Which came first to the Friends of the Animal Village, the major gift announcement or the punny "Santa Paws" year-end party? If there's any confusion, it must be that, in only its second year, Santa Paws again was the setting for the announcement of a huge (by Little Rock Animal Village standards) donation.
Last year, hosts and Village publicans Betsy Robb and Kelsey Avery threw together a fast fundraiser (two months) and held it at the Oxford American. At it, the two and other board members of the nonprofit supporting Little Rock's public animal shelter proudly announced a $100,000 anonymous donation. It's the biggest ever made to the Friends and the Village.
This year, at Trapnall Hall on Dec. 13, when Avery took the mic, she had a new major gift announcement. It seems that for years an older resident of the city, Bernice Burns, had been sending regular -- monthly -- small donations to the shelter: $6, sometimes $20. A board member told me on background that, on the one hand, these were such small donations they kind of raise the question, why not a single, large annual contribution? On the other hand, that's a lot of love -- to write a check each month to an animal shelter.
Well, Burns certainly had the Animal Village in her thoughts, said treasurer Robb, but she also had the Animal Village in her will. Upon her passing several weeks ago, the shelter and the Friends of the Animal Village learned that they were named beneficiaries and that, when her estate is settled, they stand to come into about $70,000 or $80,000.
"She really did not want any fanfare," said shelter director Tracy Roark.
It will be the second largest gift the shelter has ever received.
Each patron of Santa Paws got a coupon for a free pet micro-chipping at the shelter Jan. 3 or Jan. 24, and a free adoption (a $90 value) courtesy of Landers Fiat.
High Profile on 12/21/2014