It goes down in the Aldergrove animal shelter’s datebook as the “sweetest” day of the year.
Monday was just that, figuratively and literally, at the Langley Animal Protection Society’s (LAPS) facility.
Feb. 25 was national cupcake day in aid of animal rescues and shelters across the country, and for the fourth year running LAPS volunteers “baked up a storm” to help raise money and awareness for the shelter and the animals in care, said executive director Jayne Nelson.
Last year, the local efforts raised about $10,000 for LAPS. Numbers were still being tallied Tuesday, but Nelson predicted this year’s festivities helped generated in excess of that.
Close to a hundred animal lovers visiting the shelter and volunteer vendors set up at various locations around town for what were dubbed cupcake parties.
The efforts were amped up a bit this year, with the addition of a puppy kissing booth, that was “incredibly popular” with recipients, Nelson said.
“People came out and donated to support the animals and in return received puppy kisses at our puppy kissing booth and went home with delicious cupcakes,” she chuckled.
“As always, we had great volunteers helping at the shelter to make the day a success,” Nelson added, noting there was a group of eight bakers, calling themselves the United Bakers, who bake dozens and dozens of cupcakes and pupcakes every year for LAPS.
This year, they were set up at Waldo and Tubbs and Harvey Pet Foods.
Scoop and Save baked and sold 288 cupcakes, while the Walnut Grove IGA sold paper cupcakes in the store and allowed LAPS volunteer Louise Selby to once again host a cupcake sale in front of the store (she raised $1,000 with this year’s efforts). As well, Kathy Herriot of Cedarbrook Bakery hosted a party, raising $200. And teams at the Township of Langley, Mountain View Veterinary, Paws & Claws vet hospital, and even a few veterinarian facilities outside of Langley pitched in.
“We even had a classroom from an Aldergrove school raise more than $200 for us,” Nelson said.
“We are grateful for the support and loved seeing so many people ‘baking’ a difference for the animals!”
