The Shuck Station, at 68 Main St. in Newcastle, hosts a fundraising event for Midcoast Humane on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Photo courtesy Dennis Boyd/dennisboydphotography.com)
A little rain couldn’t dampen the second annual Newcastle Cares Day event, as dozens flooded the Shuck Station to support Midcoast Humane on Saturday, Sept. 14.
The event brought in more than $1,000 for Midcoast Humane and helped facilitate the adoption of four dogs, according to Shuck Station owner Brendan Parsons.
“All of the staff here loves dogs, and we love having people come in with their dogs,” Parsons said. “We thought with our clientele and our own interests that it would be great to raise some money and awareness for the humane society.”
The entire Shuck Station staff, led by manager Meg Tschaikowsky, rallied around the cause, Parsons said. In the week leading up to the event, the business accepted donations for Midcoast Humane, including pet food, beds, toys, and more.
An attendee cuddles a dog during a fundraiser for Midcoast Humane at the Shuck Station in Newcastle on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Photo courtesy Dennis Boyd/dennisboydphotography.com)
During the event, all proceeds from the sale of the eatery’s Station Fries – temporarily renamed as Man’s Best Friend Fries – as well as Odd Alewives Farm Brewery and Oxbow Brewing Co. beer were donated to Midcoast Humane. In addition, a silent auction featuring items donated by Consigning Women, The Beach Plum Co., Mail It 4 U, Louis Doe Home Center, The Tipsy Butler, All Paws Pet Setting, and Belle Jolie also benefited the nonprofit.
Musician Caleb Jones performed during the event, while local photographer Dennis Boyd took pet portraits in a galactic photo booth.
The event was billed as the second Newcastle Cares Day, which originated in 2018 when a coalition of Newcastle businesses came together to support local nonprofit organizations, Milling Around owner Ann Poole said. While last year’s event saw multiple businesses supporting different causes, this year’s event centralized around Midcoast Humane.
“We thought it would be easier to have one interest — in this case it was Midcoast Humane — that everyone could support,” Parsons said. “We had ample space to host the event and everyone we reached out to was very supportive and wanted to be a part of it.”
Anyone wishing to participate in future Newcastle Cares Day events should contact Poole at ann@woodenbobbins.com.
