Powell River SPCA’s biggest fundraiser of the year is coming up fast. Advance registration is now open for the annual Paws for a Cause walk to fight animal cruelty, taking place on Saturday, September 7 at Willingdon Beach.
“The majority of our fundraising comes from this event,” said volunteer Roselyn Boarman, “so it’s definitely really important and we’d love to see lots of people out there. We always get a pretty good turnout but we know everybody out there has got pets and everyone loves animals so the more people we can get out participating and raising pledges the better.”
BC SPCA does not currently receive support from the federal or provincial government. Instead, the organization relies solely on events like Paws for a Cause to support its initiatives on behalf of abused, injured, neglected and homeless animals in cities across the province. Powell River is one of 34 communities holding a walk this year, and funds raised locally will be used locally.
Although collecting advance pledges is encouraged, “you can register without having collected pledges,” said Boarman. “It’s $15 a person or $30 for a family to a maximum of 4 people.”
For those who do want to get a head start on their fundraising efforts, pledge forms are available online and at several locations around town. “You can get them from the [SPCA] shelter or you can get them from both vets in town, as well as the pet food stores,” she explained, adding that prizes will be awarded to the top pledge collectors.
Last-minute registration for the walk itself will take place between noon to 1 pm at the park. After that, participants will embark on a five-kilometre route along Willingdon Beach trail and the surrounding area. “Definitely it’s pet friendly,” said Boarman, “and there will be water out for the dogs along the way.”
Food vendors will be on hand as well, until the closing ceremonies at 3 pm. “Normally we’ve just done kind of a barbecue with hot dogs and things but this year we’re going to have a few vendors there, so there should be lots of choice for people to come down and try some different foods while they’re here with their animals,” she said.
“It’s always a fun time,” Boarman added. “We’ll have games for the animals and their guardians, and if your dog’s got talent and you want to show off we’ll have some talent contests going on. We’ve also got a big silent auction with some great prizes which is definitely a big part of our fundraising too.”
For more information on Paws for a Cause, readers may contact BC SPCA’s Powell River branch at 604.485.9252 or visit www.spca.bc.ca.
