The festival, a celebration of all things animal, attracted a wide range of attendees, from families with young children to seasoned animal lovers. The festival featured a variety of activities, including a petting zoo, a reptile show, a birdhouse building competition, and a nature walk. The festival was a resounding success, attracting over 1,000 attendees and generating significant revenue for the Scottsville community.
“One of the main reasons is to encourage adoptions,” organizer Alexander Stone of the James River Good Works Group told The Daily Progress. This year’s participating groups are Almost Home Adoption Center, Bunny Lu Rabbit Rescue, Caring for Creatures, Cat Action Team, Feel Better Farm Animal Sanctuary, Fluvanna SPCA, Gallastar Equine Rescue Center, Green Dogs Unleashed, Madison-Greene Humane Society, Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue and Sentient Sanctuary. The cohort includes seven of last year’s eight organizations; the eighth group no longer is in operation. A program booklet will provide details about each group’s mission and minions. There will be plenty of information about pet adoption, training and care.
This fund will be used to support the festival’s exhibitors, including providing them with free booths, free marketing materials, and other benefits. The festival organizers are also planning to introduce a new feature this year: a “festival marketplace.” This marketplace will be a dedicated space for local vendors and artisans to showcase their products and services. The marketplace will be open to the public and will feature a variety of goods, from handmade jewelry and pottery to clothing and food.
Dr. William J. Stone, pastor of the Scottsville Baptist Church, is spearheading a fundraising effort for the Scottsville Community Center. The Scottsville Community Center is a vital resource for the community, providing a variety of services, including after-school programs, senior citizen activities, and recreational activities.
There’s still time to volunteer if you’d like to help. The welcome table and the raffle table in particular will need staffers, and there’s always room on the “poop patrol” squad keeping the pavilion grounds clean, Stone said. He welcomes volunteers to go to james-river-good-works-group.square.site or www.facebook.com/goodworks to sign up; it’s also fine to email jrgoodworks@gmail.com.
