Too hot to cook tonight?
Head over to Pizza Hut, 4402 Buffalo Road, from 5 to 8 p.m., and enjoy pizza, pasta, salads, breadsticks and more from the buffet. The restaurant will donate 15% of today’s proceeds, plus all of today’s tips, to Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary, 5439 West Lake Road.
If you’d like to help out, volunteers are needed to help bus tables and refill beverages. For more information, call 746-0511 or 504-3246.
Looking for some ways to help out this weekend? Here’s a roundup of some volunteer and fundraising opportunities in Erie County. If you have any suggestions for future posts, please send me an e-mail at fiona.branton@timesnews.com or drop off your announcement at the Erie Times-News, 205 W. 12th St.
1. Give blood. Memorial Day weekend is traditionally one of the three worst weekends of the year for blood usage, due to all the travel and activities, and it kicks off the unofficial blood shortage season. Help the Community Blood Bank go into the weekend with the blood supply at a high level by donating. The blood bank, at 2646 Peach St., is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A photo ID is required.
2. Bike Around the Bay. The 11th annual Bike Around the Bay benefiting Environment Erie’s education programs will take place Saturday. Riders can choose among 10-, 30- and 50-mile rides. The rides will begin at 8 and 9 a.m., starting and ending at the Pilot House, 1 Holland St., behind the Intermodal Transportation Center. Day-of-ride registration is $25 for an individual and $45 for families. Call 835-8069 or visit www.environmenterie.org to learn more.
3. Erie Animal Network’s Art for Animals. Have fun and purchase an original piece of art by local professional and amateur artists, Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m., at Performing Artists Collective Alliance, 1505 Peach St. Admission is free; proceeds from the sale help support the Erie Animal Network’s pet food bank and its mission of reuniting lost and found pets with their owners.
4. Rummage sale at Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary. Find some great stuff — clothing, books, DVDs, knick-knacks, pet items, household goods and more — and help the cats at Orphan Angels. The sale will be held Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., in the shelter’s parking lot, 5439 West Lake Road.
The Erie Area Rabbit Society & Rescue is looking for people to foster or adopt pet rabbits. The group will hold an adoption event on Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m., at Petco at the Millcreek Mall.
At the event, you can meet rabbits that are available for adoption or fostering and talk with experienced bunny caregivers. Learn what it takes to care for rabbits and whether they would make good pets for you. For more information, call 833-7505 or 881-7243.
Have you contemplated creating a unique decorated ceramic bowl for your pet — or yourself? If so, head over to Claytopia, 2503 W. 15th St., on Thursday, between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. If you bring a “Claytopia for Kitties” flier with you, Claytopia will donate 20 percent of the profit from your purchase to Orphan Angels Cat Shelter. You can drop in anytime that day without a reservation, or join the Ladies Night party that evening from 5 to 9 p.m.
How does it work? You simply choose a piece (or two or three) from the upainted pottery items available at the store — mugs, bowls, dinner plates, animal figurines and more — then paint it and add any decorative touches you like. When you’re happy with your creation, the Claytopia staff will fire your piece in the kiln, and your finished masterpiece will be ready for you to pick up a week later.
The cost is a studio fee of $6, plus the price of the bisque (the pottery), which ranges from $5 to $50.
Visit Claytopia’s website, www.claytopiaerie.com, for more information and decorating ideas.
Claytopia for Kitties fliers are available at Orphan Angels, 5439 West Lake Road, or you can call 746-0511 or 504-3246 or send an e-mail to orphanangels@ymail.com to request one be sent to you.
Spring is here, and Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary is filling up with kittens. To help raise funds to feed and vaccinate all the shelter residents, Orphan Angels will hold a rummage sale on Saturday, May 18, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the parking lot in front of the shelter, 5439 West Lake Road.
The group is seeking donations of clean, dry items to sell, including books, movies, household items, clothing and other goods. Donations can be dropped off at the shelter any day of the week, including the morning of the sale, except for Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
In addition, volunteers are needed to set up the night before the sale, to work the day of the sale and to rebox the items after 4 p.m. on May 18. If you are willing to help out, please visit Orphan Angels’ Facebook page and post the times you are available.
