For every furry companion we have running between our legs and sleeping on our favourite shirts, there’s another animal looking for a home, and this month the Invermere Companion Animal Network (ICAN) will look to move one step closer to finding a new home and shelter with their comedy fundraising event, “Raise the Woof.”
“It’s going to be a fun night out,” said ICAN president Lana Banham. “(I’m looking forward to) getting to see people that I haven’t seen in a while, and getting the word out about ICAN and what we do, and gaining some excitement for our new shelter in the community.”
Raise the Woof is an independent comedy tour that regularly works with animal shelters and rescue groups across the country to put on fundraising events. Created by comedian and producer James Uloth, the tour has helped raise over $300,000 for a variety of charities. The tour will visit the Invermere Community Hall on November 23, and will feature the talents of Uloth and fellow comedian Lars Callieou (both of whom can be seen on Youtube) with a third performer to be confirmed a bit closer to the event.
“Raise the Woof likes to make it an annual event if they’re well-received,” Banham said. “We’re kind of hoping along those lines, but we’ll get this first year under our belts and see how that goes.”
Tickets are $45 and include refreshments, dinner a silent auction and of course, live comedy. Proceeds from the event will go towards building a new rescue and adoption centre so that ICAN can help even more pets in the future. Since 2007, the group has assisted with over 700 animals, and having outgrown their current location in Invermere are looking to move to a new facility.
Doors open at 6 p.m., dinner begins at 7 p.m. and the show starts at around 8 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at The Book Bar, One-Hour Photo and the Invermere Veterinary Hospital in Invermere, at Furry Companions in Radium, and at Smoking Waters Coffee Company in Fairmont Hot Springs, and are going fast. Banham would also like to add that ICAN is full of cats right now, so if anyone is looking for a furry companion, now might be the perfect time to look into adopting.
For more information on Raise the Woof, visit the ICAN website at www.icanhelpapet.com, or the Raise the Woof website at www.woofraise.com.