When Langley’s Tanya Todd and her friend Janice B decided to organize a fundraiser in memory of their long-lost friend Marvin, the dog, they had anticipated raising $2,000 and welcoming about 50 attendees.
Later, in an interview with Langley Advance Times, Todd shared that expectations were exceeded “in so many ways.”
The Babes and Bullies fundraiser organized in partnership with HugABull Advocacy and Rescue group attracted about 100 people and raised $5,600 – more than double the expectations.
A “self-proclaimed over achiever,” Todd admitted that she secretly had a goal of raising $5,000 in her mind.
“Surpassing this over the top goal was absolutely unexpected and blew my mind,” she commented.
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A registered massage therapist by profession, Todd further shared that most attendees stayed the whole afternoon and described their experience as “fun and memorable.” Within just two hours, the Mad Greek food truck sold out everything on the menu, and Todd said people had been raving about its eats for days.
With tickets selling ahead of the event and people contacting the organizers, Todd and Janice had to release 15 extra tickets the day before the Sunday, Aug. 21 event.
The generous support from the community got Todd emotional, and she couldn’t control her tears while thanking the attendees for joining and supporting the cause. The event was in memory and honour of Marvin – a physically disabled dog that Todd said changed the lives of the two friends forever.
“I was moved,” Todd said. “Dogs aren’t always living the best lives… [they are] sometimes abused, neglected and/or abandoned. But, once rescued [dogs] can leave a mark on your life,” she continued.
The Babes and Bullies fundraiser, which took place at Roots and Wings Distillery in Langley, also featured Hourglass Cabaret burlesque dancers.
“The ladies kept the vibe going and even sold our 50-50 tickets,” Todd said.
The event also had a few HugABull dogs in attendance, including Todd’s foster turned adopted puppy, Matilda.
In addition to raising funds, Todd and her team of volunteers also talked about the “public misconceptions” about bully breeds.
“[Bully breed dogs] are really no different than any other breed… each one an individual dog with a unique personality of their own.”
She further shared that many pet owners have surrendered their dogs post-COVID, leading to overflowing animal shelters.
“It is important to get the dogs out of shelters and into loving homes, because long stays in shelters can have some adverse effects on the dogs such as anxiety, making them harder for them to find forever homes.”
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A registered charity, HugABull rescues and advocates for bully breed dogs.
After a successful first event, Todd and her friend have decided to make Babes and Bullies an annual fundraiser in Langely.
“We have already started discussing what we will do differently next year and what things we will do again,” she concluded.
For more information about the registered charity, people can visit www.hugabull.com.
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Is there more to the story? Email: news@langleyadvancetimes.com
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