Humane Society Casino Night Tickets Now on Sale
In the frigid early spring months, area residents can raise their spirits with a good old-fashioned Casino Night, while helping the sweet animals that call the McDonough County Animal Shelter home.
The Humane Society of McDonough County is hoping for a full house March 7 at Park Place of Macomb with their fourth annual Casino Night to benefit the construction of a new animal shelter building on Tower Road. Tickets, $50/ person, are now available at tinyurl.com/casino26 or from any HSMC member. Admission can also be purchased at the door the night of the event. The admission fee gets participants $25 worth of poker chips that can be used at any of the gaming tables, as well as a delicious selection of appetizers. A cash bar will be available.
Additional gaming chips can be purchased for a nominal fee during the event, and at the end of the evening, attendees can trade in their chips for raffle tickets for chances to win a variety of prizes generously donated to the event. Prizes include two $250 cash prizes; two lottery ticket 'trees' containing a bundle of potential winnings, and the perennial grand prize of a week in Costa Rica (including a $500 Visa gift card), compliments of the Gossel family.
'The community is eager for the HSMC to break ground on the new facility, and we are as well! To say it has been a long time coming is an understatement. While site selection continues to be a major decision, the exponential increase in the cost of construction continues to push our fundraising goal further out,' said Event Co-Chair and HSMC Board Member Kathy Waters. 'The fact that our shelter is one of the most outdated in the area has actually afforded us one significant advantage by allowing us to learn from others. By speaking with staff from other shelters, along with touring shelters near and far, we have learned what to do, what not to do, things others wish they would have invested more in and much more. Our building subcommittee has a diverse range of expertise, from architects to HVAC. We are fortunate to have a group that knows what they are doing. Most importantly, one thing the committee will not settle on is the safety of shelter staff, volunteers and of course, the animals.'
Casino Night 2026 benefactors include Royal Flush sponsors All Pets Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Karen and Eric Blakeley, and Animal Medical Center and the family of Dr. Charles Lotz. Straight Flush sponsors are the Gossel family, Jackie and Dave Thompson, the Sharon Lindahl family and Jerry and Becky Peabody. Park Place is a Full House sponsor.
'These businesses and individuals, along with so many other generous individuals and organizations, help to ensure the event is a success and that we can put the proceeds to our goal of building a new shelter,' said Event Co-Chair Kathy Waters.
While the event already has several favorite dealers returning to entertain the masses, additional volunteers are welcome. Required criteria include some knowledge of the game; a friendly, entertaining personality, and a commitment to work an 80-minute shift. To sign up as a volunteer, contact Casino Night Co-Chair John Biernbaum at john.biernbaum@ gmail.com or HSMC Board Member Lars Gossel at [email protected].
There is currently over $1.1 million in the building campaign fund, and according to HSMC President Bonnie Smith-Skripps, the HSMC building subcommittee is currently working to determine actual costs for the construction.
'With the money we have raised to date, we are now at a point to determine next steps and a targeted budget. We appreciate the support, and enthusiasm of the community, for getting the new shelter underway,” Smith-Skripps added. “Building costs have increased greatly since we started this initiative and we are dedicated to finding the most cost-efficient means possible to construct the quality animal shelter the needy animals and the citizens of the county deserve.”
The first three Casino Nights raised over $130,000 toward the new shelter, with this year's goal set for $50,000. To donate to the building fund campaign, visit hsmcil.org/ building-campaign to give online, Venmo @HumaneSocietyofMcDonoughCounty or mail, checks payable to Humane Society of McDonough County (building fund campaign in memo), to P.O. Box 7, Macomb, IL 61455.
For more information, including updates on Casino Night, visit facebook.com/HSMCIL.
