On August 7th, 2021, from 7:00pm to 11:00pm the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF) is hosting their first annual beach party “So Fetch,” where 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the shelter’s rescue program. The plan is for guests to arrive at 7:00pm at the Gin Lane beach that is located to the left of the historic Bathing Corporation in Southampton Village. Dogs with shelter volunteers will greet party goers and enjoy a night at the beach and out of their kennels.
Katie McEntee who along with her amazing staff has been a huge part of the success of the shelter’s rescue program is proud of the community’s efforts. In an interview she said, “I think we are all very excited at the shelter to have unconditional love come back after Covid. It was a decision that we made at the shelter. This is our biggest fundraiser. It really affected us not having it in 2020. We are very excited to be able to do this fundraiser again.”
How did So Fetch get started? Ms. McEntee explained, “I run the rescue program at the shelter. I wanted to come up with an event that that was sort of for a younger crowd out here. Due to Covid I wanted something we could do outside and that’s when the beach idea came up. I wanted to raise money for this rescue program to help save these dogs and cats from horrible situations that we rescue them from and have all the proceeds go right directly to the program. That was the thought behind it (Go Fetch.)
I came up with the name So Fetch based off the ‘Mean Girls” movie where one of the girls is trying to make fetch happen. I thought it was kind of cute because dogs play fetch so the event for dog fundraiser is Go Fetch! I then called my friends who were so supportive and amazing and they became the host committee. I basically said I want to do this to help our rescue program at the shelter will you help me? Everyone said yes and everyone started inviting their friends. The next thing we knew it we had a flyer, a ticket page, and then were just sold out! It felt really great.”
Ms. McEntee explained how she became involved with the dog rescue shelter by saying, “I work at the Southampton Animal Shelter for the last six years. My parents had a summer house in Southampton and I was a volunteer at the Southampton Animal Shelter and when I left vet school after my younger brother was diagnosed with a brain tumor, I was literally on my way to vet school when I decided not to go. At that point I still wanted to help animals so I went to help at the Southampton Animal Shelter which I had always loved. I had been there helping the vet with surgeries since I was in college so I went back and said I want to help the shelter. That is really how I became involved. Since then it just been my favorite place in the world. It is amazing to work with our staff, to see these animals that we get that are completely broken and we get to make them feel like they are animals again. Then we find them amazing homes. It is literally the best job in the world.”
What was her genesis of being involved at the shelter? She said, “In the beginning I was always obsessed with animals. I had so many pets growing up and they were always a huge part of my family. My mom was very understanding and also loved the animals so we always had great dogs in my childhood growing up and then when I learned about shelter and rescues I realized there was such a huge problem in America with over population of pets. At that time, I was very naïve about this until I educated myself on it. Dogs are euthanized in states by the thousands, almost hundreds of thousands. Therefore, I really wanted to help these animals. Animals and helping them has always been in my blood.”
At the present time she confessed “I have four dogs, three are which are from the shelter the other was another rescue but not from the shelter along with four cats from the shelter and if I could I would keep going but as of right now four dogs and four cats is our house limit.”
“So Fetch” besides Katie McEntee will be hosted by Georgina Bloomberg, Kingsley Crawford, Nathania Nisonson, Elizabeth Shafiroff, Merrit Piro, Jessica Fontaine Swift, Elizabeth Bowden and Olivia Mulvey.
Ms. McEntee provided information stating, “Guests can expect a night filled with cocktails and dancing on the beach to music by DJ Teal Camner. Wine provided by Winc, a tequila station serving up DOGaritas sponsored by Bottle Hampton, Tito’s at the bar while guests treat themselves to vegetarian appetizers catered by Seasons of Southampton. Dessert will be classic Hampton’s Tate’s chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes in a jar by Baked Cravings that party goers will eat around bonfire (smores included!).
Thank you to all our sponsors also including Bissel, JP Mulvey Plumbing and Heating INC, Saunders, Schmidt’s market, Southampton Limousine, Hamptons Drone Imaging and Jiade Vaia Landscaping.”
Tickets are now on sale at www.sasf.org/SOFETCH.
