Oreo’s Animal Rescue hosts fundraiser
The future of hundreds of animals may very well have unknowingly lied in the paws of the nearly euthanized black and white kitten dubbed Oreo. She was saved from Dickinson’s city pound and now, Oreo’s Animal Rescue has rescued and helped find homes for 1,838 cats and dogs.
The future of hundreds of animals may very well have unknowingly lied in the paws of the nearly euthanized black and white kitten dubbed Oreo.
She was saved from Dickinson’s city pound and now, Oreo’s Animal Rescue has rescued and helped find homes for 1,838 cats and dogs.
Those involved do it for the love of a pet and the non-profit organization will host its rightfully-so-named “For the Love of a Pet” banquet Feb. 14 at the Ramada Grand Dakota Lodge in Dickinson.
Founding members Dr. Kim Brummond, Shelly Quandt, Lori Ott, Melissa Gordon and Tara Couch incorporated the organization in 2005, and things haven’t slowed down since.
“We didn’t think that it would grow into the organization that it is, we hoped it maybe would … and it grows every year,” said Debbi Wilson, Oreo’s board president.
Relying on the assistance of foster families, an animal can stay in foster care until it is adopted, Wilson said.
“They’re wonderful families and they just will really socialize with the dogs,” Wilson said. “Usually they don’t just take in one, usually they’ll take in two or three. We can’t have enough praise for the foster families.”
But, not all the foster families end up being just a temporary home.
“We do have, including one of our local police officers … what we call foster flunkies and those are where they say oh they’re going to foster then they wind up adopting the animal because they don’t want to give them up,” Wilson said, chuckling.
Caring for the animals comes at a price and the Valentine’s Day fundraiser is the group’s largest of the year.
Brummond said it costs Oreo’s about $2,000 a month to care for the animals.
All the money raised is used for food, medical expenses including spay and neutering and the overall care of the furry ones.
The first banquet held in 2006 brought in just under $5,000.
The 2010 For the Love of a Pet banquet brought in just under $8,000.
In its sixth year, the event continues to gain popularity, Wilson said.
Featuring a champagne social at 5 p.m., a buffet dinner will begin at 6 p.m. followed by an artisan auction at 7:30 p.m.
Including a silent auction, a live auction will also be held, with auctioneer Delvin Praus of Big E Auction Service.
About 25 items will be available at the live auction, including hand-painted pottery, a hand-crafted knife, quilts and jewelry.
Prizes will also be given away via raffle, including a suite at the Ramada with a dinner for two and a Nintendo Wii.
“Every bit of this stuff is donated by the community,” Wilson said. “Businesses are absolutely wonderful.”
A hit with the kids is the traditional balloon burst.
Oreo’s will inflate 300 to 350 balloons, each containing a prize ticket and sell them for $1 each or 10 for $10.
Banquet tickets are available at West Dakota Veterinary Clinic or at the Scott Karsky State Farm Insurance Agency.
“All of the volunteers donate a lot of time and money and we do it because we love it and we love the animals,” Wilson said.
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