SOUTHWICK – The Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter is doing a different kind of fundraiser next week – A Mystery Road Rally.
“It’s a combination road rally and scavenger hunt,” said Animal Control Officer Tracy Root. “Bob (Polverari) wanted to do something different because he said everyone does golf tournaments.”
Set for Sept. 7, the event takes place at the shelter, located at 11 Depot St. at 10 a.m. and kicks-off with coffee and donuts donated by Dunkin Donuts.
“It ends with a picnic and pie-eating contest, with pies from Putnam Farm,” said Root, adding that Interstate Building Supply and Wal-Mart were among businesses that donated prizes.
“It will be fun!” she said. “It’s a family-oriented event so people should bring their kids.
Admission to the event is $20 and children under 12 are free. Proceeds benefit the shelter’s medical needs.
“We’ve been inundated with animals all summer,” said Root. “We’ve even had to take some to the larger shelters, which are also overloaded.”
Root said adoptions go down in summer because people are often travelling. The shelter still had to care for medical needs such as spaying, neutering, medicine and more.
‘We’ve had a lot of vet bills this summer,” said Root. “We had a ton of spays and neuters and Dakin couldn’t get us in fast enough so Southwick (VCA) has been working with us. But, it’s been a tough summer, financially.”
Polverari, who donated and built the shelter last year, wanted to help Root replenish the medical account and organized the Mystery Road Rally.
Root said she currently has six dogs and 20 cats available for adoption. The shelter is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. and by appoitnment after hours and weekends.
Reservations are encouraged but not required. Call Polverari at 413-531-0336 or the shelter at 413-569-5348 ext. 649 for more information or to RSVP.
