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Bartholomew Broadbent and Ollie at the Fur Ball, the Richmond SPCA's signature black-tie fundraiser at The Jefferson Hotel
Fundraising through social media is nothing new, but last week a member of our Board of Directors announced via Facebook that he was getting on the fundraising bandwagon by going on the wagon, quite literally. Bartholomew Broadbent is much more than a fan of consuming wine and beer; he has built his career around wines and founded Broadbent Selections in 1996. But after inquiring if his friends on Facebook thought he could go 14 days without a drop of alcohol, he has pledged to stop drinking with the goal of raising $10,000 for the orphaned pets in our care.
This two-week challenge got off to a quick start on gofundme – the first four pledges added up to $400 to launch Bollew’s “Stop drinking wine for the Richmond SPCA” campaign. We’re hearing quite a bit about how boring meals have become without an accompanying glass of wine or beer, but Bartholomew says it’s well worth the torture of abstaining from his favorite beverages to save animal lives. It’s also given him time to do some additional calculations on how the goal might be met:
If 500 Facebook friends donate $18.30 each, I’ll reach the goal!
If all of my Facebook contacts (he has 4,999 friends on his personal profile and 4,232 likes on the Broadbent Selections page) donate $1.83, the goal will be met!
I only need 92 people to give $100 each for the goal to be met!
We like his spirit and the odds of raising $10,000 to support the lifesaving programs and services of the Richmond SPCA! If you’d like to give, head over to http://www.gofundme.com/2o1jl8. You can also help make this a viral campaign by sharing the link with your own network.
Do you have a fun, social, creative fundraising idea that you’d like to launch in support of the orphaned dogs and cats in the care of the Richmond SPCA? We have a page on our website dedicated to helping you be successful, and our development team is also available to answer questions. Start your own campaign by visiting our fundraising ideas page.
Tabitha Frizzell Hanes is the director of communications of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
MARTIN'S uses a logo that says “Living Here, Giving Here” and the Richmond SPCA can attest to the fact that these are not just empty words but rather are backed up by real action. It is interesting that the logo has a graphic of a heart in a home and that is what I have always believed our pets are for us. Whether you have a cat or a dog or both of them, our pets greet us when we return home, cuddle with us when we relax, stay right next to us when we are sick or when we have to work late into the night and play with us joyfully when we are ready for fun. They are at the very center of the love and comfort that make our houses homes. There are so many wonderful pets living in loving homes in this community and so many people who have all of the love, pleasure and comfort that pets provide as a result of the generosity of MARTIN'S.
A bit of history is valuable. For years, we had a wonderful relationship with Ukrop's Super Markets which provided all of the food, treats and litter needed by the pets in our humane center. We had always been a primary beneficiary of their Golden Gift receipt program since so many of their customers named the Richmond SPCA as the recipient of the donation allocable to their receipts. As you might imagine, when we heard that Ukrop's was being sold to MARTIN'S, an out-of-town business, we were very concerned that the generous support we had enjoyed for our homeless pets might be at risk. Nothing could have been further from the truth. The folks from MARTIN'S met with us early on and assured us that the support was not in jeopardy. As months and years have passed, what we have found is a truly committed and energetic supporter and partner in MARTIN'S.
They not only provide but deliver all of the adult and puppy and kitten food that we need as well as treats for our shelter pets and for use in our training programs and the litter needed for our kitties. Their generosity in providing the food we need allows us to utilize the wonderful food donations that we receive from individuals and other sources to stock our Pet Pantry so as to ensure that folks in economic hardship will be able to feed their pets they love. Martin’s even provides us with thousands of jars of baby food each year which are essential in our clinic for both our tiny puppies and kittens and for those very sick and emaciated adults in our care that will often eat baby food but nothing else. In addition, MARTIN'S has provided fruit and water for the folks who turn out for our Dog Jog and 5K Run each year at the Runner Recovery Tent and has provided tote bags to be used at our Fur Ball. Jim Scanlon, MARTIN'S Regional Vice President, is a dedicated member of our Board of Directors and a committed personal supporter.
It is important to us that our supporters, and everyone in this community who loves animals, know that MARTIN'S has done so much to ensure that we are able to save the lives of thousands of homeless animals each year. They have done these things generously, dependably and without fanfare. They have been great friends to us, responsible corporate citizens and great animal lovers. Theodore Roosevelt said “Do what you can with what you have where you are.” Those words are very much like, “Living Here, Giving Here.” Martin’s lives those words every day through their real actions in our community. This comes with my sincere thanks.
Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
Kids from all around the Richmond area have been making a big difference at the Richmond SPCA. We have seen cases of great generosity as children who schedule their birthday parties at the Richmond SPCA request that their guests bring donations in lieu of gifts. Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops have been bringing in food and toys when they visit our facility for educational presentations and tours. It is truly inspiring to see the compassion that so many children carry in their hearts.
Recently we have had several very generous donations made by kids in our community. While we appreciate every single donation that comes through our doors each day, I would like to take a moment to share with you several of our recent generous donations.
Guardian Christian Academy
Guardian Christian Academy chose the Richmond SPCA to be the recipient of their monthly collection in January. Students, parents, and friends brought bags of dry dog and cat food to the school throughout the month. On Tuesday, February 12, representatives from the school brought their collections to our building. They were given an educational presentation about the Richmond SPCA as well as the opportunity to visit with all of the dogs and cats that were available for adoption at that time. During their tour, I had the chance to tally the donations that their group had delivered. Guardian Christian Academy collected 246 pounds of dog food and 115 pound of cat food, adding up to a grand total of 361 pounds of food. All of these donations were given to the Richmond SPCA’s Pet Pantry. Thanks to the generous students at Guardian Christian Academy we were able to provide dog and cat food to families in the Richmond area that would have otherwise been unable to feed their beloved family pets.
Collegiate Freshman Service Week
Six students from Collegiate recently spent 5 days at the Richmond SPCA volunteering. In lieu of attending class, these freshmen spent their time cleaning kennels, walking dogs, distributing medications, assisting our dog trainers, and even visiting local radio and television when our pets were being featured. At the Richmond SPCA we are always in need of donations, whether those donations are money, food, toys or other items. Time is also a wonderful way to make a difference in the lives of homeless pets. Each of these six students donated 26 hours of their time to us. This was certainly an invaluable donation and a demonstration of how kids are helping throughout our community.
Glen Allen Elementary School
Similarly, Glen Allen Elementary School held a donation drive for the Richmond SPCA. They collected various types of dog and cat food, toys, blankets, treats, and other miscellaneous items that are always needed at our humane center. A staff member of the school (as well as the proud mother of one of Student Council Association’s members) contacted me and asked if I would be able to bring in a dog or cat to visit with the children who donated. I agreed and on February 26 I took my dog, Lily, to visit the school. A total of 201 students brought in donations for the Richmond SPCA. Each donor had the opportunity to hear a little about the Richmond SPCA and ask questions all while meeting Lily and giving her lots of love. Not only did these 201 elementary school students donate items for our organization, but they also gave up a portion of their lunch time and recess to come and meet me, Lily, and learn about the Richmond SPCA. This was a group of truly amazing kids. I have the chance to meet generous and thoughtful kids every single day, but the students at Glen Allen Elementary School overwhelmed me with their compassion and concern for animals. They donated approximately 800 pounds of dog and cat food in addition to boxes of toys and other items.
I want to reiterate the fact that all of these donations are not only being used to care for the animals currently residing at the Richmond SPCA as they await adoption, but all of the food is being given to families and individuals in our community via our Pet Pantry so that they can continue to keep their own cats and dogs during times of financial hardship. When you give to the Richmond SPCA, you truly are giving back to entire community. Do you have the same heart for animals as these wonderful children? Visit www.richmondspca.org/donate to make a secure online donation. Our thanks and appreciation goes out to every single child that has so generously given to the Richmond SPCA over the years. Since October 2012, children have donated nearly 2,000 pounds of food to the Richmond SPCA.
Kari Roth is the coordinator of humane education at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
The Richmond SPCA Dog Jog and 5K Run is quickly approaching! As we count down the final days, your support is essential for the success of this annual event. There are a couple of things to remember as you’re preparing for the 11th Annual Dog Jog and 5K Run:
Due to construction on I-95, the race route for the 5K portion of the event has been rerouted to exclude Overbrook Road. Many thanks to the Richmond Road Runners for their help with shifting the 5K course. To view the altered course and alternate road routes to get to our humane center, please visit our course map page.
