Humane society wraps up fundraiser with Tuesday drawing

Published 8:45 pm Friday, September 11, 2020

The Humane Society of Beaufort County is giving supporters a second chance at a prize.

Delayed since its original date, the annual drawing has been rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Elmwood 1820, the bed and breakfast located on West Main Street in Washington.

“It was scheduled for March right in the midst of the beginning of COVID and the shutdown. The previous year we had done a reception and drawing at Elmwood which was really nice,” said Marty Poffenberger, DVM, and president of HSBC. “Now we realize we do need to wrap it up — to get the funds to the HSBC and get the prizes to the winners.”

HSBC stakeholders will gather outdoors at Elmwood and hold the drawing on Facebook Live, via the HSBC Facebook page. Until Tuesday, the nonprofit that heads up local spay and neuter programs will continue selling tickets at $5 for one ticket and $20 for five tickets. Prizes include: an overnight stay at Elmwood 1820; a 90-minute hot stone massage, donated by Copper Canyon Wellness; a 1,000 Piers gin gift pack from The Hackney Distillery; a $100 gift card from First Bank; a Calcutta Renegade cooler donated by East Side Bait and Tackle; and a park bench from Lowe’s Home Improvement.

As with most nonprofits, HSBC has felt the effects of the global pandemic.

“So many fundraisers have fallen through this year that a lot of the nonprofits are suffering. It looks like we won’t be able to have our auction in October, either — we just don’t see how that will be able to happen,” Poffenberger said.

For the past 25 years, the annual auction has been HSBC’s biggest fundraiser, drawing a large crowd of animal lovers to bid on items donated by local individuals and businesses.

“We decided not to have it this year, even virtually, and one of the reasons is we’re not sure how the local businesses have been affected (by COVID-19) that would normally contribute. We don’t think it’s fair to ask them to donate,” Poffenberger said.

She added that HSBC has been careful with its finances over the years, but will be dipping into its “rainy day” fund to continue offering the same services — and more.

“We’re actually looking to do more than we usually do, because the need is still there, and because other groups’ funding has been affected,” Poffenberger said.

To make up for the canceled auction, the organization will be offering opportunities to donate for those who would like to continue their support.

“And we hope that people would consider what they normally spend at the auction, and they would be able to donate that,” Poffenberger said. “We’re counting on the public to step up and help us out.”

In the meantime, tickets for Tuesday’s drawing are available at Pamlico Animal Hospital, First Bank and PC Sound. They can also be purchased by making a PayPal donation to Humane Society of Beaufort County and emailing name and contact information to bchsnc2017@gmail.com or calling HSBC at 252-946-1591 for ticket delivery.