On Friday, Nov. 13, 700 people gathered in support of PAWS Chicago at their annual Fur Ball. The event was able to raise $1.6 million, which “will be used to continue to expand PAWS Chicago’s solutions-based programs and services that have greatly contributed to reducing the killing of homeless pets in Chicago by 77 percent since the organization’s founding.”
Co-Chaired by Chicago North Shore natives Melissa and Michael Canning and Coery and J.P. Marchetti, the event presented an exciting live auction that raised $249,500, which ended in a bidding war for a Tuscan Villa Getaway. Other auction items included a private dinner with former Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka, a South African Safari, and the opportunity to have your pet featured on the cover of the PAWS Desktop Calendar for 2017. In addition, the “Bid to Save Lives” paddle raise brought in significant donations to offset costs of vaccinations and surgeries for pets in need. As co-chair Corey Marchetti expressed, the record breaking evening was “truly incredible.”
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