VERO BEACH — The Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County annual Cause for Paws fundraiser went high tech this year, introducing individual hand-held devices which allowed bidders to keep track of bids on their favored items. It was the first of its kind in Vero Beach and, as with all new-fangled gadgets, it had its fans and critics, with most giving it an enthusiastic tail wag.
Members of the Best Buy Geek Squad were on hand to assist any technically challenged bidders with the cellphone sized BidPal devices. No longer having to hover over and guard bid sheets, attendees entered initial bids and could up their ante from anywhere in the room when it indicated that someone had outbid them.
“I think that they will raise a lot more money because you don’t have to keep walking around the whole room,” said Amanda Pfennig, busily checking for updates.
An overhead screen even showed those items which had not yet garnered any bids. The new gadgets greatly improved checkout efficiency, eliminating reams of paper, illegible and inaccurate bids, and hundreds of end-of-night calculations.
“I think it’s cool!” enthused Penny Ordione. “In this day and age, anyone who has a cellphone can use this.”
At any time during the night, with just a flick of the “Help an Animal” button, guests could also become a shelter Tooth Fairy or Guardian Angel for $250, or an Archangel or Golden Tooth Fairy for $1,000.
The always massive undertaking, this year co-chaired by Sheila Marshall and Bonnie Spitzmiller, requires months of preparation by dedicated volunteers and staff who scour the county for sponsors and donors for a two-evening shopping extravaganza filled with hundreds of silent and live auction items.
In another break from tradition this year, both the Cause for Paws Preview Party and the Main Auction were held at the Vero Beach Museum of Art. As a touching reminder of the fundraiser’s cause celeb, arriving guests both evenings were greeted by adorable dogs, gazing with soulful eyes and doing their tail-wagging best to entice someone to adopt them into a forever home.
Major sponsors, underwriters and other top dogs, enjoyed a first opportunity to purchase a choice assortment of auction treasures at the Preview Party Thursday evening, hosted by Sally Anderson, Jo Ann Becker, Sandy Crowell, Betsy Forrester, Virginia Schwerin, Jean Shropshire and Maria Whittle, and beautifully laid out in the Museum’s newly enclosed atrium.
Lisa Swift, wife of Humane Society development director Tim Swift, came up with a new creative concept to illustrate the event with fanciful animal characters.
“She commissioned an artist in Colorado; she first had done them as notepads,” explained Shelia Marshall who pointed to one poster of a cat asleep in a wine glass. “It’s a cat napping in a glass of Napa Valley wine. They’re all a play on words.”
“Cause for Paws is our single largest fundraising event,” said Chalmers Morse, executive director. “It is truly a labor of love.”
He spoke briefly about the shelter’s numerous programs and services including its newest wellness clinic which offers low-cost preventive care saying, “We know that we cannot adopt our way out of the problem, but we can spay and neuter.”
Preview Party special guest Dr. Juli Goldstein, an assistant research professor at Harbor Branch, spoke about the Stryder Cancer Foundation she established in memory of her dog Stryder, which provides emotional and financial support for pets diagnosed with canine cancer.
When the Friday evening silent auction closed, County Commissioner Wesley Davis presided over the live auction, which included fabulous trips, artwork, jewelry and even a “Society Dinner” featuring Humane Society directors and board members serving up a gourmet meal at the high bidder’s home.
But high bidders or not, more than 7,000 lost, homeless, neglected and abused animals assisted by the shelter each year will ultimately benefit from their largess.