Walk with or without your dog in the 16th Annual C.A.R.E. Strut for Strays

The 16^th Annual Strut for Strays will be held Saturday, May 14, at 9:30 a.m. and is a walkathon based in Evanston to benefit the Community Animal Rescue Effort (C.A.R.E.). Animal-loving people, with or without their canine friends, are encouraged to participate in the three-mile walk. 

Walkers may register online by clicking C.A.R.E. There is a $25 pledge minimum for advance registration or $35 on event-day per person. Event-day registration runs from: 8:45-9:15 a.m.

The walk starts at the Ladd Arboretum in Evanston, near the corner of McCormick Blvd. and Bridge Street. Parking is available in the Arboretum lot (or on side streets if the lot is full). Please do not park in the Ecology Center lot. 

Walkers and joggers will follow the path along the North Shore Channel south almost to Dempster Street, where there will be a water station and a turn-around point. After you have completed the course, catch the fun at the finish line including: 

• Free Refreshments
• Doggie Carnival

C.A.R.E. is an all-volunteer organization that works in conjunction with Evanston's municipal Animal Shelter to find homes for the unwanted and abandoned animals that are brought to the shelter.

Celebrate “Cinco de Meow” with Felines Inc. – Thursday, May 5

This promo comes under the ‘better late than never’ category. We couldn’t pass up the chance to plug a fund-raising event on behalf of Felines Inc. that is cleverly named “Cinco de Meow.” It will be held Thursday, May 5, from 6-8 p.m. at Trader Todd's Bar and Restaurant, 3216 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago.

Advance tickets are $20 and include three drink tickets (good for margaritas, well-cocktails, domestic draft beer and house wine), a make-your-own fajita bar and a purrfect time for all! The best part is that Trader Todd's will donate $15 of the $20 to Felines Inc. Tickets can also be bought at the door for $25. 

For those of you unfamiliar with Felines, here’s the scoop. It was founded in 1977, as a licensed cageless, no-kill cat shelter on Chicago's north side. As a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, it is funded through adoption fees, fund-raising events, foundations and the generous tax-deductible donations of caring individuals such as readers of this blog. Felines receives no federal or state funding.

This animal shelter holds a special place in our mom’s heart as she adopted the kitty she had before us from there. According to mom, our older sister Casey joined her family as a kitten. She ‘terrorized’ her older brother Red, who had lived peacefully alone with mom for nearly 10 years. 

Red wasn’t a shelter cat, he was a rescued stray who arrived at our mom’s home via our Aunt Patty. She’s our hero as she has rescued countless cats over the years (plus a squirrel or two and a possum...don't ask). 

You can be our hero, too. Attend Cinco de Meow and invite all of your friends. Can’t go to the fundraiser…visit to the Felines Inc. site and make a donation. Muchas gracias!