Maria Hill and her friends usually organize a happy hour or supper club at least once a month, so she decided she would host one as a fundraiser for Atlanta Pet Rescue & Adoption (APRA) leading up to Paws in the Park.
P’Cheen in Inman Park graciously agreed to serve as the venue with owner and animal lover Keiran Neely arranging for one of the restaurant’s wine representatives to donate a case of champagne so a specialty drink made with the champagne could be offered for $5 on the night of the event.
Guests also could purchase raffle tickets for $5 each for the chance to win great prizes donated by Miller Union, Lila Boutique, Nandina Home & Design, Douglas & Co. Salon, Highland Bakery and Baraonda/Baroni.
Thanks to Maria’s family and friends, P’Cheen’s Cheshire Cat cocktail, and the businesses that donated raffle prizes, the happy hour on Sept. 15 raised $600 that will go to our ongoing efforts to rescue and rehabilitate homeless dogs and cats in our area.
Maria adopted a special-needs dog from us last year. Pepper, a Cairn/Yorkie mix, was born with two heart defects and needed surgery. When Maria found out about him through a coworker, she donated to his surgery and eventually ended up applying to adopt him.
Unfortunately, the surgery didn’t produce the desired results, so Pepper’s life expectancy is only 2 to 5 years. But that didn’t stop Maria from wanting to give him a home. In fact, she has a history of caring for older or special-needs dogs. “When I saw him on the APRA website, I knew he [Pepper] had to be mine,” Maria says. “I adore him and can’t thank APRA enough for trying to treat this little guy and make sure he went to a home that would love him for however much time he has.”