Hinsdale Halloween enthusiasts will have the chance to strut their stuff as they support the Hinsdale Humane Society on Oct. 30.
Event chair Christie Cuthbert said she expects a big turnout at the Black Cat Ball, the Humane Society’s first gala fundraiser since it raised $50,000 two years ago with a black-tie celebration of its 60th birthday.
Why a Black Cat Ball?
“Well, we thought Halloween was a great time of year for an event because there aren’t many fundraisers in the fall,” Cuthbert said. “And it was kind of a fun play on words since we’re an animal shelter.”
“And also, we do have a ton of black cats there now,” she added with a laugh.
The Ball, organized by the HHS Ambassadors women’s board, will be held at the Katherine Legge Memorial Lodge in Hinsdale. ABC-TV news anchor Ben Bradley will emcee the event, which will feature a costume contest with prizes and an open bar with appetizers, plus live and silent auctions, and music by the pop/rock cover band Poparockzzi.
“It’s going to have a haunted-house feel and it’s going to be a ton of fun,” Cuthbert said. “The idea is to provide adults with the opportunity for a Halloween party. Parents can take their kids trick-or-treating the next day, but this is a night for them to get dressed up and have a great time.”
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Cuthbert also said she’s confident of a sell-out crowd, given the buzz the event has already generated and the amount of support the shelter typically enjoys. Currently, the HHS has a staff of more than 300 volunteers drawn to its numerous community programs, which include providing therapy dogs for kids with dyslexia and autism and for the elderly.
“It’s so much more than just a place to adopt a cat or a dog,” she explained.
On Aug. 15, the HHS is taking part in NBC 5’s Clear the Shelters Day. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the shelter will waive adoption, and spay or neuter fees for any animal 5 months of age or older.
And at 2 p.m. Aug. 16, HHS holds a “Blessing of Pets and Bricks” in its Carla E. Fisher Memorial Garden. The new bricks have been placed in honor of pets and people.The celebration, free and open to the public, will include a blessing, music, dedication and light refreshments.
Hinsdale Humane Society’s Black Cat Ball
Katherine Legge Memorial Lodge, 5901 S. County Line Road, Hinsdale
7-midnight, Oct. 30
Tickets $125
(630) 323-5630 or see www.hinsdalehumanesociety.org