Our sold-out Groundhog Day Celebration on Sunday, February 2nd was an event to remember! We were thrilled to welcome 120 guests for a day filled with fun, education, and a lot of excitement — all for a great cause.
The event kicked off with our wildlife team sharing engaging stories and videos about the care and conservation of wild animals. Guests were captivated by our panel of experts, who answered questions and provided insights into the important work we do at Anderson Humane.
Of course, the highlight of the day was Wanda the Groundhog and her big moment predicting an early spring! Before the shadow reveal, our ambassador animals Felony and Isabelle entertained the audience, bringing joy and excitement to the event. After Wanda made her prediction, the crowd headed to our wildlife encounter room, where they had the opportunity to meet some of our ambassador animals up close and learn more about wildlife care firsthand.
A big hit of the day was our custom photo booth, designed by the talented team at Stoked Graphics. It was the perfect place for guests to snap a picture and capture the spirit of the day. And we’re excited to announce that this photo booth will make an appearance at future events!
In addition, Stephanie’s aunt crocheted adorable costumes for the ambassador animals and 30 handmade groundhog hats, which sold out in no time! Guests loved these unique keepsakes that added an extra layer of charm to the celebration.
We’re also excited to share that CBS Chicago covered the event over the weekend, with plans for a follow-up story on our wildlife program. Check out the coverage here: CBS Chicago.
Event Success and Fundraising
Thanks to the generosity of attendees, sponsors, and raffle participants, the event raised a total of $12,630, with a $9,255 profit! The funds raised will go directly toward supporting Anderson Humane’s wildlife care and conservation efforts, making it a huge success for the animals in our care.
We’re so grateful to everyone who made this event possible and are looking forward to building on this momentum in the future. The Groundhog Day Celebration was a wonderful way to bring our community together, raise awareness about wildlife care, and support our mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and release wild animals.
Thank you again to everyone who attended, volunteered, and supported us. We can’t wait to see you at future events!
Interested in attending an event? Click here for our event schedule!