By Kristi Spencer
The Joplin Humane Society is thrilled to announce its 22nd Annual Fur Ball Celebration, promising to be the biggest and best yet! This year’s event, themed Boots & Bling, Purrs & Spurs, will be held Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Pavilion at Downstream Casino & Resort.
The Fur Ball is the Humane Society’s largest fundraiser, making it essential for supporting its mission and bringing the community together to make a difference in the lives of all our furry friends.
Cat lovers, this year is for you! The theme is a delightful nod to our kitty companions, creating a purrfect opportunity
to mingle with fellow animal enthusiasts.
“This year we’ve put a little spin on the event and are focusing on our feline friends,” says Joplin Humane
Society Director Connie Andrews. “I’m hoping to see a lot of our guests dressed as the ‘divas’ that all cats strive to be. It’s sure to be a night filled with lots of fun for everyone attending.”
Leave the fancy dresses at home for this celebration—think cowboy chic! Blue jeans, cowboy boots and hats,
and as much bling as you can bring will set the tone for the evening. Expect a night filled with fun activities,
including a buffet dinner, line dancing, an interactive photo booth and a live auction featuring over 150 items sure to get your heart racing. The Joplin Improv troupe will keep the laughs coming throughout the Fur Ball. For those looking to add a new member to their family or just enjoy some snuggle time, shelter pets will be available for interaction and adoption through the auction. Plus, the annual party offers a chance to honor the shelter staff and volunteers who dedicate their time and love to these animals.
The Fur Ball plays a vital role in keeping the doors open for animals in need and supporting their care and veterinary needs, as well as the organization’s clinics and education initiatives. With a record-breaking 500 ticketed seats available this year, the ball is expected to raise more funds than ever before.
“Unfortunately, over the past 12 months or so, getting animals into their new homes has been rough. Like all shelters across the nation, we are struggling to get big dogs out the door. This makes it difficult to have the room needed to help those that need to come into the shelter, but we have no place to house them,” says Andrews. “Over the last 20 years or so, we have taught the public that if you find a stray dog or need to surrender your own, the shelter is the best place to take them. That might have been true then, but that is not the answer any longer.”
Earlier this summer, the Humane Society had to stop the intake of animals because, with caring for 600pets in the shelter and foster homes, they simply ran out of room to take in any more strays or owner surrenders. Andrews says, “If there is no room, we are not able to help. Our hope is to get animals home, which might mean the finder knocking on doors, posting on social media or asking neighbors if they recognize the animal.”
The Humane Society is a community resource, providing medication and food and removing barriers that prevent people from continuing to care for their animals. Whetherthrough their rehoming program, low-cost spay and neuter clinics, adoption or efforts to reunite four-legged family members with their owners, their essential work comes at a cost.
Andrews says, “It is only with financial support that we can implement these new programs. Nothing is cheap these days, and the money raised from Fur Ball goes a long way to ensure the Joplin Humane Society can continue helping those that need us the most.” If you’re interested in sponsoring the event, there are several packages available for businesses and families who would like to join the cause.Join the Joplin Humane Society for an unforgettable evening of fun, friends and help for our furry friends.
