Best in Show Candidates
I'm lucky enough to be the Executive Director
at Richmond Animal League (RAL). I do not
know how it happened, and I tried to talk
them out of it. But here I am!
Founded in 1979,
RAL is the area's longest operating
no-kill shelter. Our mission is
SAVING LIVES:
Providing hope, help, and homes for
animals in need.
Our biggest fundraiser of the year is an
event we call Best in Show.
We round up seven candidates
(who happen to be humans--don't hold it against them)
to vie for the coveted title of Best in Show.
These candidates embark on their own
fundraising campaigns, and for 10 weeks
become obsessed with raising as much money as
possible before we come together for a
Grand Finale. Every dollar is a vote and we tally it all
up to determine the victor.
The winner gets the following:
her mug on a Richmond billboard,
a $12.99 tiara from Party City,
and a heap of gratitude and a round of applause
from all of us!
This year's candidates were tireless and relentless
advocates for all of the cats and dogs in our care.
They wore their friends and families out,
they sat at restaurants for hours on end
because they were promised a percentage of
proceeds from evening sales.
They hosted Poker Runs,
Halloween Parties,
and even had a date auction.
They robbed banks (just kidding),
held raffles, solicited sponsors, and, toward
the end, just resorting to posting on Facebook:
Support Me. Now.
The Grand Finale was held on November 12
at the Science Museum of Virginia.
The candidates raised almost $63,000
for the animals in our care, and those cats and dogs still to come.
It's a tough world out there.
But these women make it look easy.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Here are my heroes today....
Tarra Balcom
Dee Bogetti
Ashley Carroll
Suellen Christeller
Carly Keating
Heather Mullican
Natalie Wier
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