Meow Luau

Contributed by:
St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center
575 Woodland Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940-0159
http://www.sthuberts.org

For a number of years, St. Hubert’s has thrown an afternoon Valentine’s Day tea for Cat Society members that sells out (the room can only hold 150.) The $30 admission to the event doubles as annual membership which also includes the quarterly newsletter, THE SCRATCHING POST. This year they decided to add a summer event to the Cat Society calendar the Meow Luau held the fourth Sunday in July.

What You’ll Do

• Send an invitation out six weeks before the event.
• Find a speaker to present on a light-hearted cat topic. (This year’s topic was “Cool Tips for Hot Cats During the Dog Days of Summer”.)
• Ask volunteers and staff to scan yard sales for Hawaiian-themed decorations and apparel.
• Solicit donations of food and tricky tray items.
• Design a program of events for the day to identify and thank donors.

On the Day of the Event

Decorate the space to the max including Hawaiian posters doctored up to include cats on the beach and at other Hawaiian landmarks. You can’t get too over-the-top with this theme! String festive lights and ask staff to don “island-wear.” Set out donated party food and tricky tray items and set aside the first 30-45 minutes for eating, socializing and buying raffle tickets.

After the 45-60 minute lecture, throw in a fun cat quiz for catnip toy prizes and reveal the tricky tray winners. The entire event took two to two and a half hours and raised $2,000—admission was $30 plus the tricky tray raffle. (Approximately 50 people attended. Next year, St Hubert’s plans to hold the event on a weekday evening instead of a summer Sunday afternoon, in order to draw a bigger crowd.)

Cost

Costs were minimal: total of $78.50. Gross income of $2,000 with a profit of 96%

• Invitation design and printing were donated so there were only postage costs.
• All food was donated by local caterers, delis and volunteers.
• Punch was provided and cost $9.
• Most decorations were donated or purchased at garage sales ($50 and they are re-useable for next year.)
• All tricky tray items and cat quiz prizes were donated by local vendors.

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Idea Number 48 from 101 Great Shelter Ideas compiled by the ASPCA and American Humane Association, ©2000