It's that time of year when everybody gets dressed up for dogs, and cats, and horses, and cows and whatever else is running around the island on four legs. It's the St. Thomas Humane Society's 24th annual Valentine's Day Ball, on Saturday, Feb. 10, at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort.
Society board chairwoman Claudia LaBorde said she isn't sure it's really the 24th, as a couple hurricanes intervened, but it's close. Along with a cash raffle and silent auction, this year's event has some new twists, Laborde said.
A brand new game, "Pluck-a-Duck," a first on the island, will be launched, or more accurately, christened that night. Three duck ponds will be strategically placed in the Reef ballroom, each holding about a dozen (rubber) ducks. The ducks each will have a number attached underneath, and for a donation of $25, $50 or $100, the lucky duck pluckers gets a prize. The prizes will be displayed by each pond.
The "doggie ball," as it is fondly known, is traditionally one of the most popular social events on the island. "It's the one thing we never miss," said Tropical Training owner Ron Gabrielson. He and his wife, Courtney, of Caribbean Travel have been going for years.
"It's such a good cause," Gabrielson said while brushing away Lucy, a dumpster refugee and the smallest member of the Gabrielson's household of four dogs and a couple cats.
Radio One's talk show host Sam Topp will once again be master of ceremonies. "I really don't know how many times it's been. I love doing it," said Topp. "The relationship between human beings and animals is so special."
And Topp should know. He and his wife have 26 cats and three dogs, each and every one with bona fide stray or dumpster pedigree. "Animals are so defenseless," Topp said, "and they are so appreciative of a little affection."
The Humane Society of St. Thomas has been without government funding for the past two years and is dependent on fund-raising activities and donations. The shelter now has its own Web site, thanks to a local benefactor, at www.humanesocietyofstthomas.com.
The ball will also feature a silent auction including two airline trips. One is a United Airlines round trip to Chicago or Washington, D.C. The other has been donated by U.S. Air, a round trip to anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. And, LaBorde said, more prizes are coming in every day.
Topp will conduct the cash raffle with the top prize of $2,500, and Tara Richardson's TNT will provide the music.
The evening starts at 7 p.m. with cocktails followed by dinner and dancing at 8 p.m. Tickets are $100 each, and all proceeds go to the animal shelter.
Tickets are available at the animal shelter in Nadir, Home Again in Red Hook Plaza, Jan and Michael's Hair Studio at Frenchman's Reef and Dr. Andy Williamson's Animal Hospital in Frenchman's Bay, or call 776-8676. Reserved seats are for tables of 10 only.