ACDC aids homeless pets in Delaware County
It’s funny how things trickle down.
The Animal Coalition of Delaware County, a nonprofit entity, was sent scrambling for some new prizes as part of its Sept. 26 bingo fundraiser at the Media Community Center. Formerly up for grabs were Philadelphia Eagles’ tickets, acquired by someone close to the animal coalition. But, with the controversial acquisition of No. 7, Michael Vick, ACDC, whose acronym has nothing to do with rock music or electrical currents, was forced to go in another direction.
ACDC executive committee member Kim Cavallero said some people were going to skip out on the fundraiser should Eagles tickets be offered.
“We actually planned to raffle off some donated Eagles tickets, but when the Eagles signed Michael Vick, a lot of people involved with our [organization] were concerned that we would be publicly supporting the Eagles when Michael Vick did such horrendous things to dogs, and really hasn’t had the opportunity, at this point, to redeem himself publicly,” Cavallero said.
Luckily, an ACDC executive committee member landed club box seat tickets for the 76ers. The organization is looking to sell at least 250 raffle tickets at $5 each, in addition to filling the 136-person capacity community center.
“So we were lucky,” Cavallero said. “We didn’t think that we would have anything to raffle off.”
And the Sixers’ mascot is a bunny, so even better.
Founded in 2004, ACDC is an all-volunteer organization that helps find homes for displaced animals. Its roughly 40 active volunteers act as foster parents until the animals find permanent homes. The organization has an adoption center at PetSmart at the Marple Crossing Shopping Center in Springfield where the “foster parents” rotate their animals into the mix, so the animals get more exposure — and a better chance of being adopted. While the animals are in foster care, ACDC pays to get them spayed or neuterted, up to date on their shots, and help to make them generally healthy. Most of the revenue from the organization’s roughly $50,000 budget comes from donations, grants, and the nominal adoption fees ($100 for a cat, $125 for a dog and $175 for a puppy).
ACDC is looking to bring in five percent of its total budget with the bingo fundraiser. “Because we’re all-volunteer, all the money that we raise goes directly to taking care of the animals,” Cavallero said.
Cavallero, of Media, has been volunteering with the organization since December of 2007, in addition to working full time, and joined ACDC’s executive committee last spring. Her reason for joining? She’s an animal lover — and she was given a sign.
“I had been driving into work and saw a sign in my own neighborhood for a found cat and [also] found a sign for a found cat, and called the ‘found cat’ people to let them know that the description matched the ‘lost cat,’” Cavallero said.
It wasn’t the same cat. But, she wound up learning about ACDC through the person who had lost the cat. In addition to serving on the group’s executive committee and helping with marketing, Cavallero works as the animals’ biographer.
“It’s really fun because a lot of times you have to find out their personalities, and all of the animals are very unique — from those that are shy and timid, to those that are outgoing,” she said. “They all have interesting stories of how they came to us, whether they were surrendered by someone who could no longer take care of the animal, and a lot of times our volunteers find stray cats and stray dogs that need homes, and we end up taking them into our care, so really hearing their stories and writing them is fascinating.”
The Animal Coalition of Delaware County will hold its bingo night Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. in the Media Community Center, 301 N. Jackson St., Media. The doors will open at 4:30 p.m., and a three-pack of bingo cards for all 20 games costs $15. For more information, visit www.acdc.ws or call 610-876-1479.
The Animal Coalition of Delaware County, a nonprofit entity, was sent scrambling for some new prizes as part of its Sept. 26 bingo fundraiser at the Media Community Center. Formerly up for grabs were Philadelphia Eagles’ tickets, acquired by someone close to the animal coalition. But, with the controversial acquisition of No. 7, Michael Vick, ACDC, whose acronym has nothing to do with rock music or electrical currents, was forced to go in another direction.
ACDC executive committee member Kim Cavallero said some people were going to skip out on the fundraiser should Eagles tickets be offered.
“We actually planned to raffle off some donated Eagles tickets, but when the Eagles signed Michael Vick, a lot of people involved with our [organization] were concerned that we would be publicly supporting the Eagles when Michael Vick did such horrendous things to dogs, and really hasn’t had the opportunity, at this point, to redeem himself publicly,” Cavallero said.
Luckily, an ACDC executive committee member landed club box seat tickets for the 76ers. The organization is looking to sell at least 250 raffle tickets at $5 each, in addition to filling the 136-person capacity community center.
“So we were lucky,” Cavallero said. “We didn’t think that we would have anything to raffle off.”
And the Sixers’ mascot is a bunny, so even better.
Founded in 2004, ACDC is an all-volunteer organization that helps find homes for displaced animals. Its roughly 40 active volunteers act as foster parents until the animals find permanent homes. The organization has an adoption center at PetSmart at the Marple Crossing Shopping Center in Springfield where the “foster parents” rotate their animals into the mix, so the animals get more exposure — and a better chance of being adopted. While the animals are in foster care, ACDC pays to get them spayed or neuterted, up to date on their shots, and help to make them generally healthy. Most of the revenue from the organization’s roughly $50,000 budget comes from donations, grants, and the nominal adoption fees ($100 for a cat, $125 for a dog and $175 for a puppy).
ACDC is looking to bring in five percent of its total budget with the bingo fundraiser. “Because we’re all-volunteer, all the money that we raise goes directly to taking care of the animals,” Cavallero said.
Cavallero, of Media, has been volunteering with the organization since December of 2007, in addition to working full time, and joined ACDC’s executive committee last spring. Her reason for joining? She’s an animal lover — and she was given a sign.
“I had been driving into work and saw a sign in my own neighborhood for a found cat and [also] found a sign for a found cat, and called the ‘found cat’ people to let them know that the description matched the ‘lost cat,’” Cavallero said.
It wasn’t the same cat. But, she wound up learning about ACDC through the person who had lost the cat. In addition to serving on the group’s executive committee and helping with marketing, Cavallero works as the animals’ biographer.
“It’s really fun because a lot of times you have to find out their personalities, and all of the animals are very unique — from those that are shy and timid, to those that are outgoing,” she said. “They all have interesting stories of how they came to us, whether they were surrendered by someone who could no longer take care of the animal, and a lot of times our volunteers find stray cats and stray dogs that need homes, and we end up taking them into our care, so really hearing their stories and writing them is fascinating.”
The Animal Coalition of Delaware County will hold its bingo night Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. in the Media Community Center, 301 N. Jackson St., Media. The doors will open at 4:30 p.m., and a three-pack of bingo cards for all 20 games costs $15. For more information, visit www.acdc.ws or call 610-876-1479.
