Shelter Fundraisers Change It Up For Social Distance: Check Out Anderson Animal Shelter’s Walk4Animals 2019 & 2020

In October of 2019, I had the pleasure of participating in Anderson Animal Shelter’s Walk4Animals, a fall fundraising event for a worthy cause in my community, where I could meet lots of dogs and animal supporters, as well as hang out with my own dog, Leia. She and I were excited to participate!

We had a great time and would have been happy to go again this year, but the pandemic and social distancing rules meant that Anderson Animal Shelter, located in the Fox Valley region of Illinois, had to change things up in 2020.

Luckily, they found some really fun ways to adapt the fundraiser and still help animals! Here’s a look back at the Walk4Animals last year and how Anderson is still going strong this year!

Anderson Animal Shelter’s Walk4Animals 2019

Here’s How The Walk4Animals Changed Things Up For 2020!

With the limitations of this year’s social distancing/pandemic challenges, Anderson decided to adapt their event to be partially virtual, partially elongated into four months, so walkers could walk whenever, wherever they liked.

The fundraiser kicked off in June and concluded in October. Each month had its own fundraising challenge with great prizes from corporate donors, like a Bluetooth speaker, pet treats, and more, for the top fundraiser of the month.

As for the walk itself, Anderson posted a new route in the Fox Valley area each month to give people ideas on where to complete their physical challenge. They also said that they knew their supporters lived in many different areas and encouraged them to walk wherever was comfortable and convenient for them.

At the conclusion of it all, Anderson hosted a really neat celebratory event, the first ever of its kind: the Backyard Bash, on October 10.

Local bands provided live music at the historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles to stream online, and local restaurants partnered to offer food specials for carryout, so people could enjoy the party from the safety and comfort of their own homes.

The event also had huge raffle prizes, including a Weber grill and a year’s supply of pet food. Of course, they also shared heartwarming stories of animals saved by and adopted out from Anderson, which really tied together all the fun into a beautiful reminder of why all the supporters had come together in the first place.

It was great to see and participate in two different versions of a fundraising event for this wonderful animal shelter. Such creativity and adaptability isn’t surprising from such a successful shelter, but it’s inspiring to see and makes you want to jump in to help.

I can’t wait to see what next year’s event will be like!

Show Your Support For Anderson Animal Shelter

Anderson Animal Shelter is located in the Fox Valley region of Illinois, with its primary shelter in South Elgin, as well as satellite locations in Bloomingdale and North Aurora. Established in 1966, it has been saving lives for over 50 years.

They also provide education, training, and partnerships with other organizations that benefit animals around the country, often taking in animals that haven’t found adoptive families in other areas. They’re a no-kill shelter and only practice positive reinforcement techniques.

Among their many services, they offer community outreach, humane education, low-cost spay/neuter services, training classes, and, if necessary, pet rehoming. Last year, they cared for 5,355 homeless dogs and cats, as well as 20 rats.

That’s a lot of mouths to feed! Anderson Animal Shelter receives no federal or state funding and relies entirely on donations and volunteers. Every year, they host several fundraising/adoption events to engage local donors and potential adopters.

To learn more about Anderson Animal Shelter, including ways to adopt, volunteer, or donate, please visit their website.

Have you participated in any socially distant animal shelter fundraisers this year during the pandemic? How did they compare to events in past years? Let us know in the comments below!