Fur Ball aims to raise funds for cats’ care

Darlene, a small calico kitten, is just one of the many cats whose medicla procedures The Alice Fund has helped pay for. Mistreated and found wandering the road, Darlene's eyes needed to be removed to prevent infection. Thanks to the support of The Alice Fund, the young cat now has a home with a loving family. Darlene, a small calico kitten, is just one of the many cats whose medicla procedures The Alice Fund has helped pay for. Mistreated and found wandering the road, Darlene's eyes needed to be removed to prevent infection. Thanks to the support of The Alice Fund, the young cat now has a home with a loving family.

By Shane Foley April 27, 2016 3 min read

Dr. Betsy Alderman

With only 365 days each year, there’s bound to be some overlap for official days to celebrate or raise awareness about something. For instance, April 29 is National Peace Rose Day, National Shrimp Scampi Day, National Zipper Day, National Teach Children to Save Day and, since it is the last Friday in April this year, National Arbor Day and National Hairball Awareness Day.

The folks at The Alice Fund are celebrating that last one with their first-ever Fur Ball fundraiser. The fund is a local initiative dedicated to helping cat owners pay for vet bills they couldn’t otherwise afford.

Dr. Betsy Alderman from The Alice Fund said the event is a virtual fundraiser, eliminating the fancy get-ups and silent auction bids you might not really want to make that are often present at other philanthropic events.

“All we’re asking is for people to log on and donate money,” she said. “The concept is really simple; there’s no event to attend.”

Alderman said fellow Alice Fund board member Kathy Allison came up with the idea. Though any donation is appreciated, those who donate $50 or more before April 29 can submit a photo of their favorite feline, which will be displayed in a virtual red carpet gallery on Facebook on April 29.