Crazy day raises lots of money

Wednesday was a manic day at PAWS & More Animal Shelter in Washington.

PAWS hosted its first-ever livestream fundraiser, put on by social media personality Kris Rotonda, founder of Jordan's Way Charities.

'We're doing a four-hour fundraiser for PAWS & More,” Rotonda said. 'We are trying to go really fast. It would normally take about six months to plan an event like this, but we're doing it in four hours.”

Rotonda brought high energy and intensity to the four-hour fundraiser.

'We play a lot of games to get people to engage and donate,” he said.

A number of people, including PAWS employees and PAWS board President Sheila Hansen and Director Amber Talbot, took pies to the face during the livestream.

Washington Mayor Jaron Rosien stopped by the shelter just as the fundraiser was kicking off at 10 a.m. and had his face painted.

Washington High School boys track coach Steve Roth coached Rotonda's effort to run a hill behind the shelter with one of the shelter dogs, Titan.

Roth also took a pie in the face from his granddaughter, Brooklyn, during the livestream.

Ann Williams of Farm Bureau Financial Services in Washington had her hair painted greed by PAWS employee Emily Davis.

Around 1 p.m., Washington Police Chief Jim Lester was 'locked up” in a kennel, with pleas going out online to bail him out – or for $250, he could be locked up for an additional 30 minutes.

Rotonda livestreamed from individual dog kennels, showing the dogs off to the online audience and soliciting even more donations.

Over the four hours, donations poured in online and in person.

'People are walking in and handing us checks,” Talbot said. 'We've had Hy-Vee. We had Renoux Flooring do matching gifts online. We've got a lot of other companies donating as well.

'It's wonderful to know that when we ask for help, people are there to give it.”

By 2 p.m., PAWS raised more than $5,500 online and nearly $2,000 in in-person donations.

'It's very heartwarming to know that our community loves us as much as we love them,” Talbot said. 'This has been an amazing experience. These animals need so much support.”

She added that people can continue to donate to the fundraiser on the PAWS Facebook page for several more days.

PAWS was the fifth of eight Iowa animal shelters Rotonda was visiting this week as part of his goal to do fundraisers in all 50 states this year.

'We've had a lot of great fundraisers,” Rotonda said. 'We had a gigantic fundraiser (in Fort Madison on Tuesday) where we raised over $30,000.”

Hansen was appreciative that PAWS was included in Rotonda's itinerary.

'I feel really fortunate that we were one of the shelters chosen to do this,” she said. 'It's a fantastic opportunity for us. We certainly appreciate all the local support, and we even have support from all over the country right now.”

Rotonda founded Jordan's Way to honor his dog who died.

'Jordan's Way started off when my dog, Jordan, passed away,” Rotonda said. 'She came from a place like this and was there for about three years.

'I do this because I want the unnoticed to be noticed and help underfunded shelters.”