At Bone Appetit fundraiser, it’s OK to be all bark — and bite

With steaks and ribs sizzling on the grill, the smell alone would be enough to get tails wagging. Add some live music and a silent auction, with the proceeds benefiting Save-A-Pet, and you have something to howl about.

The Bone Appetit Fundraiser, benefiting the no-kill animal shelter, will take place Saturday evening in downtown Forsyth.

“This is the first time we’ve done a steak and rib cook-off. We are hoping to make this a major annual event,” said Pat Corley, president of Save-A-Pet Inc. “The funds raised will go to our operating expenses and to help finish our shelter. Winners will receive recognition and a trophy. They will also be cooking the meat for the dinner guests to eat.”

The steak dinner is $20, ribs dinner is $25, and a combo plate is $30. Attendees can eat there or take home. The meals come with a potato casserole, a salad and a soft drink. There also will be a cash bar with wine and beer.

Music will be provided by Stephan Swain and Mile S. Benson with Swain and the Highway Souls, popular Middle Georgia bluegrass band Cabin Point, and local duo Terry Baker and Earl Hitt.

“In addition to the food and music, we will also have a silent auction and a raffle,” Corley said. “The raffle prize is a propane dual burner — like what people use for frying fish or turkeys. The silent auction includes a Blue Dog painting, a fire pit, jewelry from Charming Charlies and more. It’s a mixture of everything from designer bags, Georgia Tech items, pet toys and Christmas items.”

Also happening is an old fashioned cake walk.

“There will be cakes for the silent auction, but more will be in the cake walk,” Corley said. “You buy tickets, walk around a numbered circle and if you stop on a lucky spot, you will win a cake! All of the proceeds go to keeping many homeless dogs from being euthanized.”

Save-A-Pet has been rescuing dogs in Monroe County and surrounding areas since 1998.

“We pull high-risk dogs out of shelters,” Corley said. “We are a no-kill shelter and we provide health care and adoption services. We use this fundraiser to pay labor expenses, insurance and vet bills. We also want to add additional fencing to our 10 acres. We’d love to have more space for the dogs to run. The Boy Scouts are helping us by creating a trail for our volunteers to walk dogs, and we really want to make the space welcoming.”

Volunteers are always welcome at the shelter. To schedule a time to come help, call 478-994-3882.

This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 10:00 PM with the headline "At Bone Appetit fundraiser, it’s OK to be all bark — and bite."