- 1. Humane Society of Boulder Valley Wins ASPCA $100K Challenge
- 2. Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center Receives Community Engagement Award
- 3. Photo & Success Story Contest: Six Challengers Take Home $1,000 Grants
1. Humane Society of Boulder Valley Wins ASPCA $100K Challenge
After months of life-saving efforts and herculean data keeping by all of our $100K Challenge contestants, the ASPCA is pleased to announce the contest’s grand prize winner and recipient of $100,000 is the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. In total, Boulder Valley saved 2,640 animals’ lives—an increase of 968 lives saved over the same time period in 2009.
The dedicated staff and volunteers of Boulder Valley seized a commanding early lead, despite a series of setbacks, including wildfires that rocked the region in early September, and sustained their efforts to the very end of the contest. For this unerring dedication and for clocking in the largest increase in numbers of lives saved, Boulder Valley is the contest’s grand prize winner and will receive a $100,000 grant to continue its life-saving work.
“They didn’t miss a beat in spite of the outbreak of the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire at the beginning of September and the need to jump in and care for displaced animals—and provide basic supplies to people who were driven out of their homes,” says Bert Troughton, ASPCA Vice President of ProLearning. “That very same weekend, the folks at Boulder waived fees on 100 cats and ended up with the second biggest adoption day in their 108-year history—now that’s determination.”
During the three-month contest, each Challenger worked to save at least 300 more animals—from August through October 2010—than they did during the same period in 2009. Boulder Valley not only saved 300 more animals, but exceeded that target by more than 650 lives to win the $100,000 grand prize.
Please see our leaderboard for the final, awe-inspiring numbers. To read all about Boulder Valley’s race to the finish line, please visit the $100K Challenge blog.
2. Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center Receives Community Engagement Award
Was it the blog penned (or pawed, rather) by a Chihuahua mix named Daisy? Or perhaps it was the see-and-be-seen events, including the “Reach for the Stars,” red carpet, kickoff party? Or could it have been one of 31 television stories or 15 newspaper articles that touted the $100K Challenge? In truth, all of these activities are the reason Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center (TLCASC) is the undisputed champ of public outreach and the winner of the ASPCA Community Engagement Award.
After TLCASC received more than 20,000 online votes, an ASPCA grants committee selected the organization for the Community Engagement Award because of its creative and comprehensive “Reach for the Stars” communications campaign, which recruited dozens of local officials and celebrities to act as agents for animals in need of new homes. With some stiff competition, TLCASC demonstrated a willingness to engage with Tallahassee’s citizens in new and innovative ways, and made the organization a natural winner of the Community Engagement Award and a $25,000 grant.
“When you consider that the word ‘community’ is in their name, it is easy to see where Tallahassee Leon Community Animal Service Center gets its dedication,” says ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres. “When they took on the $100K Challenge, they clearly committed themselves to making a difference in the lives of both the two-legged and four-legged members of the Tallahassee community.”
Want to see a jaw-dropping summary of TLCASC’s incredible community outreach, including hilarious photos and video? Visit the $100K Challenge blog!
3. Photo & Success Story Contest: Six Challengers Take Home $1,000 Grants
The ASPCA $100K Challenge was only as successful as the countless staff, volunteers and members of the public who worked so hard to put their shelters on top. Of course, all who participated in the Challenge went above and beyond, but extra congratulations are due to the following individuals (and animals!), who secured $1,000 grants for their shelters as winners of the $100K Challenge Photo & Success Story Contest:
Linda Sifford and Sasha
Kansas Humane Society, Wichita, KS
Tricia and Abbie Jackson and Thomas
McKamey Animal Care & Adoption Center, Chattanooga, TN
Maria Joslin and Onyx
Humane Society of Boulder Valley, Boulder, CO
Erika Leckington and Smellie
Tallahassee Leon Community Animal Service Center, Tallahassee, FL
Gini Moncur and Annie
Irvine Animal Care Center, Irvine, CA
Elizabeth Piotrowski and Elsa
SPCA, Inc., Lakeland, FL
When we launched the Photo & Story Contest and solicited entries from adopters, fosters and volunteers, anyone who had engaged with a Challenge shelter during the months of August, September or October, we had no idea what an amazing response we would receive. After studying more than 100 heartwarming submissions, we narrowed down the field to 20 furry finalists, and asked our readers to log on to ASPCA.org to select their favorites.
The photos, of course, were cuteness personified, but the stories—in their vastness and diversity—really inspired us to reconsider what this Challenge means to so many different people and their animal friends. The contest’s success owes much to our members’ support (and their essential online voting), so thank you for your dedication, and we will see you again in 2011!