By Marie Nesmith Nov 29, 2023 | Daily Tribune News
Through its Facebook Live benefit, Jordan’s Way is striving to generate awareness and funds for the Etowah Valley Humane Society. The offering will take place at the Cartersville shelter Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Jordan’s Way aims to make a difference in the lives of animals across the country,” said Kris Rotonda, founder of Jordan’s Way. “Our overall goal is to help expose every animal we meet so they can find their forever homes.
“During the fundraiser, we will conduct multiple fun games and challenges, all on Facebook Live. For the fundraiser to be successful, we need willing participants ready to have some fun while we highlight the animals in their care. Expect to see some fun games and challenges while we are interacting with the dogs during Puppy Love and Make Out Mania; not to mention the dogs getting hot dogs and burgers during Wiener & Burger Mania.”
Some of the other activities, he said, will feature participants receiving whip-cream pies to their faces, and people dueling in the Tortilla Slap Challenges & Egg Roullette, Water Bucket & Slime Bucket Challenges and the Face Smash Challenge.
Rotonda formed the organization following the death of his “best friend” — a shelter dog named Jordan. After being overlooked in a shelter for around three years, Jordan was adopted by Rotonda and they spent nearly 11 years with each other before she succumbed to cancer of the heart in 2018.
“After she passed, I made it my life’s mission to honor her legacy by helping overlooked shelter animals get the attention they deserve,” he said. “Since beginning our nationwide tour in January 2021, Jordan’s Way has helped over 300 shelters and rescues raise just about $7 million in much-needed funding. We’ve also helped thousands of animals get adopted.”
To help this fundraiser reach its full potential, Rotonda is appealing to area residents for their support.
“The community can absolutely take part by watching the Facebook Live event on the Etowah Valley Humane Society Facebook page at www.facebook.com/EtowahValleyHumane where they can donate to help support the shelter and interact and comment during the event,” he said. “Viewers can donate by clicking on the donation link that will be pinned during the live event: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1275682789763653/.
“I encourage people to rally behind this fundraiser because it’s a real chance to expose the animals, expose the amazing heroic work these people do taking care of them every day.”
Established in 1996 as the Bartow County Humane Society, the organization changed its name to Etowah Valley Humane Society in October 2006, the same year it opened the 4,928-square-foot shelter at 36 Ladds Mountain Road. The nonprofit continues to serve as the adoption and rescue outlet for Bartow County Animal Control.
Through this Facebook event, EVHS Director Bryan Canty hopes “more folks will discover and appreciate the profound impact EVHS, along with our licensed rescue partners and countless animal advocates, is making on animal welfare in Bartow County.” Proceeds will go toward enclosing the EVHS kennels’ rafters, which will help lower utility expenses, Canty said.
EVHS’ facility costs around $325,000 to operate annually and consists of two staff offices, a surgical suite, two visitation rooms, a puppy room with 19 enclosures, 14 climate-controlled kennel runs, a cat room with 24 enclosures, a quarantine room for young puppies and an on-site dog park.
“As I’ve stated and emphasized on multiple platforms, animal rescue is not fiscally self-sustaining,” Canty said. “Not by a long shot. Margins off of the adoption fees don’t come close to supporting our efforts. We rely heavily on fundraisers, corporate sponsors and the benevolence of our community to sustain our efforts.
“EVHS also could never achieve ‘no-kill’ status for Bartow alone. Contrary to some, EVHS nor myself have ever claimed to be solely responsible for the great strides that have been made in our community. There are so many moving parts to this endeavor to make it successful. Hopefully, we can shed some light on many of the unsung heroes who assist in saving countless lives of our great homeless pets. It truly takes a village.”
For more information about the EVHS and its upcoming event, call 770-383-3338 or visit www.etowahvalleyhumane.org or its Facebook page.
“Judging by the calls we receive, there are a lot of folks who don’t realize Bartow County has been designated a ‘no-kill’ community since the second quarter of 2019 or what the term ‘no-kill’ actually means,” Canty said. “The 2004 Asilomar Accords defines a shelter or community with at least a 90% live release rate or less than 10% euthanasia as no-kill.
“According to the 2021 Georgia SPOT Society report, Bartow County had the second lowest euthanasia rate in the 20-county metro Atlanta area at 3.8%. It should also be noted that not a single healthy adoptable animal has been euthanized in Bartow County in four years.”
Looking forward to Jordan’s Way visiting EVHS, Canty is excited to see the event unfold.
“There will be all types of games and interactions with our four-legged residents,” he said. “It promises to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen in my 13-plus years at EVHS. I’m looking forward to it and maybe someone will meet their next best friend?”
Along with a variety of full-filled activities, Rotonda shared Jordan’s Way’s events are filled with heartwarming moments to treasure.
“My favorite experience was in New Jersey when our live feed influenced a dog named Maximus, who was in the rescue for 10 years, to be adopted,” he said. “Second would be a fundraiser in Iowa that raised over $137,000 in three-hours with over 400 donors.
“Lastly would be recently on tour in Kentucky, when a woman residing in Florida called us halfway through the Kentucky tour to let us know that she was going to match every single Kentucky fundraiser we did. She ended up matching over $50,000.”
Further details about Rotonda’s organization can be found at www.jordanswaytour.com.
