The 51st annual LoveBash for Animals took place on Saturday, April 5th at the Wyndham Newport, and raised over $175,000. This event was a celebratory gathering and a “LoveBash for Potter League,” a community staple for animals in need. We celebrated the joy of our four-legged friends, companions and family members, a worthy cause and an organisation with tangible community impact.1
Potter League makes the process of pairing animals with their human companions “easy peasy”. That’s because they understand the value of loving connections. The supportive endeavours also extend to their commitment to house animals when their human companions are unable. The Social Diary calls this a win/win. Moreover, discounted adoption rates are available for military personnel and seniors (65+).
Supporting our four-legged friends, companions and family members is at the heart of The Social Diary’s mission.
LoveBash is one of many ongoing endeavours that align with this mission. We only adopt shelter animals, rescues and surrenders. Mutts rule our roost, albeit we have adopted purebred dogs from similar animal leagues and surrenders, not breeders.
LoveBash for Potter League Pawty Time!
What a colourful evening! Potter League brought a colourful perspective to the evening, from the signage, programme, exhibits and table settings.
It all started with the cocktail reception on the main floor. Besides the cheeses, crackers and fruits, delectable selections of tray passed hors d’oeuvres made the rounds. These included crab cake, potato skin, Arancini and lobster roll. Albeit the latter was more of a “lobster sandwich.”
Titos offered whimsically named signature cocktails, guaranteed to give you a kick, no doubt. All for a good cause!
Here is a hearty “Thank you” to all the sponsors, especially the “top dog” The Lola Ruth Giving Fund.
A charity event can barely get off the ground without the generous support of sponsors, including attendees. Potter League also extended silent auction bids to the general public.
Whilst The Social Diary is not a fan of going completely “electronic,” this method allowed non-attendees the opportunity to bid for items, as well. The only “catch” was that all bidders had to register online with their credit card information and mobile number. Did anyone else receive those annoying texts? It was the alarm clock you couldn’t turn off!
Silent auction items included artwork, couples spa day, experiences, sunglasses, fashion, to pet items. Charity events closely align with The Social Diary. We have also done our fair share of creating and producing such events. So, we know the dedication and work that goes into gathering auction items, coordinating, setting up and breaking down events.
The “Paddle Up” Auction Dinner
LoveBash for Potter League “Pawty” for animals continued upstairs in the dining room, where the game “Heads or Tails” and the Live Auction kept guests actively engaged. Guests purchased beads (similar to Mardi Gras) for $10 for the game. The last guest standing won the prized “staycation” at a local Newport hotel.
The place setting for dinner included colourful table cloths and creative white “bone” napkins. During check in, each guest received a programme, which doubled as a Paddle for the live auction during dinner service. Paddle numbers printed on the back were easily viewable by the Auctioneer from the stage.
Wyndham Newport Hospitality Notes
Whilst the food offerings during the “cash bar” cocktail reception were edible, the dinner buffet was not. Ninety-nine percent of the buffet was “vegetarian.” The overcooked chicken pieces rounded up the number.
This buffet included mixed greens with a glob of creamy sauce, white rice and garbanzo beans mix, rolled up zucchini in tomato sauce, green beans, potato wedges and chicken pieces. The food was bland, a bit over cooked (chicken) and definitely underwhelming, with dinner plates wet or damp.
In addition, dinner did not include beverage, coffee or tea service. Moreover, desserts arrived on “sharable” trays table side, without dessert utensils and plates.
Live Auction Winners!
During the live auction, two items drew the most attention. One was the African Safari. The other was the animal portrait on the Potter League transport vehicle. There were two winners for the African Safari at $5,600 each. Three cat parents split the animal portrait at $3,500 each. The Auctioneer made light jest that this put dog parents to shame. All for a good cause, after all!
The Auctioneer was engaging and lively. However, there is a point in every charity event where it gets tedious and repetitious asking for money. This is especially true, when many guests had already “opened up” their pocket books to fund the event, the organisation, and with “paddle up.” Therefore, the $10,000 ask toward the end had zero pledges. And the Auctioneer’s pledge of $1600 had no match takers. However, in the spirit of giving, attendees made additional pledges at $2500 and below.
- This story was updated to include relevant information and formatting. ↩︎