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Welcome to
Black Tie Tails On behalf of Animal Friends’ Board of Directors, staff and volunteers, we want to thank you for joining us for our 23rd annual Black Tie & Tails. We cannot express how grateful we are for your loyal support – especially during these difficult and uncertain times. Although our signature gala is taking on a different look this year, one thing that has not changed is the commitment we have to our lifesaving mission at Animal Friends. Even when we made the heartbreaking decision to close our doors to the public earlier this year, our dedicated team didn’t miss a step. Instead, they rolled up their sleeves and got to work because, simply put, they knew that the animals needed them more than ever. Just as it has impacted all of us in so many ways, 2020 has certainly been a year with its fair share of challenges, surprises and an ever-changing way of daily life. But thanks to some creativity, hard work and compassion, it has also been a year filled with heartwarming stories and lifesaving second chances. So, without further ado, we would like to welcome you as we proudly present our first-ever virtual gala! Sit back, relax and enjoy Black Tie & Tails … at home.
Kathleen Beaver President & CEO
Gina Carlos
Chair, Board of Directors
Greg Geibel
A Message from Our Gala Chairs What an incredible year it has been! Since we began planning Black Tie & Tails early in 2020, so much has changed. Each one of us has adjusted to a “new normal” of working remotely, learning virtually and connecting with friends, family and loved ones in entirely new ways. And, we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome you to our first-ever virtual gala – Black Tie & Tails at home! During this virtual event, you will hear stories about how the incredible team at Animal Friends has come together over the past several months to continue saving lives. As you watch, we ask that you think about the pets and people of our region who are struggling the most in these difficult times. During the event, you will have the opportunity to bid on exciting auction packages in our Online Auction, try your luck in our Black Tie & Tails Raffle and donate to our Shelter in Place Challenge. Every dollar makes a big impact. Thank you for joining us for our 23rd year of Black Tie & Tails and for your continued support of Animal Friends and our lifesaving mission. Because of you, lives will continue to be saved at Animal Friends – even in the most uncertain of times. Warmest regards,
Gina Carlos Beth Henry Sarah McKean
Black Tie & Tails Gala Chairs
About Black Tie & Tails Since 1998, Black Tie & Tails has been one of Pittsburgh’s most unique, exciting and lifesaving events. Just as our daily lives have transformed over the past few months, this year’s event is a little different. But, we are pleased to present Black Tie & Tails at home! You get to do Black Tie & Tails your way this year. Best of all, your four-legged family members are invited to join the party! We may not be together for the Best Gala in the ‘Burgh this year, but we are thrilled that you are joining us virtually to enjoy heartwarming stories, lively online auctions, special performances and video messages from a few of our friends and their beloved pets! Thank you for joining us this year for Black Tie & Tails. We know that things will be a little different, but simply put, your support will save lives.
So kick up your feet, grab a drink and your four-legged family members and enjoy the show!
Greg Geibel
Our Honorary Chair Gisele Barreto Fetterman is an
access and equity advocate, a hugger and the Second Lady of Pennsylvania. She is the co-founder of For Good PGH, a nonprofit that works to advocate inclusion and inspire kindness. As the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact the Pittsburgh community, Animal Friends sought ways to increase distribution through our Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank. We were thrilled to form a new partnership with Gisele through For Good PGH to coordinate weekly pet food distributions, resulting in thousands of pounds of pet food finding its way into the hands of our pet-owning neighbors who were struggling to make ends meet during the most difficult times. Gisele is also the founder of Freestore 15104, which aims to eradicate food and clothing insecurity by distributing donated goods to nearly 1,600 clients each month. The Freestore has inspired nine spinoff locations and the birth of 412 Food Rescue – a community wide effort co-founded by Gisele to end hunger and reduce food waste by working to provide unsellable but perfectly good food to neighbors struggling with food insecurity. To date, 412 Food Rescue has rescued more than 10 million pounds of food. Gisele was born in Brazil and emigrated as a child to the US, living as an undocumented immigrant for over a decade. Her work has been featured on the TODAY Show, CNN, NPR and more. Gisele is a Forty under 40 honoree, a TEDx Speaker, a Jefferson Awards recipient and mother to three children and Levi – her beloved dog. We are honored to have Gisele join us for Black Tie & Tails as our 2020 Honorary Chair. Together, we look forward to supporting our communities by providing life-changing resources to pets and people in need.