Although online registration is now closed for this year’s event, you can still register in person at our humane center from noon until 6 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, March 15, during packet pick up hours. For those that can’t make it during packet pick up hours, same-day registration will be available on-site on Saturday morning. Same-day registration for the 5K is from 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and for the Dog Jog from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. If you or your team has not yet turned in any offline donations or pledges, packet pick up times are a great time to turn them in to ensure that all fundraising totals are correct to qualify for great prize packages. Prize packages for top fundraisers include a trip for two to Charlottesville's beautiful Boar's Head Inn and a two-night stay at The Fife and Drum in Williamsburg, Virginia. Curious about where you or your team stands? Check out current fundraising standings for both individuals and teams here.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets yet, you can do so online until 11:59 p.m. on the day of the event. Prize packages for raffle ticket winners include gift certificates to Richmond’s hottest restaurants, a trip package for four to vacation in Daytona Beach, Florida, and so much more! We will have a drawing for raffle winners and contact them on Monday, March 18, so you do not need to be present at the Dog Jog to win one of our amazing prizes!
For supporters already registered and counting down the final days until the Dog Jog and 5K Run, remember to stay social during the event by checking in, utilizing the #DogJog hashtag and using the @RichmondSPCA Twitter handle. We love reading your comments and seeing your event photos!
After the Dog Jog and 5K Run festivities are over, we encourage attendees to visit one of our Northside neighbors, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Hardywood has generously offered to donate 10 percent of sales for event participants that show their race bib at the Raspberry Stout release party on Saturday.
Still have questions? Visit our event FAQ for more about registration, fundraising and general event information. We're counting down the days until we see you on Saturday!
Caroline Radom is the manager of communications at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
The Richmond SPCA is an organization you can trust, but you don't have to take our word for it. The Richmond SPCA has received 4 stars, the highest rating possible, from Charity Navigator, the leading unbiased and objective evaluator of charities in America. Charity Navigator "works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the Financial Health and Accountability and Transparency of 6,000 of America’s largest charities." You can visit Charity Navigator's website to review our profile, learn more about their methodologies and see their tips on being a savvy donor.
What does this rating mean to you? Our 4-star rating means that you can put your faith in us to use our resources responsibly. The standards of conduct that define who we are and guide everything we do include: excellence in all that we do, integrity by always acting in a manner consistent with our mission and values, uncompromising care for animals, commitment to the authentic principles of the no-kill philosophy, and leadership in the Richmond community and the humane community nationally.
The Richmond SPCA's 4-star rating from Charity Navigator also means that when you support the Richmond SPCA, you are supporting one of the best humane organizations in the United States. According to Charity Navigator's rating chart, a 4-star rating means we are exceptional because we exceed industry standards and outperform most charities in our cause. The Richmond SPCA is a national leader in humane care and education, having developed numerous lifesaving programs and services including those dedicated to adoption, rehabilitation, sterilization and education. We save the lives of about 3,500 homeless animals each year and care for about 350 cats and dogs daily.
Robin Robertson Starr, chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA, explains the challenge of raising the funds necessary to sustain and improve our life-saving efforts: "The reality is that the Richmond SPCA must strive hard to get the funding we need to provide the essential resources to save as many homeless animals as we possibly can." Three quarters of our annual operating costs are funded by what we raise from our community. "That task is not easy," Starr says. "Every day, we see that there are many more animals that need us, (...) but securing the financial support to save all those that need us is daunting."
The orphaned dogs and cats in our care depend on your support. We encourage you to visit our profile on Charity Navigator or our financial information and statistics page to learn about our great financial health, accountability and transparency. We believe that every life is precious and hope you do, too. To join our life-saving efforts, please visit our secure website now. Your generous gift guarantees thousands of deserving, homeless pets in our care a second chance for a happy life in a permanent, loving home and supports the myriad lifesaving programs and services of the Richmond SPCA. We are so thankful for your support and for your love of animals!
Linley Beckner is the coordinator of community relations for the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
As we get closer to the 11th Annual Dog Jog and 5K Run, presented by Car Pool Car Wash, your fundraising support is vital to helping us reach our $136,000 fundraising goal. Support of this event is lifesaving to the pets in our care and essential to the programs and services we provide the community. We've included a few steps below to help you get started.
A personalized fundraising page is an easy location to steer friends and family for more information about the Dog Jog and 5K Run. Building your fundraising page is easy, and the standard page is automatically created when you register to be a participant in the Dog Jog or 5k run. The basic page can be easily updated with personalized text and photos. You can also register an easy to remember address for your page (also called a “friendly URL”) to make it easier to remember and share. On each fundraising page, visitors have the options of leaving a comment, reading more about your event participation or making a donation using our secure online donation form. A “donate” button is conveniently located at the top right of your fundraising page to make it easy for friends and family to provide support. If you aren’t local or can’t make it to the event on Saturday, March 16, you can still help support homeless pets in our care by registering under the “cat nap” option, which is free and provides you with an online fundraising page.
