Vets for Pets returns
It rained on Saturday, but the American Legion Post #116 and the VFW Post #10069 were determined the show would go on.
Hurricane Michael and COVID-19 had stymied Vets for Pets for years. This year, event organizers were not going to tuck their tails.
After moving the annual Vets for Pets event indoors, volunteers and guest enjoyed live music, belly rubs and spirited festivities. Excited to be able to gather, many sported T-shirts printed with the event’s logo.
“We are pleased to bring Vets for Pets back to the community by offering a family friendly event in an outdoor setting,” said Wanda Wawruck, vice-commander of the American Legion Post 116.
Wawruck said that approximately nine years ago, Doug and Nancy Calendine, representing Post 116, began a German Night to benefit the St. Joseph Bay Humane Society. Throughout the years this grew to “Vets for Pets,” by adding the VFW Post and Auxiliary 10069 as hosts.
Guests enjoyed a costume parade, a silent raffle, a bake sale and many other activities on Saturday, with proceeds going to benefit both the St. Joseph Bay Humane Society and Pets for Patriots, an organization pairing sheltered animals with veterans in need.
Along with monetary donations, guests were encouraged to bring much-needed pet supplies to be given to the shelter, including pet food and cat litter.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.