How a charity golf tourney did tons to help feed North Myrtle Beach shelter pets
The Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach literally acquired tons of pet food and litter thanks to Grand Strand golfers.
With more than 100 golfers turning out Dec. 7 for the Shiver for the Shelter charity golf event at Arcadian Shores Golf Club, approximately six tons of pet food and cat litter were accumulated thanks to an entry fee that was mostly pet donations. The amount of goods collected will last the shelter about four months, Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach Director Tina Hunter said.
“We’ve come to rely on this golf tournament,” Hunter said. “It’s a wonderful blessing.”
To enter the tournament, golfers had to pay a $30 registration fee and bring at least 100 pounds of dog food, cat food or kitty litter. Jeffery Wisniewski, who has helped organize the event since 2003, said the tournament sells out every year.
In total, more than 130 tons of food have been donated across the nearly two decades worth of donations.
“We’re all pet people, so it touches us directly,” Wisniewski said.
The food will benefit the animals currently up for adoption at the shelter located on Bay Street in North Myrtle Beach. Hunter said the donated supplies free up money in the budget that is in turn used for animal medical supplies.
Many animals come to the shelter with injuries or medical needs, sometimes as a result of abusive past owners, Hunter said.
The humane society is currently offering $10 adoptions that cover all shots, micro-chipping and neutering. As the holiday season continues and people look for pets to gift, Hunter said choosing to adopt helps get an animal into a loving forever home.
“The animals in our shelter did nothing wrong on their own,” she said.
Wisniewski said he hopes every animal in the shelter finds a home, and he is going to keep hosting the tournament until the humane society no longer has any animals to feed.
While the donations alone greatly help the shelter, Hunter said the kindness and support from the folks who participate in the golf tournament is overwhelming.
“I’ve been at the shelter for 22 years, and I still get choked up and feel so much gratitude for the people who support the humane society,” she said. “They love animals, and they’re the kind of people you want around you.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 8:38 AM.
