Items In Need Donation Drive {Fundraiser}

It's no secret: I'm an animal advocate.  I've been volunteering at Glynn County Animal Services for over 3 years as a photographer, and I often think up ways to help the shelter get publicity in the community, increase their adoption rate by helping dogs find forever homes, and inspire people to donate to the shelter.  So when Sandy, a fellow volunteer, came to me about the lack of donations the shelter had been getting, my brain took action. 

Sandy and I co-created the Items in Need Donation Drive, which took place last Saturday.  The drive called for new items such as rope toys for the dogs and canned dog and cat food, used items such as towels, blankets and bathmats, and monetary donations to help keep the shelter's spay and neuter clinic in action.  All donations would be graciously accepted by the shelter's Advisory Board on behalf of GCAS.  And since the donation drive took place outside our mobile adoption unit, we were also hoping that a few animals would find their forever homes that day, too. 

We had two sponsors of the event.   Pet Supplies Plus, which has always been a wonderful supporter of the shelter and where our mobile adoption days happen every Saturday, graciously donated 10% off coupons to anyone who made an item or a monetary donation.  I donated a $215 photo session package to be given to one of the donors selected at random.  I love doing that kind of thing, especially for a great cause!


I created an official poster for the event and distributed it around the community and on Facebook, and the shelter also posted it online.  Sandy spread the word on the radio.  Riley Benefield of The Brunswick News wrote a fantastic article two days before the event, which greatly helped with publicizing the event in the community.


When last Saturday morning arrived, we all wondered whether our advertising did any good.  Would anyone donate? 

To our pleasant surprise, within the first 15 minutes, we had collected several garbage bags filled with item donations and one generous donor wrote us a check for $100!  Our good fortune continued, and at the end of the 5-hour event, over 60 donors had contributed two truckloads of item donations, $500 in monetary donations, and 6 dogs and 1 kitten found their forever homes!  What a successful event!

Donor Jenna McNeal was the winner of the JLP photo session package.  I was so moved by the generosity of the donors, I also gave away 4 mini sessions and offered a session discount to the remaining donors.

What's more, is that the shelter is still receiving donations like crazy.  And believe me, they will all be put to good use!

Thank you, again, to the Golden Isles community for your selflessness and for stepping forward to help my furry friends at Glynn County Animal Services!!

The GCAS mobile adoption unit

Patty, volunteer extraordinaire

We were barely open for business for 15 minutes, and the donations began pouring in!
Walter loaded up a whole truck cab-full of blankets and towels.

Barbara and Sandy, two of the most fantastic (and camera-elusive) people I know...and I got 'em both in one shot!  I'm sure I'll hear about this soon...  :)

And if you need some incentive for donating to the support the furry faces at Glynn County Animal Services, here you go:

Donations are great...but forever homes are THE BEST!