Get some exercise in the new year––and help the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley at the same time.
The Shelter is running a fundraising drive that promotes exercise––and dog-walking as exercise––in hopes that supporters will hit the sidewalk.
The Wishing Well fundraiser asks people to pledge $1 to the Shelter for every day they exercise. The promo began last week in the Times-Journal and runs through January.
The Wishing Well comes as the Shelter tries to recoup finances lost when fundraisers were cancelled because of the pandemic last year.
Cancelled by COVID were an annual auction that raised thousands, a jewelry show and a golf tournament, among other events.
“We never thought that the pandemic would go on so long,” said Mary Sagendorf, who’s been a Shelter board member since 1999.
Shelter volunteers might have done an online auction last year but couldn’t get it organized in time, she added.
Although the Shelter depends heavily on donations and fundraisers for its approximately $150,000 budget, funds also come from Schoharie County.
With county government slashing its spending because of the pandemic, there were fears the Shelter would get little or nothing. But the county provided $50,000, down from the Shelter’s usual funding of $65,000, but not a drastic cut.
“We were very grateful for that,” Ms. Sagendorf said.
And as county government reduced spending, so did the Shelter, cutting hours and trimming payroll as much as possible.
“The staff has been terrific with the resources we have,” Ms. Sagendorf said.
There have been bright spots, too. Adoptions of dogs and cats from the no-kill Shelter “have been phenomenal,” according to Ms. Sagendorf.
The uptick in adoptions, she said, may be because of the pandemic; with people stuck at home, they welcome the companionship of new pets.
Moving into 2021, the Shelter board is looking at new fundraisers like the Wishing Well.
“If people are thinking positive in the new year and make resolutions to exercise, here’s what they can do,” Ms. Sagendorf said.
Board members are also considering sales and auctions online and probably mailings for support.
It all comes down to the community supporting a facility that houses homeless dogs and cats––and hopes they’re adopted.
“We have had a lot of support,” Ms. Sagendorf said. “People are aware of how important animals are to their lives.”