Our Guest Emcees Heather Abraham
David Highfield
and are co-hosts of “Pittsburgh Today Live” on KDKA-TV. Heather is a Pittsburgh native and award-winning journalist who has been nominated for several Emmy awards. She spent four years reporting for News 12 Brooklyn in New York City before returning to her hometown and joining KDKA in 2010. When she is not reporting or anchoring, Heather loves spending time with her family including her husband, two daughters, a son and two dogs. David is an 11-time Emmy award-winning host, anchor and reporter who got his start at KDKA as a writer in 1991. Over the years, he has covered countless news events, has been awarded two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and was inducted into the Ford City Hall of Fame and the Armstrong County Sports Hall of Fame. David lives in Lawrenceville and, while he does not have pets of his own, is a big animal lover and always looks forward to visits from Animal Friends’ four-legged residents on PTL.
Black Tie Tails Host Committee Event Steering Committee Co-Chairs:
Gina Carlos*, Beth Henry*, Sarah McKean* Laurie Adams
Claire LoPresti
Alisa Angelo
Bonnie* and Chuck Loya
Marleen Ashton*
Kevin McCluskey
Leslie and Scott Baker
Sarah McKean* and PJ Maloney
Kathleen and Kent Beaver
Judi McNeil
Mary Ann Bogosta*
Jim and Gail Mezynski
Dorothy Boyer*
Sandra Miller
John Boyer
Mark and Catherine Moir
Kirk Burkley and Penny Zacharias
Matthew Monsour*
Erin and Matt Butkovic
Jeff and Jenn Mulrooney
Erin Byrne
Sarah Nass
Debbie* and Jimmy Campbell
Robert and Maryanne Purdy
Gina* and John Carlos
Michelle* and Steven Race
Marlene Cornelius
Dan and Sherry Ringer
Andrea Curtis and Doug Kredel
Cindy* and Andy Russell
Jeff* and Wendy Dutkovic
Heather Sheehan
William and Susan Follansbee
Linda Shooer and Ted Osial
Bob Fragasso*
Doug* and Sarah Shriber
Jeff and Kelly Gleason
Charlotte* and David Stephenson
Patricia Hasselbusch
Ward and Julie Strang
Beth* and Dave Henry
Marcy Tenaglia and Brian Gates
Elizabeth* and John Klamut
Jessie VanSwearingen
Sheri Levine-Everett*
John Weinstein*
Howard* and Rosemary Loevner
Cris Winter* and Ron Ramsey
Margery Loevner
Stephen* and Mary Zappala *AnimalFriends’ Board of Directors
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ANIMAL FRIENDS Black Tie & Tails Adopt today!
Your new best friend is waiting for you. Save a life and change your own in the process.
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Special thanks to ...
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On behalf of the real party animals – the dogs, cats and rabbits at Animal Friends – thank you for joining us for Black Tie & Tails! Your support during this challenging time is ensuring that lives are not only being sustained, they’re being saved. Every dollar makes a big difference in the lives of pets and people in our community. Please give generously.
ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/BTT Online Auction | Black Tie & Tails Raffle | Shelter in Place Challenge
Our Special Guests We cannot thank our staff, volunteers and friends (old and new!) enough for helping us make tonight’s virtual event possible. The heartwarming stories that you will hear are from the perspective of the dedicated and compassionate individuals who experienced them first-hand. And, we would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to some of the special guests who are joining us for Black Tie & Tails at home.
