LAHARPE — Want a pie in the face? Want to be slapped with a tortilla? How about covered in whipped cream and licked by puppies? Want to see an animal shelter employee shave her head?
It’s all for a good paws… errr… cause.
Jordan’s Way, a national online fundraiser, is returning to the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility (ACARF) from 6 to 9 p.m. on Monday. Founder Kris Rotonda is kicking off his 50-state tour in Kansas on Monday, and the LaHarpe shelter will be just his second stop.
The event offers fun and games for humans and animals alike, while raising thousands of dollars to help the shelter.
“We’re doing it again because we had so much fun last time,” ACARF director Brittni Dilley said. “Putting pies in people’s faces is always fun, but it also brings national awareness to our shelter.”
Rotonda will livestream the event on his Facebook page, which has 755,000 followers. He uses a unique combination of silly activities, humor and compassion to connect with donors across the country.
The event was inspired by his personal experience adopting a dog, Jordan, from an animal shelter 11 years ago. After the dog died from cancer in 2018, he made a promise to help shelter animals. He selects several shelters in each state as the target for his fundraising efforts, and will visit 10 shelters in Kansas between Monday and Friday before moving on to Colorado.
A visit to an Emporia shelter on Monday morning is his first stop.
Last year’s fundraiser netted about $12,000 for ACARF. Dilley set a goal to collect $15,000 this year, which is equivalent to one year’s worth of dog food.
But the ultimate goal is actually $20,000. If they reach that higher amount, one of the shelter employees has promised she will shave her head.
THE SHELTER will set several financial goals during the fundraiser.
When each goal is hit, it triggers some sort of activity. It might mean each dog at the shelter gets a hamburger or a “pup cup” filled with ice cream. It might mean participants will get covered with slime or have a bucket of ice water dumped on their heads.
Last year, Sheriff Bryan Murphy was locked in a kennel with dogs until they raised enough bail money to let him out.
The public is invited to watch and take part in the fun.
“We’re trying to get as many people involved as we can,” Dilley said.
Donations can be made in person, and there’s a good chance that means you’ll appear on the live feed if you hand-deliver your donation.
You can also call the shelter at 620-496-3647 to make a donation, or go through PayPal. A link will be posted on ACARF’s Facebook page, and Rotonda will give donation instructions throughout the event.
