Alameda Animal Shelter Blog: Fundraising Gala a Success

"After the Ball,” the gala held at Rock Wall Winery on Oct. 27, was not only a great way to celebrate the contract with the City of Alameda that saved the Alameda Animal Shelter, it was a smashingly successful fundraiser, netting over $42,000. With previous donations and pledges, we now have about two-thirds of the $300,000 we need to raise to run the shelter for the first year.

The financial success of the gala was due in great part to the generosity of our sponsors. Financial sponsors were Park Centre Animal Hospital, Alameda Pet Hospital, Alameda South Shore Center, Alameda Beauty Center, Bank of Alameda, U.S. Bank, Wind River, Alameda See Spot Run, Michael & Lee Anne Baker and Gail Soares-Artikaslan, E.A.

In addition, Rock Wall Wine Company gave us a discount on its gorgeous space and donated its wonderful wine. Kent and Kathy Rosenblum covered the cost of the venue and provided some of their classic wine. Bistro Zafari/Angela’s Bistro & Bar created and served the scrumptious hors d’oeuvres at a generous discount and kept the food coming throughout the evening.  

Other in-kind support came from Jiva Creative, Tonya Perme Photography, Alameda Printing Services, Dog Bone Alley, Pet Food Express, Urban Cellars, R&B Cellars, Aubin Cellars, Prospect 772 Wine Co., Coco Tutti Confections, Donsuemore Madeleines, Christina Balough-Nunes and Sam Bloch. Many other individuals and businesses provided an amazing array of items for our live and silent auction. We’re also indebted to Fredericka von Stade and Natasha Miller for providing the scintillating entertainment and, as always, to our stalwart staff of dedicated volunteers.

Steering Committee chair names interim executive director

THE FAAS board has hired Tom Cushing as interim executive director to guide the shelter through its transition from the City of Alameda to the Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter. Tom chaired the Steering Committee and coordinated talks with the city that led to a favorable contract. He’ll work on a part-time basis over the next few months to manage the transition and run the shelter until a full-time ED is hired. Here is his first report:

With the announcement of FAAS’ deal with the City of Alameda, the work of the Steering Committee has come to a resoundingly successful conclusion.  It was a combined effort of FAAS and Humane Society of Alameda, benefitting from many heroic and timely efforts.  We were blessed with a kind of magic: when we needed people with particular skills, they just showed up. 

Each of the steering members has my deep and abiding gratitude.  It was a pleasure to conduct such an orchestra that was highly and broadly skilled, deeply motivated and that blended so well together.  We made some pretty good music and the prospect that our efforts will benefit the community and companion animals of Alameda for years to come nourishes the soul in a uniquely satisfying way. With that, to quote Sergeant Preston (not Pepper): “King, this case is closed.”  Our business concluded, the Steering Committee is hereby disbanded.

The FAAS Board has offered to let me continue to play a role in this terrific project under the title of IED (“interim executive director,” I’m told, rather than that other acronym – we’ll see), a labor of love I have enthusiastically accepted. Now that we’ve barely caught our collective breath, much is to be done before our January 1 transition date.  Early work will focus on finalizing arrangements with the city, hiring staff and ensuring that organizational systems, procedures and necessities are in place.  We will also continue to raise funds through the holiday season and beyond.  

I look forward to further work together to effect the transition seamlessly and get us off to a strong start in 2012.  It’s a confidence-builder to know I can continue to count on the Alameda community for assistance, direction and support.