The West Columbia Gorge Humane Society’s annual fundraiser, A Tail to Keep in mind, is shifting to a brand new venue in 2025 and eliminating its on-line silent public sale.
The fundraising occasion benefitting the nonprofit Washougal animal shelter, will probably be held from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1, on the Vacation Inn Portland Columbia Riverfront lodge, 909 N. Hayden Island Drive.
In earlier years, West Columbia Gorge Humane Society has held the annual fundraiser at The Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, however Humane Society Growth Director Peggy DiPrima stated the occasion has grown too huge for the Vancouver lodge.
“We love the Heathman, but we outgrew it,” DiPrima stated. “The dining room capacity was 200, and (we were) just squishing ourselves in. We want to be able to open it up to more people. We think more people will attend if there’s an opportunity.”
DiPrima stated the Vacation Inn can seat 400 friends within the Portland lodge’s occasion house.
“The logistics at the Holiday Inn are going to be better than at the Heathman,” DiPrima stated. “Due to the space constraints, we (held the) reception at one end of the hotel and then, when it was time to go into dinner, we had to walk all the way across the hotel, which was a good three-minute walk. That was cumbersome.”
DiPrima stated the brand new venue will permit the nonprofit to host the reception and dinner in adjoining rooms. One other change to the occasion is the shortage of a web based silent public sale.
“It was losing momentum as the years progressed,” DiPrima stated. “I think that when you do the same thing over and over again, it loses its excitement. We felt like maybe we should take a couple of years off, give it a break, do something different, and then maybe bring it back, either at a different time of year next year or the year after.”
This yr’s occasion will function a cocktail reception, photograph sales space, dinner, dwell public sale and what DiPrima known as a “super silent” public sale. Proceeds will profit the Washougal nonprofit animal shelter.
The 2025 auctions will function a salmon fishing journey and a pasta-making and wine-pairing class — in addition to a visit to Sunriver, Ore.
“We’ve got such a successful format going that we stick relatively close to the format. We usually use our formula and make it a little more exciting each year,” DiPrima stated.
Shelter leaders hope to boost $200,000 from this yr’s fundraiser. In 2023, the occasion raised a file $192,545 then dropped to $171,850 in 2024.
“Last year it took a little dip based on the economy and what was going on in life,” DiPrima stated. “This year, our hope is to spring back.”
West Columbia Gorge makes use of funds raised on the public sale to assist pay for medical and surgical providers, neighborhood applications, the shelter’s pet meals pantry and emergency neighborhood veterinary fund, and day-to-day operations.
“We use those funds to keep our mission in motion,” DiPrima stated. “I’m very excited about this year’s event. … I think it’s going to be our best one yet.”
For extra info or to buy tickets, go to wcghs.org.