THE EVENT
Second Chance Pet Adoptions’ 24th Annual Evening of Pawsibilities returns to the Embassy Suites hotel in Cary (201 Harrison Oaks Blvd.) on the evening of Saturday, October 5 from 6:00 – 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 incredible silent auction items (with mobile bidding for remote pawticipants)
- an exciting live auction (exclusively for on-site guests only)
- a Wine Pull
- a raffle (the prize is a $1,500 VISA gift card!)
- a free and fun photo booth with props
- the chance to put someone in the Dog House
- a Jackpawt that’s yours for the taking, 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! Call (919) 677-1840 and let them know you’re with Second Chance Pet Adoptions and the Evening of Pawsibilities.
THE AUCTION
As our largest fundraiser of the year, the gala 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, October 2, everyone (whether joining us in-person or participating remotely) will be able to view all items in the silent auction, which opens at 5:00 PM Eastern on Friday, October 4 closes at 8:30 PM Eastern on Saturday, October 5.
Those who join us in the ballroom will also be able to bid in the live auction the evening of the event!
(Participating remotely? See below for all YOU can look forward to!)
Our host since 2020, Brian Pate, will return again this year to lead our festivities!
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 VISA gift card (generously sponsored by Ovesco Endoscopy)!
Raffle tickets start at $10 each, but the more you buy, the more each ticket is discounted. Tickets can be purchased HERE until PM7:30 Eastern on Saturday, October 5.
Joining us remotely? Need not be at the event to win! The gift card will be emailed to the winner.
THE WINE PULL
We anticipate another sell-out year for a fan favorite: the Wine Pull! In the Wine Pull, you purchase (through GiveSmart, our online bidding app or on-site) a mystery bottle of wine for $25. The value of the wine you receive may be worth up to $100! It’s a fun way to find a new favorite.
The Wine Pull opens at 3:00 PM Eastern on Saturday, October 5.
NOTE: Wine cannot be shipped to our remote bidders. Please plan to pick up your Pull at Second Chance.
BACK THIS YEAR!
We are so grateful to the supporters who come to our annual event year after year. With 23 galas under our belt to date, we know how important it is to keep the Evening of Pawsibilities fresh, so we’re excited to bring back two crowd favorites from our 2023 event for your enjoyment!
The Dog House: Make a donation, and 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!
The Jackpawt: For a small price, you’ll get a combination number and be able to try and see if it unlocks the treasure chest. If your combination unlocks the box, the prizes inside are all yours! The goods will absolutely be worth the ticket price!
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
We hear you loud and clear: you LOVE the free photo booth!
We’re bringing it back this year, thanks to our photo booth 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!
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, purchase your raffle tickets and Jackpawt codes, and grab a bottle (or three!) from the Wine Pull before it sells out!
6:45 – The buffet opens, and so does the Jackpawt! Those with codes can begin trying their codes to see if the box unlocks.
7:15 – The Jackpawt and Dog House briefly close during the Welcome Address from Dave Ballesteros, our Board President.
7:30 – Raffle ticket sales end.
7:45 – The live auction takes place, so be ready to raise your hands high! (The Dog House and Jackpawt will once again close temporarily.)
8:30 – The silent auction closes, as do all “Buy Now” items and the Wine Pull. 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 in the evening if not already opened) so we can all enjoy hearing from Lisa Imhof, our Senior Director.
9:15 – The raffle winner is chosen!
9:30 – As the evening concludes, check-out is now open for item retrieval. Drive home safely!
Can’t join us in-person? You can participate remotely! Here’s how:
- Silent auction: register HERE to bid (for free!) 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 Pulls: while we can’t ship wine, you can purchase as many bottles 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)! We’ll let you know when to tune in 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 make a donation HERE (unless you choose to remain anonymous), and find out if YOU won the $1,500 VISA gift card we’re raffling off!
