Thanks for supporting AWA

A big thank-you to all the sponsors, volunteers and everyone who attended the fourth annual "Howling at the Moon" fundraiser in November at the Westwood Center. Your support and hard work enabled the Animal Welfare Alliance to set a record for "howling" with a net income of $13,000 for the event.

That money will help us construct a no-kill animal shelter on the land we purchased in August. It also will go into our AWA programs -- distemper/parvovirus vaccinations for puppies in the city pound and help in covering spaying/neutering costs for privately-owned dogs and cats based on the owner's financial eligibility. These projects cost AWA up to $650 per month.

Special thanks go out to our major "Howling 2012" sponsors: Coffman & Co., Your CPA; The Dermatology Office; Ripley County Veterinary Service; Hicks Animal Hospital; and Physicians Park Urgent Care.

We hope to see everyone again this coming November for the fifth annual "Howling." And to those folks who don't know us yet, pay a visit to our AWA website, www.awasemo.org. We're always happy to welcome new volunteers.

The Animal Welfare Alliance of Southeast Missouri is registered with state and federal authorities as a not-for-profit organization under Section 501(c)3 of the U.S. tax code. The purpose of the Poplar Bluff-based organization is to foster a spirit of cooperation among all public and private animal-care organizations and agencies in the area; to encourage and support the adoption, neutering and spaying of pets; and to provide shelter for abandoned animals.

JULIE HUDSON, 2012 chairwoman of

"Howling at the Moon", Poplar Bluff, Mo.