Jodi & Friends: The Big Cat Concert
As part of the annual Make A Difference Day sponsored by USA Today Weekend, I’m organizing a fundraising concert and silent auction at the Westport Town Hall Auditorium on Saturday, October 24th at 8:00 pm, to benefit exotic and domestic felines.
The Silent Auction is free admission and opens to the public beginning at noon that day. The concert begins at 8:00pm in the auditorium. Silent auction items will be awarded immediate after the event.
“Jodi & Friends: The Big Cat Concert” seeks to raise $20,000 to support the charitable work of C.A.T.S. Inc., which rescues stray house cats in Fairfield County, and the Southern Florida Wildlife Rehab Center, which provides a refuge for tigers, cougars, leopards, lions and about 150 other animals, both large and small.
It costs $250 a month to adequately feed and care for a single large cat according to my friend Dirk Neugebohrn, who is the caretaker at the SF Wildlife Rehab Center. Keep in mind that a house cat weighs in at about 9-13 pounds and a Big Cat can be as much as 1,500 pounds!
Concert-goers purchasing a VIP ticket for $250 (feeds a Big Cat for one month) are invited to attend a VIP reception before the event at the Westport Historical Society, located an easy walk across the street from Town Hall.
The Silent Auction
Among the 50+ unique and entertaining items donated to the Silent Auction are:
- Leopard print by the famous artist John A. Ruthvan
- Eco rugs (2)
- Gift certificates to many fine local restaurants, salons, shops and services
- Jewelry
- Weekend for two aboard a 60′ motor yacht
- Tickets to the Theater and other area attractions
- Spa treatment for your pet at Schulhof Animal Hospital and Day Spa
- Large gift basket from Earth Animal
- … and much, much more!
African Leopard
About the music… and the cats!
Music is the realization of a dream which most never be lost. This is the credo that I live by and music pretty much dominates my life! Combining my love for music and animals is a dynamic duo that I am immensely enjoying.
The music that I have selected for this very special fundraising event is guaranteed to delight everyone, from the young to the ‘not so young.’
These animals mean so much to me and should to everyone. Tigers on the endangered species list, cougars declawed to be house pets, big felines forced to fight pit bulls or otherwise prove their strength over and over again just to entertain. I have a desire, actually, more of a need, to make a difference for these majestic animals. They can’t speak for themselves, so I will be their voice. I will sing for the Big Cats, and the little cats too!
The evening’s musical selections will include some famous, light Operatic melodies and a lot of Broadway songs. From La Traviata to Brigadoon, Carmen to West Side Story. And, a very special song for the cats with a multi-media presentation played during the song!
Evelyn from C.A.T.S. Inc. recently told me…
“I am delighted to be part of The Big Cat Concert. It’s such a worthy cause and it’s nice to see that someone who loves animals is willing to use her talent to fundraise for them right here in our own backyard.”
With sincere thanks…
We’d like to thank all our event sponsors, but especially our Presenting Sponsor Newman’s Own for supporting these two worthy nonprofit organizations and the work they are doing.
I give my heartfelt thanks to everyone in the community who has given so freely of their time and talents to the concert and the auction. We know that the times are very tight financially, but it’s heartwarming to see that even in these tough economic times, there are so many people still eager to help in anyway they can.
Thank you. Without your compassion for these animals and these causes our fundraising event could not be a success.
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