughters Rheney, 10, and Robbie, 7, donated $120 to FOTAS when they adopted Cotton, a beautiful cream-colored kitten. The girls donated $60 of their own money to the Shelter animals, and their mom matched their donation.

Sisters Rheney and Robbie Bates donated their own money to FOTAS and adopted Cotton.
Sisters Rheney and Robbie Bates donated their own money to FOTAS and adopted Cotton.

Thank you to all the children who have been so generous to FOTAS and the Shelter animals this year! With the large intake of animals each month, these donations are crucial to the well-being and comfort of the felines and canines forced to spend time in the County facility. To donate to or learn more about FOTAS, please go to FOTASaiken.org.

Their lives are in our hands.

BY THE NUMBERS

In the first week of August, the County Shelter received 186 animals.

PETS OF THE WEEK

MONTI: Retriever mix, male, 1-1/2 years old, black with white, 59 pounds - $35
MONTI: Retriever mix, male, 1-1/2 years old, black with white, 59 pounds – $35
RAY: Domestic Shorthair cat (blind), male, 8 years old, silver black, 9 pounds - $10
RAY: Domestic Shorthair cat (blind), male, 8 years old, silver black, 9 pounds – $10
Cats, Dogs, Events, FOTAS, Fundraisers, Woofstock

A happy day in Aiken: The FOTAS Woofstock Festival and Derby

Posted on by Angel Hartline
30
Oct

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

I am, by nature, an optimistic person, but recently my cheery nature has been put to the test.

The nastiness of the presidential election is depressing. The violence in the Middle East is escalating. North Carolina pig farms are polluting the environment. Cholera has broken out in Haiti. Bobby Vee, the early 60’s pop artist who crooned “Take Good Care of My Baby” has died. Brad and Angelina have called it quits.

Yikes! Is there no end to this misery?

Yes, my friends, there is. This Saturday, November 5th, the annual FOTAS Woofstock Festival & the Doxie Derby is being held at Citizen’s Park to benefit the Aiken County Animal Shelter, and that means hours of free fun for you and your family.

The popular Doxie Derby is back, and if the sight of all those little wiggly wittle wiener dogs wacing for the roses doesn’t make you laugh, well then, there’s no hope for you. No fast wiener dogs in your family? That’s okay, because there’s also a small dog, any breed contest as well.

Then there are the dog contests—Best Trick, Best Costume, Best Kisser, and my personal favorite, Best Look Alike—guaranteed to make even the crankiest scrooge smile.

Loyal fan and our favorite celebrity journalist, John Hart, from WJBF News Channel 6, will be on hand to serve as the Master of Ceremonies. Brad and Jayne Williams will be playing the hits all day long on their super sound system. Aiken Balloon Creations will be painting faces and making animal balloons all day for a donation to FOTAS.

So leave the troubles of the world behind and come on over with your human and canine family. Grab a bite to eat from the Sugar Bear caterers or Marco’s Pizza and top it off with some Flanigans’ ice cream. Wander around the Exhibitors tables and maybe give the family dog a quick manicure at the Nails ‘N Tails table.

Buy a raffle ticket from Doc Holly (Veterinary Service of Aiken) to win an Apple Watch, or bid on the Labyrinth Quilt made by Aiken artist Jackie Hill. Want to express your creative side? Enter our “Name the Mascot” contest and win a $50 gift card to Fatz Cafe (you can enter any time beforehand at Herbal Solutions, Bone-I-Fide Bakery or the Screenprint Factory).

While you are there, let us introduce you to some of our adoptable pets on site—after all, isn’t that what it’s all about? If you happen to fall in love, guess what? Adoption prices will be slashed in half–$35 for dogs and $15 for cats.

A tightly-knit community of caring people and businesses—Auto Tech, Herbal Solutions, Veterinary Services of Aiken, VIP Petcare, Atlantic Broadband, the Aiken Standard, Downtown Dog, Aiken Saddlery & Supply, the Aiken Veterinary Clinic, Dog & Hound, Fox Nation, Hollow Creek Animal Hospital, Larlee Construction, Pan American Veterinary Corp, The Willcox, and scores of volunteers and supporters—all coming together on this happy, festive day to make life better for the thousands of homeless animals of Aiken County.

Now that makes my heart sing.

Their lives are in our hands.

Events, Fundraisers

Playing Fore the Pets Golf Tourney Results in Key Funding for Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
01
Oct

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director and Volunteer

One thousand yellow golf balls fell from the sky onto a green at Houndslake Country Club late Monday afternoon at the Second Annual Play Fore the Pets Golf Tournament. Wave after wave of dimpled spheres, each numbered to match a ticket issued for a $10 donation, poured out of a helicopter high above a crowd watching with anticipation. Some landed with a soft thud, while others bounced high into the air before finally resting on the manicured grass, but only one ball, #753, dropped into the hole, making Bill Haynsworth a lucky winner and one grand richer.

The helicopter ball drop, sponsored by Prime Steakhouse, Chesterfield Court, Chesterfield Design and in Memory of Latham C. Burns, was the climactic conclusion to FOTAS’s benefit golf tournament, which also included a four-person Captain’s Choice team golf match, an exploding golf ball challenge, individual skill competitions and numerous raffles for prizes.

Other winners included:

1st place team: Peter Miller, Lito Salatino, Andy Grim and Antonio Galvan

2nd place team: Chuck Easters, Jeff Hennen, Dan Sheehan and Rick Donaldson

Closest to the flag: Eric Holmes (won a two-night stay at the Houndslake Inn)

Longest drive: Chas Masters (won a Yeti Cooler donated by Milton Ruben Toyota)

Playing Fore the Pets was a great success thanks to the co-chairpersons of the event, Sandy and Ross Staiger. They—along with their committee of Sharon Johnson, Karen Loughran and Jim Johnson—started working in March to organize and manage the day-long affair. In addition, a legion of FOTAS volunteers worked together on Monday to ensure all the activities ran smoothly.