Sharing with your network of friends through social media can help remind them that you’re participating and fundraising to support thousands of homeless animals.
Sending your friends and family a friendly email is a great way to tell them that you are fundraising for this event. It's a great opportunity to direct them to your customized page as the easiest way to make a gift. For your convenience, there is sample text available on each personal fundraising page, and we encourage you to personalize these notes as you like. You can be assured when using our online fundraising tools that we respect your friends' and family's privacy and will not store the email addresses you enter to request their support.
Once you get a gift, remember to thank your supporters! The participant admin tools also make it easy to thank all who give through your page. We even provide sample text to email your gratitude for those who are supporting homeless pets in your honor.
You can also encourage friends and family to check if their employer makes matching gifts. Many companies offer to match employee contributions, doubling the original charitable gift meaning twice the lifesaving for homeless pets! The online tool at www.richmondspca.org/matching makes it easy to identify employer match progarams.
The more the merrier! Encourage friends to register for the Dog Jog or 5K Run and join you in a day of fun! We have exciting prizes for race winners and top fundraisers, the Holiday Barn Pet Resorts Vendor Fair is sure to please all members of your family (including the four-legged members!) and other fun activities for attendees of all ages.
Do you have any great fundraising ideas that have helped you meet your fundraising goal for the Dog Jog and 5K Run? We'd love to hear about them in the comments!
Caroline Radom is the manager of communications at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
The Richmond community's past support of our Dog Jog and 5K Run has ensured the success of this event each year and has been lifesaving for the pets in our care. Thank you! We couldn't have done it without you. We hope you'll join us again this year for our 11th annual event on March 16!
Online registration is easy!
Registration for the Dog Jog and 5K Run, presented by Car Pool, can easily be completed using our simple and secure online form. Just visit us online at www.richmondspca.org/race to get started! Early bird registration prices are only available for nine more days. Fees increase after March 1, so be sure to sign up soon. We have included some highlights of what's to come in this year's event so you have lots to look forward to between now and March 16!
Fundraising Team and individual fundraising is what helps us reach our goal and provides us the necessary resources to save more lives. When you register online for the Dog Jog and/or 5K Run, a fundraising page is automatically created for you. If you are unable to attend on March 16 or do not plan on participating in either event, our Cat Nap option is free and allows you to help the pets in our care through fundraising. Your personal fundraising page makes it easy to ask your friends and family to donate. By starting early, you can increase your fundraising and your chances of winning some pretty great prizes! We'll be awarding prizes to top team and individual fundraisers as well as top 5K finishers during the Awards Ceremony, sponsored by Steptoe & Johnson LLP, at noon on the day of the event.
Event details The 5K Run begins at 9:30 a.m. and is for humans only. The 1-mile Dog Jog for dogs and their human companions begins at 11 a.m. Throughout the event you can browse through the Holiday Barn Vendor Fair, which lasts from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and is full of food and fun for you and your family and friends!
The Pet Wellness Tent, sponsored by Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center, will have pet wellness tips as well as a microchipping clinic for your pet – it's only $20 and chips are administered on the spot! Our Pets Fun Zone, presented by the Petco Foundation, will give your pet the chance to try his or her paw at agility! Your kids can say hello to Waggles, who will be hanging around our Kids Fun Zone, sponsored by Best Bully Sticks! You'll also get to meet Rosie, our 2012-2013 mascot. If you get hungry while visiting all our great vendors, stop by the Boka Tako Truck to enjoy delicious food!
Free parking is available on the day of the event in the Green Lot located behind The Diamond on the corner of Hermitage Road and Robin Hood Road. If you are participating in either event, please allow yourself a few extra minutes to walk the short distance to our center. Our Barking Lot is generously sponsored by Invisible Fence Brand of Virginia.
Lisa Clarke is the manager of community development at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
I was recently telling a young friend about the different
types of pets I’d recently visited at the Richmond SPCA – old, young, big and
small. She said, “I’d love to do something for the Richmond SPCA animals but I don’t
have enough extra money to give them a yearly donation.” I told her I understood that one lump sum
yearly could be a strain. But then I told
her a way I give – the recurring gift plan called the “Pet Pals” program. It couldn’t be easier.
All you do to become a part of the monthly gift plan is fill
in a donation form stating how much you’d like to have debited from a bankcard
each month. As of the beginning of
November, 169 individuals were signed up to make their contribution through a
monthly giving plan. Gifts range from
just a few dollars each month to much larger monthly amounts.