Scott Blasey
Musical Guests
Scott Blasey
Scott and Rosanna
Kenny Pierson Scott and Rosanna Other Special Guests
Greg Joseph Zak Szabo
Ashley Dougherty
Ashley Dougherty Jimmy Krenn Gisele Barreto Fetterman, Honorary Chair Heather Abraham and David Highfield, Guest Emcees ... and more!
Zak Szabo
Enjoy the Show Life During COVID-19 In March, when the coronavirus pandemic began to impact our community, Animal Friends made the heartbreaking decision to close our doors to the public. But, the lifesaving work continued behind the scenes as our dedicated staff and volunteers worked harder than ever to ensure that we were there for the pets and people of our region who needed us most.
Foster Success There is a term in the animal rescue community known as “foster fail” but it’s not a bad thing! As our neighbors in the community were spending more time at home, they began to reach out to us about temporarily fostering some of our long-term residents. At least, they were supposed to be temporary …
Chow Wagon All year long, our Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank partners with food pantries and other community outreach programs throughout the city to provide nutritious food to hungry pets. When the pandemic began, the need for these services was greater than ever. So, our team did some creative thinking, rolled up their sleeves and got to work!
Celebunnies Earlier this year, Animal Friends had to think outside the cage when a group of 20 rabbits needed immediate placement. With some quick thinking and a dedicated corps of volunteer foster guardians, we welcomed our newest rabbit residents (each named after different celebrities!) into our progressive network of care.
Saving Lives Through Telehealth As businesses across our region began shutting down due to the pandemic, our Animal Wellness Center was among the hundreds of veterinary clinics in our region that had to temporarily close their doors. But we knew that there were so many pets in our community who needed us and we launched a brand new Telehealth initiative. The results were nothing short of lifesaving.
Thank you to our sponsors ...
Fragasso Financial Advisors Russell Charitable Foundation Chrislynn Energy FedEx Lamar Advertising LUXE Creative Nutrish Pimco ValStone Partners Bognar and Company Henderson Brothers Wade Trim Black and Veatch CS McKee CWM Environmental Direct Axis Giant Eagle HDR Engineering Leeds Miller Frame Lisa and Lee Oleinick PFM Sci Tek Consultants Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC
Greg Geibel
Animal Friends' Board of Directors Chair
Gina Carlos
Past Chair
Marleen Ashton, Esq.
Vice Chair
Sarah McKean
Secretary
Matthew D. Monsour, Esq.
Treasurer
Robert Fragasso
Mary Ann Bogosta Dorothy Boyer Debbie Campbell Jeff Dutkovic Beth Henry Elizabeth Klamut Sheri Levine-Everett Howard Loevner Bonnie Loya Michelle Race Cindy Russell Doug Shriber Charlotte Stephenson John Weinstein Cris Winter Stephen Zappala, Jr., Esq. In Memoriam Alice Richardson, Founder Lloyd Gluck, Esq.
