We are humming a happy tune as we dig ourselves out of the supplies and auction items in our adoption center, as your bids, purchases, and donations exceeded our wildest dreams, thanks in no small part to the exceptionally-generous matching gift from our Diamond Paw sponsor, Care First Animal Hospital. And thanks to our sponsors, donors, bidders, and buyers, the event brought in $169,000!
With so many costs on the rise, dreams of growing our programs to serve animals, and ambitions to expand into the suite next door, every dollar counts and we could not be more grateful for raising over $30,000 more than last year. To all who participated near and far: each of your bids, purchases, and donations helped make this happen and we give you our deepest thanks for making rescue pawsible!
There are few words who can explain the impact your life-saving support will make for animals over the course of the next year–which is why we’re already looking forward to crafting next year’s feature presentation video from the Senior Director, so we can show rather than tell.
If you’d like to see this year’s video again (or, in better quality, for our live stream viewers), you can find it right here on Youtube or here on Facebook. And if you’d like to watch the live stream, you can find that here. Pictures from the photo booth can be found here, and candids are coming soon! As a final bit of housekeeping, congrats to Jody P. for winning the Amazon gift card raffle prize!
THE EVENT
Second Chance Pet Adoptions’ 23rd annual Evening of Pawsibilities returns to the Embassy Suites hotel in Cary (201 Harrison Oaks Blvd.) on the evening of Saturday, September 23. Join us from 6:00 to 10:00 PM for:
- a cocktail hour, with hors d’oeuvres and complimentary beverages
- dinner and dessert (with vegan and gluten-free options)
- hundreds of silent auction items (mobile bidding for remote bidders)
- an exciting live auction (exclusive for on-site guests)
- the Wine Pull AND (returning this year) Coffee Pull
- a raffle (the prize is a $1,500 Amazon gift card!)
- a free and fun photo booth with props
- the chance to put someone in the Dog House (NEW this year)
- a Jackpawt that’s yours for the taking (NEW this year), and
- visits with furry friends!
Looking to spend the night at the hotel after the event? We secured a discount for a limited number of rooms for our guests! Use this link to book by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, September 16, 2023. Prefer to book by phone? Call 919-677-1840 and let them know you’re with the Evening of Pawsibilities, group code 911.
THE AUCTIONS
As our most impactful fundraiser of the year, the gala primarily generates funding for homeless animals through our silent and live auctions. Each winning bid will give stray and abandoned cats and dogs safe shelter, nutritious food, quality medical care–and the love they deserve!
Starting at 5:00 PM Eastern on Wednesday, September 20, everyone (whether joining us in-person or participating from afar) will be able to view and mark-as-favorite all items in the silent auction, which opens at 5:00 PM Eastern on Friday, September 22 closes at 8:30 PM Eastern on Saturday, September 23.
Those who join us in the ballroom will also be able to bid in the live auction on Saturday evening!
(Participating remotely? See below for all YOU can look forward to!)
Our host since 2020, Brian Pate, will graciously return as emcee/auctioneer!
HELP NEEDED! If you can contribute to giving animals a second chance to find love by donating an auction item (goods! services! experiences!), a bottle for the Wine Pull, or a bag for the Coffee Pull, please submit THIS FORM!
THE RAFFLE
Get ready for a raffle drawing like we’ve never had before! The excitement will be tangible as we draw the winning ticket for the $1,500 Amazon gift card (sponsored by Ovesco Endoscopy)!
Raffle tickets start at $10 each, but the more you buy, the more each ticket is discounted; purchase as many as you’d like! Tickets can be purchased HERE until 6:00 PM Eastern on Saturday, September 23, 2023, or (for even greater convenience for auction attendees and bidders) they can be purchased directly through GiveSmart (the bidding platform) until 7:30 PM Eastern Sept. 23 for one easy check-out transaction after the event.
Joining us remotely? Need not be at the event to win! The gift card will be emailed to the winner.
THE PULLS
We anticipate another sell-out year for a fan favorite: the Wine Pull! In the Wine Pull, you can purchase (through the bidding app or on-site) a mystery bottle of wine for $25–and you may find that bottle to be worth up to $100! It’s a fun way to find a new favorite.
BACK THIS YEAR: last year we introduced a second Pull, and it’s back! Get ready to fall in love with a new brew when you take your chances in the Coffee Pull. From classic roasts to interesting notes, you’ll wake up your taste buds and your brain when you sip on your win!
The Pulls will open at 3:00 PM Eastern on Saturday, September 23.
Please remember that wine cannot be shipped to our remote supporters. Please plan to pick up your Pull at Second Chance or to have someone do so for you.
NEW THIS YEAR!
Each year, we’re blown away by the supporters who come to this annual event year after year. With 22 galas under our belt so far, we know how important it is to keep the Evening of Pawsibilities fresh, so we’re excited to add two new elements to the 2023 event for your enjoyment!
