Wild Blue Animal Rescue and Sanctuary held its annual ìFUNdraisingî dinner Aug. 7 at The Pinery at Black Forest. Proceeds from the fundraiser, ìA Fancy Feast,î will help build a special care unit for cats with special needs.Located in Black Forest, Wild Blueís mission is to save the lives of cats and kittens that have been abandoned, abused, neglected or surrendered; and to find them permanent homes or sometimes to provide a sanctuary where they can live out their lives, according to Wild Blueís website.The fundraiser included a dinner, a parade of pets, a silent auction, a live auction and live music by a local family bluegrass band, ìThe Weilands of Mass Destruction.îSherri Albertson, fundraising coordinator, said about 180 guests attended the this year, up from 125 last year. ìWe made about $13,000,î Albertson said. ìIt was definitely more successful.îThe auction items were donated from various sources, including Best Friends Animal Society in Utah and its co-founder, contemporary artist Cyrus Mejia, Albertson said. Sharon Schultz, an artist from Black Forest, also donated items for the silent auction.ìThere was really good support for Wild Blue and for Black Forest at the event,î Albertson said.Next yearís FUNdraiser will be Fri., Aug. 5, at The Pinery at the Hill in Colorado Springs.
