About 300 people attended a special steak night fundraiser at Riverhead Polish Hall Friday night to support an effort to build a new animal shelter.
The event raised about $7,000 for the cause, Move the Animal Shelter organizer Denise Lucas said.
"It's not the kind of environment you want to bring kids to to adopt a dog," she said. "I brought my neighbor's 14-year-old daughter to look for a dog and I was literally disgusted," Lucas said, explaining how she decided to work for a new shelter.
"I went home and I sat on my porch and wrote a little book to Jim Wooten," she said, referring to the Riverhead councilman who has been the town board liaison to the animal shelter. "I said, 'something's got to be done about this.'"
Lucas acknowledges she's taken on a big job, perhaps more than she originally bargained for. "It's a little overwhelming sometimes," she said. "It's more than a second job. It never stops. But my goal isn't even just about the money. It's to bring awareness to the issue. We're a town of 34,000 residents. We have a pretty lousy animal shelter. The animals deserve better," she said.
Lucas said she raised more than $12,000 in the first five weeks of her effort, not including last night's fundraiser, which netted $7,000.
She's got several more events coming up in the next few months.
A Christmas party for the animal shelter is planned for December 17 at The Eagles Landing at Calverton Links. Tickets are $25 per person.
In January, she's scheduled a spaghetti dinner, with tickets at $15 per person "to keep it affordable for everybody after the holidays," she said.
In February, there will be two events: an "Uncle Fester" reunion party at the Moose lodge on February 11 and a leap year party Feb. 29 at Cody's BBQ.
Lucas has plans for a big blues bash at Calverton Links April 29. "Hogs and Hot Rods Rock the Shelter" will feature five different bands and a motorcycle poker run from Calverton to Orient Point.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Peter Blasl
