SWEETCHARITY: Chuck Scarborough Promotes Animal Rescue

By Jessica Mackin

Gimme Shelter Animal Rescue will host its third annual summer benefit on Saturday from 5 to 8 PM at the home of Ellen and Chuck Scarborough, Emmy Award-winning NBC anchor and correspondent. The event raises money for the rescue's efforts to save dogs from kill shelters across the country, spay/neuter the dogs, pay for all necessary medical care and find them loving forever homes. Scarborough, animal lover and adopter of two Gimme Shelter dogs, will act as master of ceremonies and will be joined by guest speaker and Emmy Award-winning comedy writer Bill Persky ("Dick Van Dyke Show"). "Saving one dog won't change the world . . . but surely the world will change for that one dog." That's the tag line on the Gimme Shelter website. At GSAR, they believe every dog, regardless of breed, age, or handicap, is worth saving. Experts use a unique assessment technique to pair dogs with foster parents to find the best possible home for each rescue. "We pride ourselves on matching each one of our animals with their ideal forever family," GSAR's website informs. GSAR's mission is to rescue animals that are destined for euthanasia in high kill facilities across the country. "Our goal is to ensure the overall health of every single dog we rescue and make sure they live happy lives with families who love and cherish them," the organization's mission statement notes. Every rescue receives full medical treatment and is also spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped prior to adoption. Then, through their successful adoption program, GSAR staff works to place each animal in a loving forever home. As part of a broader solution, GSAR hopes to raise funds to launch low or no-cost spay/neuter programs in the communities from which they rescue. Founded in 2011 by Michelle Neufeld Montauk, who lives in Sagaponack with her husband Edward and four dogs Otis, Lulu, Breaker, and Donni, GSAR has been twice named "Best Rescue in The Hamptons." During Saturday's event, attendees will be able to enjoy a musical performance by Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter Loudon Wainwright while they sip on cocktails and enjoy delicious passed hors d'oeuvres. The evening will kick off with a ceremony honoring the Rescue's amazing therapy dogs Leo and Lola. Additional entertainment for the evening includes a "Smooch the Pooch" kissing booth with Leo the therapy dog, music by DJ Ray Jarrell, a Starbucks station serving iced green tea and coffee, Joe & Liza's serving mini ice cream cones, a Bark Box (www.barkbox.com) station where you fill your own box with various toys, bones and treats to take home for your dog, a live auction lead by Chuck Scarborough, and a silent auction. The live auction boasts top prizes such as a catered champagne lunch for four on a private boat which will cruise around Shelter Island for the day and dock at the Shelter Island Yacht Club for cocktails, a guided tour of NBC studios by master of ceremonies himself, Scarborough, a ride in an authentic World War II "AT-6" plane for a half hour long tour of Long Island, and a private jet flight from Westchester County to East Hampton for up to six people donated by ExcelAire. Tickets to the benefit are $125 per person in advance and $175 per person at the door. For tickets visit www.gimmeshelteranimalrescue.org for more info.

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