EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – After a fun-filled week, the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival is now behind us.
Aside from providing a wide range of treats, the festival also enabled some crucial fundraising for many non-profit organizations.
That includes the Vanderburgh Humane Society.
The festival came as they prepare to take in animals who were displaced from shelters in Florida.
It was a busy week on Franklin Street, not only for the many people who went to enjoy the fun, but also for the many non-profits organizations which lined the street.
“Just wonderful, the weather was absolutely beautiful, the community came out,” said Vanderburgh Humane Society CEO Kendall Paul. “They’re not only coming to get their favorite foods, they’re supporting their favorite non-profit organizations, so it was so great to see some familiar faces.”
It was all smiles for the VHS as they offered their usual menu of fried green tomatoes, fried green beans, lemon shake-ups, and more.
VHS officials say they grossed over $45,000 during the week.
They say that money goes a long way for them, but there are other benefits to the week too.
“Beyond just the money, it also gives people an opportunity to just go and connect with a non-profit, get our name out there once again, make sure that people understand who we are and what we’re doing,” said Paul.
VHS officials say they’re working with the Best Friend Animal Society to accept pets who have been displaced from shelters in Florida due to the recent storms.
To that end, they held a adopt-a-thon over the weekend and waived adoptions fees to create space in the shelter.
They say they had over 800 animals when they started, and adopted out over 200 over three days.
“Just absolutely incredible, so thank you to the community who stepped up, absolutely wonderful,” said Paul. “We still have 600 animals in our care.”
VHS officials say they, along with other local shelters, are still overcrowded.
Once they begin accepting displaced animals, they will still have a lot of work to do caring for local animals.
They say it means a lot to see the community support them, whether through adopting animals, volunteering, or buying treats from their booth.
“Any way that they can support us, it makes our team feel valued, and it makes them realize the work that we’re doing is so incredibly important,” said Paul.
VHS officials say they need the community’s continued support to find homes for all the animals still in their care.
For more information on the Vanderburgh Humane Society, visit their website.
To stay up to date on all they do, visit their Facebook page.
Copyright 2024 WFIE. All rights reserved.
