Pet paintings, auction items, Therapy Teams, OH MY!
On August 11, 2018, Hand in Paw hosted their signature annual fundraiser, Picasso Pets, in the heart of downtown Birmingham. It was truly a memorable night. Guest enjoyed mingling with therapy animals, perusing a top-notch silent auction, eating a delicious seated dinner, sipping on yummy cocktails and beer, and participating in an incredible live auction!
One of the evening's most anticipated moments was getting to see the completed Picasso Pets pet paintings which were made by pets belonging to prominent members of the community (with a little help from well-know local artists).
The theme for the 18th Annual Picasso Pets was Pop Art, so there was color and flair all around the venue. Guests dressed on-theme by wearing their most colorful cocktail attire. There was even a Therapy Dog Kissing Booth where guests kissed our beloved therapy dogs and got their picture taken. After their kisses, guests were sent amazing pop art styled photos as a keepsake.
A big advancement made this year for the annual fundraiser was utilizing mobile bidding. With this technology, Hand in Paw was able to open the silent auction online a whole week early! This was great because guests could start using the technology and understanding how it works before the event started. It also worked as a comprehensive preview of all the auction items so people could start thinking about how much they were willing to spend. Fast forward to the night of the event, guests could truly enjoy all aspects of the evening instead of having to hover around the item they wanted to make sure they were winning. Overall, this mobile bidding technology made things go very smoothly for guests and volunteers alike.
At the end of the evening, Hand in Paw supporters raised over $303,000 for our Animal-Assisted Therapy programs. Picasso Pets guests made it possible for Hand in Paw Therapy Teams to continue serving terminally ill children and their families, developmentally delayed children, troubled youth, seniors in nursing homes and children with literacy challenges.
