Some of our animal friends’ best friends are human friends.
On November 17th, we were happy to be counted among those friends on an evening when Animal Zone International brought us all together at the Via Emilia Restaurant where Chef William Mattiello was waiting with his Modenese specialties and Maestro Jed Distler had gathered a group of musicians to serenade us with great music ranging from classics to fabulous arrangements of their own tunes.
The evening was one of magic for those of us who had come to celebrate another year of working for the health and the healing and the well-being of the animals of the island of Amorgos. At this time of year there are many galas and benefits, glittering bejeweled affairs in honor of charities and foundations, but this was a special one.
The food and the wine and the music was being shared by a group of people who had become devoted to the idea of helping the most vulnerable among us—and artists and photographers had donated remarkable works for us to bid on, which meant that not only could we go home with one of these works, we had the pleasure of knowing that the money being raised would go straight to Amorgos and the stray cats and kittens and barrel dogs and donkeys and abandoned horses and mules who so desperately needed our help.
There were many other things to bid on, weekends in the country, jewelry, hotel stays on the island itself, and it was clear that a great number of people cared about our project.
Next year, Animal Zone International will once again create a night in which we can come together to celebrate their incredible work and I will be there, sharing in the joy of knowing that the pleasure of our evening will bring safety and comfort to the members of our beloved animal kingdom.
—from the Diary of an Attendee