Yukio, a 9-month-old Japanese bobtail shorthair, won several awards for his breed during the Cat Nation Fanciers 23rd Annual Cat Show in 2012. ANDY COLWELL/ERIE TIMES-NEWS
Have fun, see prize-winning cats strutting their stuff and help local animal rescue groups all at the same time by volunteering at this weekend’s 24th annual Cat Nation Fancier’s All-Breed Cat Show.
Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary and Because You Care animal rescue organization still need a few more volunteers to help out at the show, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at JMC Arena, 423 W. 38th St.
Orphan Angels needs people to help staff the organization’s booth and share information about the shelter. If you’re interested in helping, call Eileen at 504-3246 to see what hours are available.
BYC needs a few people to work in the kitchen or at the basket raffle on Sunday. Shifts available are 8 to 11 a.m. or 2:30 to 5 p.m. in the kitchen or 8:45 to 11:30 a.m. at the basket raffle table. Call Ann Bucceri at 566-0323 if you can help out.
For those who are unable to volunteer but would like to attend the show, admission is $6, or $5 for students and senior citizens. Receive $1 off the admission price by bringing a donation of cat food.
Get the new hairstyle you’ve been wanting for spring at a haircut-a-thon for Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary on Sunday, April 14, 1 to 4 p.m., at The Classic Image Salon in the Giant Eagle plaza, 9125 Ridge Road, Girard.
A professional stylist will cut your hair in exchange for a donation to benefit the rescued cats at the sanctuary. You can also work on your tan in exchange for a donation. The group also hopes to have a massage therapist giving relaxing chair massages. For more information, visit Orphan Angels on Facebook or send an e-mail to orphanangels@hotmail.com.
Pennsylvania students in first through sixth grades: Put your creativity to work and help keep dogs safe.
The state is holding a poster contest to help raise awareness about the importance of dog licensing.
The contest is open to all students enrolled in public, private or home schools. Students involved with a sponsoring 4-H club or scouting organization may also participate. The deadline to enter is April 30.
The posters must reflect the theme “License your dog. It’s his ticket home.” Posters must also include the website www.licenseyourdogPA.com.
Pennsylvania state law requires all dogs 3 months and older to be licensed each year. Owners who fail to license their dogs could face a fine of up to $300 for each unlicensed dog. Just as important, a lost dog is much more likely to be returned to his owner if he has a collar with an ID and a license.
The grand prize winner will receive a $20 cash prize and a visit by the Secretary of Agriculture and a dog warden during an official poster unveiling at their school. Grand prize artwork will be used on promotional displays and websites and will be the cover page of the 2014 Dog Law Enforcement Office Coloring Book. Winners of each age division (first and second grade, third and fourth grade, fifth and sixth grade) will receive a $15 cash prize and their artwork will appear in the office’s coloring book.
For complete contest details, visit www.licenseyourdogPA.com and click “2013 Poster Contest” or call the Dog Law Enforcement Office at (717) 787-3062.
Volunteers are needed to help Because You Care at the Cat Nation Fanciers All-Breed Cat Show on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28, at JMC Ice Arena, 423 W. 38th St. The show takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, and volunteers are asked to sign up for a 2- to 4-hour shift on one of those days.
The biggest need is for volunteers to staff the kitchen at the event, serving and selling prepared food to the exhibitors and visitors at the show. Volunteers are also needed to help with the basket raffle and work at the BYC booth selling baked goods and other items. You can also help set up for the event on Friday or clean up after 4 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday.
The money raised through the sales of food, baked goods and other items at the cat show helps BYC fund its programs for foster animals. If you want to help out, call Ann Bucceri at 459-1697.
Erie Area Rabbit Society & Rescue, known as E.A.R.S., Erie’s new rabbit rescue organization, will hold a public information meeting in Corry on Thursday, March 22, at 7 p.m.
Members of the group recently rescued more than 20 rabbits — some of which have since given birth — that had been neglected and mistreated by a Corry-area hoarder. Members hope to educate the public on how they can help and enlist area volunteers to foster rabbits in Erie County.
The meeting will be held at St. Thomas School, 229 W. Washington St. If you can’t attend the meeting but are interested in helping out, or if you are interested in adopting or fostering a rabbit, visit E.A.R.S. on Facebook.