Pets at the Richmond SPCA come in all shapes and sizes. So why not choose the size of a Pet Pals monthly gift that is comfortable for you and will help care for
every size of homeless, abused, and neglected animal at the Richmond SPCA?
Fran Zehmer is the chair of the Richmond SPCA's Individual Giving Committee. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
The Dog Jog and 5K Run is more than just an event where you can exercise and spend quality time with your canine. It's a chance for dogs and their two-legged companions to truly take over the streets of Richmond. It's also a wonderful opportunity to provide support that benefits the nearly 3,500 homeless pets the Richmond SPCA will care for in the year ahead.
We need your help to reach our goal of $136,000 for the services and care that we provide for orphaned animals. Whether you fundraise as an individual or as a team, it is so easy to get started.
Just visit www.richmondspca.org/race to register. Your fundraising page is automatically created for you, making it easy to send emails to your friends and family for support. This page is where contributions to your personal goal will be made, and you can customize it with your own photos and a friendly URL.
If you have adopted a pet from the Richmond SPCA, you are welcome to join our Team Rosie alumni fundraising team. Here you can see what this team page looks like:
We also encourage signing up with your co-workers or friends to create your own team. Corporate teams from Bank of America, CarMax and Snagajob have already been formed, and they'll be working together for success in their interoffice fundraising for the Dog Jog. You could even serve as the captain of your own office team!
Registration is open now, and if you sign up on or before March 1, you'll enjoy early-bird pricing and sponsor gifts. You can sign up here, and follow regular updates on the Dog Jog and 5K Run Facebook page.
Dog Jog and 5K Run schedule:
March 1, 2013: Last day to register using early bird registration fees.
March 13, 2013: Online registration closes at 5 p.m. You can still register in person on Thursday, March 14 from noon until 6 p.m., Friday, March 15 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. or on the morning of the event. March 14, 2013: T-shirt and race packet pick up will be available at the Robins-Starr Humane Center from noon until 6 p.m. in our second-floor auditorium.
March 15, 2013: T-shirt and race packet pick up will also be available at the Robins-Starr Humane Center from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. in our second-floor auditorium. March 16, 2013: Race day!
8:15 to 9:15 a.m. - 5K Run on-site registration
9 a.m. - Vendor Fair Opens
9:30 a.m. - 5K Run begins
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. - Dog Jog on-site registration
11 a.m. - One-mile Dog Jog begins
Approx 12 p.m. - Awards Ceremony
Approx 1 p.m. - Vendor Fair Closes
To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
Supper Club is returning for 2013, and we are so excited to once again partner with local restaurants that help raise money for orphaned pets in our community. These restaurants have been so kind as to pledge 15% of the proceeds earned on their designated night to the Richmond SPCA. Since its inception, Supper Club donations have raised more than $15,000 for our homeless pets!
We're kicking off this year's Supper Club on Wednesday, January 9, at 2113 Bistro. Housed in a historically rich former tobacco warehouse from the Antebellum South, 2113's menu offers simple yet sophisticated options for lunch and dinner.
While 2113 Bistro is a new addition to the Supper Club lineup for 2013, the owners are long-time supporters of animal welfare.
A message from Justin Ayars, co-owner of 2113 Bistro:
Justin Ayars' dog, Tyler
Gandhi once said, “A nation can be judged by how it treats its animals.” 2113 Bistro admires and respects the Richmond SPCA for helping our local community live up to these powerful words each and every day. We at 2113 Bistro do our part to actively live out this mantra in our daily lives, as well.
Two of the company's three owners are proud parents of Tyler, a 9-year-old dog adopted from the Richmond SPCA's lovely humane center on Hermitage Road. 2113 Bistro also regularly contributes to this wonderful humane organization through donations to the annual Fur Ball and charitable gifts throughout the year. We look forward to a long and active partnership with the Richmond SPCA and are truly honored to be the first host of the Supper Club series in 2013! Thank you for all that you do for our community and Happy New Year!
We are so grateful that 2113 will be donating 15% of their food and beverage proceeds from lunch and dinner on January 9 to benefit the orphaned dogs and cats at the Richmond SPCA. You can enjoy lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and reservations are recommended but not required for their 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. dinner service. We hope you can attend to help make this the biggest year for Supper Club yet!
We also encourage you to sign up on our website to join the Supper Club mailing list and receive updates and reminders. Stay "in the know" about featured menus, new offerings and more! For more information, please call 804-521-1318 or send an email.
Billy Dunkley is the manager of communications for the Richmond SPCA.To read his biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
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