Meals on Wheels Rowan launches the third annual “August is for AniMEALS” edition

ROWAN COUNTY, NC (WBTV) – As of 2019, Kimberly Hardiman of Hardiman Designs, Debbie Barnhardt of Barnhardt Jewelers and Lorna Medinger of Hughes Plumbing Supply have come together to host Rowan’s “August is for AniMEALS” Meals on Wheels.

“August is for AniMEALS” is a month-long campaign and collaboration with local businesses to collect pet food and donations to support the pets of homebound seniors in Rowan County who receive meals delivered to your home.

This year, Hardiman plans to go even further and hopes to raise 2 tons of pet food and $ 10,000 in donations. “We want to support the pets of these homebound elderly people with pet food and veterinary care. Many of these elderly people cannot afford the pet food they need, cannot go out to shop, or may find it difficult to lift heavier bags or boxes of food. “

This year, the following local businesses in Rowan County will serve as pet food donation sites:

Hughes Plumbing Supply at 531 South Main Street, Salisbury

Barnhardt Jewelers at 112 East Innes Street, Salisbury

Dr James K. Jolly, DDS at 1816 East Innes Street, Salisbury

Lazy 5 Vets at 2916 South Main Street, Salisbury

Stitchin ‘Post Gifts at 104 South Main Street, Salisbury

West Rowan Farm Home and Garden at 11575 NC Highway 801, Mt. Ulla

Hot Diggity Dog at 3665 Liberty Road, Gold Hill

Ace Hardware at 229 East Main Street, Rockwell

Oxford + Lee at 103 North Main Street, Salisbury

Rowan Animal Clinic at 4155 Statesville Blvd, Salisbury

Several companies offer special incentives to come and make a donation. Hardiman Design and Barnhardt Jewelers will come up with a design for a personalized heart pendant with paw print. At Hughes Plumbing Supply, for every $ 100 donated of pet food donation valued at $ 100, the donor will receive a complimentary copy of The Everyday Cookbook by Lorna Medinger. Hughes Plumbing will also be selling $ 5 raffle tickets for a Milwaukee Blower. Oxford + Lee will offer a chance to win pet accessories. For every $ 5 or bag of food donated, you will receive a starter.

Meals on Wheels is also bringing back “Fuzzy Buddies Fun Day” for the second year. In 2020, the event was canceled due to COVID-19. This year they will be hosting Fuzzy Buddies in conjunction with “August is for AniMEALS”. The Fuzzy Buddies Day of Fun takes place on Saturday, August 28 at Granite Lake Park from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The registration fee will be a donation of pet food. The event will include animal parades and animal competitions. Local pet-related vendors will be featured, as well as the Rowan County Humane Society.

There will be a raffle for a large basket full of gifts for your pet, featuring items from participating vendors.

Sponsors to date for Fuzzy Buddies Entertainment Day include R + L Glover Construction, Gegorek and Associates Realty, Frank and Anne Saunders, Lauren and Brett Henson, Understanding Your Dog LLC and Cheerwine. Suppliers to date include Southern Stitch, H. Mae Designs, and Fur Ever Love. Pet sellers are welcome to participate. Please email Alexandra Fisher at [email protected] if you are interested.

Contributions will provide vouchers for rabies vaccinations, welfare checks and grooming when needed. Currently, 75 Meals on Wheels meal recipients have pets and participate in the AniMEALS program. Pet food collected throughout August will be used to provide our participants with pet food for the next 6 months.

Rowan Meals on Wheels Executive Director Cindy Fink said, “Pets are especially important to our seniors. Research shows that a pet alleviates the feelings of loneliness and isolation experienced by many older people. Cindy added, “Kim Hardiman is a great organizer and a passionate supporter of August’s for AniMEALS. Debbie Basinger and Lorna Medinger are excited and are teaming up with Kimberly to spread the word and help us engage businesses across the county. Kimberly personally solicits many of the most important contributions. Alexandra Fisher, Director of Marketing and Fund Development at Meals on Wheels, supports these women and does the heavy lifting when it comes to shipping, printing, distribution and tracking. Alexandra allowed our working group members and local partners to have August for AniMEALS t-shirts. These women are leaders in our August for AniMEALS and Fuzzy Buddies Fun Day efforts. We greatly appreciate the support from Kim, Debbie and Lorna. With their help, we can better support the pets of our Meals on Wheels participants. “

For more information on August for AniMEALS or Fuzzy Buddies Fun Day, contact Alexandra Fisher at 704-633-0352 or [email protected]

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