Tri-Valley Animal Rescue's "That's Amore" Pairs Food, Fun and Fundraising

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

What is it that keeps a volunteer organization like Tri-Valley Animal Rescue hard at work, finding new homes for shelter animals? That's Amore, which is also the theme of the group's fifth annual fundraiser dinner and auction. The event, That's Amore: A Taste of Italy, will be held in Livermore at Garre Winery on Saturday, October 9.

Tri-Valley Animal Rescue (TVAR) works with local animal shelters to save animals which would otherwise be put to sleep. TVAR evaluates shelter animals for suitability as pets and then places them in temporary foster homes until they can be given appropriate vaccinations, spayed or neutered, and finally adopted. "We work with the East County Animal Shelter, which is located in Dublin, but we're not supported by them," explains Cindy Ferrin, TVAR spokesperson. "Our funding all comes from private donations. We just work to make their euthanasia numbers as low as we can make them." Last year, 858 cats and 705 dogs were adopted thanks to TVAR's efforts.

That's Amore, the group's fifth annual dinner and auction, is their biggest fundraiser of the year. In addition to a delicious dinner served in a sumptuous setting, the event features live and silent auctions for a variety of items, including a host of Livermore Valley wines.

As part of the event, the group is also holding a raffle. The grand prize is a Sony 42-inch LCD thin-screen HDTV - "I think most people would love to have that in their home," says Ferrin - and the second prize is two nights for four adults at The Redwoods in Yosemite, who offer over 130 different vacation homes to their guests. Tickets for the drawing are available now.

Funds generated by the event go directly to benefit homeless pets. "TVAR is an all-volunteer organization, so the money that is raised will go to meet program-related expenses like veterinary fees and pet food," says Ferrin.

Tickets for the event are $40 per person in advance or $45 at the door (subject to availability) and can be ordered online at www.tvar.org, through PayPal (donate@tvar.org), at the TVAR adoption area at the Pleasanton Farmers' Market on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm, or by calling (925) 461-7574. TVAR has Adoption Days every weekend at PetSmart and at the downtown Farmers' Market in Pleasanton and at Pet Food Express in Livermore.

For additional information about TVAR, e-mail contact@tvar.org or call their message line at (925) 803-7043.

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