President & CEO
Kathleen Beaver Greg Geibel
Patrons Laurie Adams Alisa Angelo Marleen Ashton Leslie and Scott Baker Kathleen and Kent Beaver Mary Ann and Chuck Bogosta Penny and Kirk Burkley Erin and Matt Butkovic Erin Byrne Gina and John Carlos David and Lauren Chervenick Marlene Cornelius Andrea Curtis and Doug Kredel Jeff and Wendy Dutkovic Bill and Susan Follansbee Robert Fragasso Jeff and Kelly Gleason Joseph and Lynne Hanlon Patricia Hasselbusch Beth and Dave Henry Virgina and Lee Hebert Elizabeth and John Klamut Vanessa Kristoff Sheri Levine-Everett Howard and Rosemary Loevner Margery Loevner Claire LoPresti
Bonnie and Chuck Loya Donald and Mary Lucidi Kevin McClusky Sarah McKean and P.J.Maloney Judi McNeil Paula McWilliams Gail and Jim Mezynski Sandra Miller Linda Mitzel Mark and Catherine Moir Matthew Monsour Jeff and Jenn Mulrooney Sarah Nass Robert and Maryanne Purdy Michelle and Steven Race Dan and Sherry Ringer Cindy and Andy Russell Kathy Seidel Linda Shooer and Thaddeus Osial Doug Shriber Charlotte and David Stephenson Ward and Julie Strang Marcy Tenaglia and Brian Gates Jessie VanSwearingen Debbie Viducich Cris Winter Susan Young
Tributes
Mary Ann and Chuck Bogosta Kimberlie and David Bowers In Memory of Monet Edwin Boyer William Brown Craig and Janet Brown Penny and Kirk Burkley Diane Charles and Dan Kambic Madelin Clements In Memory of Molly Alice Coleman Abby Corbin In Memory of Peerie Marlene Cornelius Dan Dingus Marcy Fenell The Linaburg Foundation Linda Hershey Patricia Hiatt In Honor of Socks and Sheila Hiatt Mary Hynes In Honor of Patty and Sheldon's Anniversary Keystone Acquisition Services Donna Kipp Carolyn and Beaufort Longest Kevin McCluskey Kathleen McKula In Memory of Nancy Dauenhauer Paula McWilliams Elmer Menges In Memory of Bandit Rick and Mary Novosel Joanne O'Donnell Lois and Shirley Placke In Memory of Our Wonderful Pets from Animal Friends Steve Polome Richard and Linda Ruffalo Barbara Shaw Karen Silverblatt-Nameth In Memory of Nikki Nameth Robert Soeder and Linda Rose In Honor of Jazz Soeder Mary Soster In Honor of Sophia, my rescue cat Elaine and Howard Specter In Honor of Maj. Benjamin Follansbee Ann Stapor Laura Stearns Hayes and Patricia Stover Ramona Sulkowski Alan and Karen Vecchi In Honor of Mya Cheryl Wanzie Regis Windisch In Honor of Carolyn Windisch
Online Auction Donors*
Amy Bacik Beth Henry Brew Dog Cindy Russell Claire LoPresti Diamond Run Golf Club Don's Appliances Double Dog Studios Doug Shriber Elite Island Resorts Frick Park of Point Breeze Gina Carlos Harry Giglio Photography Healthy Pet Products Hickory Heights Golf Club Hotel Indigo Iron City Elite Strength & Conditioning J.V. Chujko Inc. Jeff Mulrooney Kate Buckley Photography Kimpton Hotel Monaco Kramer Portraits Larrimor's Linda Mitzel Photography Lois and Shirley Placke Michelle Race Missy Bauer Orr's Jewelers Paul DeAndrea Pennsylvania Macaroni Company Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh Steelers Renew Design Roam Photos Plus Santom Upholstery & Refinishing Sarah McKean Sarah Nass Sewickley Spa South Hills Country Club Viviana Altieri
*Donors of items valued at $250 or greater are listed above. We would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of the individuals, businesses and organizations that donated items to our Online Auction.
Shelter in a Friendly Place. ΖWȇV D ȴ UVW Black Tie & Tails goes virtual. But the need hasn’t changed. Black & Veatch proudly sponsors the gala to support Animal Friends’ lifesaving services and programs.
Ideas transform communities Building strong communities is at the heart of our endeavors. We’re proud to support Animal Friends. hdrinc.com
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Engineering Stronger Communities Three Gateway Center 401 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1600 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.454.5566 • www.wadetrim.com
Proud sponsor of
The Henrys congratulate Animal Friends on their first virtual gala! Stay safe!
Save the Date!
Sept. 24-25, 2021 (In Person!)
About Animal Friends For more than 75 years, Animal Friends has been saving, impacting, engaging, enriching and affecting the lives of the pets and people of our region. Since our humble beginnings in 1943, we have grown into a full-service companion animal welfare organization serving the pets and people of Pittsburgh and the surrounding area. With our progressive programs, Animal Friends is leading the way toward making our community a safer and more humane place. Learn more at
ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.
Questions? Contact our team at 412.847.7000.
Greg Geibel