BINGHAMTON, NY – NewsChannel 34 is teaming up with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and a pair of local animal welfare agencies in an effort to Clear the Shelters.
During this Saturday evening’s game against the Reading Fightin Phils, fans are asked to bring non-perishable pet food and supplies that will be distributed to the Broome County Humane Society and the Animal Care Sanctuary.
Information on how to adopt a cat or dog will also be available at the game, which also happens to be a Bark in the Park night when fans are allowed to bring their dog to the game.
The donated supplies will be collected in a Subaru on loan from Matthews Subaru.
Matthews Marketing Director Kathy Breno says the auto dealer has raised $150,000 for the Humane Society in recent years and does more to assist animals in need.
“We also do a pet of the week on Facebook. We do pet food drives every year, we do pet photos with Santa every year, so the list goes on and on. We do a lot for animals. We love animals and we live in this community and we want to help the animals in our community,” says Breno.
Auchinachie Services is another supporter of the effort.
The plumbing, HVAC and water filtration company has an Auchinachie Cares program in which it gives $1,000 each month to a different local non-profit.
This month, it is splittiing the donation evenly between the Humane Society and the Animal Care Sanctuary.
Senior Vice President Chris Holleran says many of the Auchinachie employees are animal lovers.
“We’re a small community, we’re big in the community, we feel it’s our responsibility to give back to a community that’s given so much to us,” says Holleran.
Among the animal supplies requested are paper towels, slip leads, leashes, cloth towels and pine pellet cat litter.
The game is Saturday evening at 6:35.
But you may want to get into your seat a little earlier, say 6:22, to watch Jim Ehmke through out the ceremonial first pitch.
Here’s hoping he can get it over home plate.