TOPEKA, Kan. – Treats, games, and plenty of activities, what more can you ask for?
Helping hands have worked extra hard at thinking outside of the box to plan this special event for all the enjoy and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Helping Hands Humane Society has dedicated a weekend full of fun–and for a good cause.
“We have Paws in the Park this weekend, which is an event helping hands have been doing for I think 23 years now but this year of course looks a little bit different we wanted to give people the chance to socially distance. So we spread it out over the entire weekend instead of just a one-day event so it’s this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m-4 p.m. each day,” said Griess.
Some activities included agility set up and games for pets and their owners and this fundraiser couldn’t have come at a better time.
“The timing was crazy it was yesterday or the first day of Paws in the Park, an annual fundraiser we do every year that is really important to our budget and then this gas bill comes in the mail that it was nearly $20,000 and we had budgeted about $5,000 to $6,000,” she said.
Despite being in a pandemic and having more expensive bills, the community is still choosing to donate.
“It’s so amazing like we almost feel bad asking for donations through the pandemic and this year because we know that so many people are struggling a bit. But we’re here for the animals and we love them so much and we know that the community does too, we always just try to put it out there like if you can right now these are the needs that we have you know no like pressure from anybody. It always blows us away the number of people that contribute even though we know that they’re struggling we know that that’s part of you know of an emergency fund of their own that they may be holding onto it it’s amazing the pandemic,” she said.
The funds will also be put toward a lot more than just a high gas bill, even something new coming soon.
“And then we are opening a spay and neuter clinic very soon or about getting ready to construct it within our building another thing that really helps the community it’s gonna be for low-income families who are struggling regular price so they can come to ask that helps them off unwanted litters of puppies and kittens that don’t have anywhere to go,” Griess said.
