P.A.W.S. Celebrates 40th Anniversary Gala

Get your dancing shoes on and join NBC Weather Anchor Andy Avalos as he hosts an evening of fun at P.A.W.S. Animal Shelter's 40th Anniversary Gala. The organization's largest benefit of the year is celebrating four decades of providing life-saving support for our furry friends.

"When I first received an email from John Dillon, board director of PAWS, requesting if I could attend or possibly emcee this event, I was thrilled and honored.  I’m an animal lover with several of my own and always look forward to helping our furry friends in need.  Can’t wait to be a part of the 40th Anniversary Gala," said Avalos. 

Mark your calendars and get your tickets now for the 6th Annual Dinner Dance. The festivities begin at 6 p.m. on March 21 at the Odyssey Country Club, 1911 S. Ridgeland Ave., in Tinley Park. Guest will enjoy dinner (a Lenten entrée is available) and dancing. The event features a raffle of gift baskets donated by local businesses along with a Dyson vacuum cleaner and Keurig coffee maker. Two auctions—one live and one silent—make the event absolutely purrfect. Auction items include a Southwest Airlines ticket to anywhere the company flies, a trip to Disney World in Orlando, FL. and an autographed football by Chicago Bears player Kyle Long.

Ticket Purchases

Tickets are $60 per person, and registration is due by March 10. If you have a PayPal account, purchase your tickets online here.  You can also download the registration form here and drop it off or mail it to P.A.W.S. of Tinley Park, 8301 W. 191st St., Tinley Park, IL 60487.  For more information, contact Event Co-Chairperson John Dillon at (708) 805-3932 or in an email at jdillon4@mac.com.

Having found homes for more than 23,000 dogs and cats since its inception in 1974, the no-kill shelter provides a safe haven for more than 125 animals on a daily basis.

"We're celebrating 40 life-saving years," said Sue Kapala, event co-chairperson. Four decades ago, a small group of compassionate women sitting around a kitchen table realized the need for a safe haven for the community's unwanted animals. "They began with a shed that housed a mere six animals, a handful volunteers, an extraordinary amount of courage and the support of the community."

Today the shelter boasts 200-plus dedicated volunteers who contribute over 25,000 hours per year "to our mission of kindness." The shelter provides low-cost spay or neutering, pet therapy and humane education to residents of the surrounding communities.

This kind of commitment takes money, said Kapala. Event coordinators are hoping to raise $60,000 to help offset the rising cost of medical care for the animals. "With medical bills now reaching $20,000 per month, your support is greatly needed."

Local business owners are asked to support the gala by becoming sponsors and placing an advertisement in the 40th anniversary booklet. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Sue Simon at (708) 285-5655.

Sponsorship Categories:

Silver—$100: Business card ad and your logo on our event banner

Gold—$250: 1/4 page ad and your logo on our event banner

Diamond—$500: 1/2 page ad and your logo on our event banner

Ruby—$1,000: one page ad, your logo on our event banner, your logo on our anniversary T-shirts and two gala tickets.  

Be sure to visit the website for P.A.W.S. of Tinley Park. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.