The Dog House: With a donation, you’ll be able to get a real dog out of a dog house by putting that certain someone in your party into the dog house! And, they’ll only be able to get out when they raise enough donations to be released! Thanks to Green Home Solutions for sponsoring!
The Jackpawt: For a small price, you’ll pull from a pile of codes and try the combination you pulled on the lock to the treasure chest. If your combination unlocks the box, the prizes inside are all yours! The goods will absolutely be worth the price of admission!
THE FOOD AND DRINKS
Each year, we strive to serve a creative, delectable menu that takes care of all our guests, including our vegan friends and those with allergies and other dietary restrictions. Join us on-site to taste the love!
From appetizers and free drink tickets that can be redeemed for beer, wine, and spirits (cash bar on offer throughout the evening for additional drinks) to a scrumptious buffet, we’ll ensure you’re taken care of as the esteemed guests of our organization!
And remember, save room for dessert!
THE PARTY ANIMALS
Since 2017, we’ve heard you loud and clear: you love the free photo booth! We’re bringing it back this year, thanks to sponsor Moon Interiors, so you can make memories of this life-saving night.
But we all know the real treat: visiting with adoptable cats and dogs! While we can’t bring the hundreds of animals in our program to the event, we will bring a few you can love on throughout the evening. After all, they have YOU and your bids, purchases, and donations to thank for their second chances!
Pictured: Millie Meatball (in the 2022 event photo booth) found her forever family at the Evening of Pawsibilities!
Timeline
6:00 – Event begins! Enjoy the cocktail hour, meet the animals, peruse the auction items, hop in the photo booth, throw your naughty friend in the Dog House, get your raffle tickets and Jackpawt codes, and grab your Wine and Coffee Pulls before they sell out!
6:45 – The buffet opens, and so does the Jackpawt! Those with codes can begin trying to unlock the box now.
7:15 – The Jackpawt and Dog House briefly close during the Welcome Address from our Board President.
7:30 – Raffle ticket sales end, so make sure you’ve purchased your winning ticket by now!
7:45 – The live auction takes place, so be ready to raise your hand high! (The Dog House and Jackpawt will once again close temporarily.)
8:30 – This is it! At 8:30, the silent auction closes, as do all “Buy Now” items and the Wine and Coffee Pulls. Once you’ve placed your final bids and made your last purchases, enjoy coffee and dessert.
8:45 – The Dog House and Jackpawt close (the former for the night, the latter until later this evening if not already opened) so we can all enjoy our Senior Director’s featured video.
9:15 – We select the big raffle winner and treat our guests to a complimentary Heads or Tails game, through which one lucky guesser will win an Amazon gift card!
9:30 – As the evening concludes, check-out is now open for item retrieval. Drive home safely!
Menu (veg = vegetarian; v = vegan; gf = gluten-free)
Hors d’oeuvres: mini-lump crab cakes with a mustard-basil aioli; deviled eggs (veg); stuffed mushrooms (v/gf)
Salad station: warm rolls with butter (veg); garden salad (mixed greens, tomato, cucumbers, carrots, with dressings that include v/gf option); sweet potato and black bean salad (v/gf); quinoa salad (TBD if veg/v/gf)
Dinner buffet: shrimp and grits with white cheddar, bacon, and a lemon-chive cream; house-marinated flank steak with mushroom, tomato, demi, and blue cheese crumbles (gf); roasted vegetable risotto (v/gf); green beans (v/gf); rosemary-roasted red potatoes (v/gf)
Desserts: chocolate cake (veg); caramel apple tart (veg); red velvet cake (veg); chef’s selection of a v/gf option
Beverages: water and sweet iced tea; guests may request hot tea and coffee from servers
Program
Click here to download our event program for remote participants (PDF).
Can’t join us? You can participate remotely! Here’s how:
- Silent auction: register (free!) to bid through the GiveSmart platform. Some items can be mailed (free)! See our pick-up/shipping policies here.
- “Buy now” items: you can purchase any of these in the bidding platform, too.
- Raffle: get your tickets to win no later than 7:30 that night! Need not be present to win.
- Wine and Coffee Pulls: while we can’t ship wine, you can purchase as many of either pull as you’d like and pick them up at our adoption center after the event.
- Donate: get your name on the big screen at the front of the room by donating through GiveSmart and contributing to the event goal. You can even see it for yourself if you…
- Watch on Facebook: we’ll go live from the venue the evening of the event (no Facebook account needed to view the stream)! Tune in between 8:40 and 9:20 PM to meet the animals who will benefit from this annual event, see the Senior Director’s featured video, watch as your name appears on the big screen when you send a donation through 2023eop.givesmart.com (unless you choose to remain anonymous), and find out if YOU won the $1,500 Amazon gift card we’re raffling off!
