SUNBURY, Pa. — What started as a fundraising idea for Mommy and Me Rescue in Northumberland County, Mary Marquette thought she'd host a concert here at Route 61 Events near Sunbury.
Now it has turned into an all day event with food, drinks and pinball. Rock for Rescues 2024 will start with a breakfast buffet in the morning. There will be bingo, basket raffles, motorcycles on display, photos and autographs with WWE Legend Gene Snisky, and still ending with the concert with Ron Keel. This all benefits not only Mommy and Me Rescue, but others, too.
"You can ask my husband, I cry almost every day looking at cases where there's just no one to come together for these animals, and we can only do so much, but as a community we can do a heck of a lot more," Organizer Mary Marquette said.
Organizers are probably most excited for the kissing booth. Adoptable dogs from local rescues will all be working it.
Cherish, Mary Marquette's rescue dog is the reason behind the whole event. Cherish was a rescue from Mommy and Me.
"Mary adopted her and she adopted Mary, and to know that it's had such a positive impact on her life that she wanted to return that to rescues is really amazing to see, we can't thank her enough for everything she is doing for all of the rescues," Carol and Anthony Kalinowski said.
When the event kept getting bigger, organizers decided to help other rescues, too, Rescue Pets Serving Vets is one of them. Founder Casey Shonis has ALS and just hit her goal of 2,000 adoptions. Anyone can adopt from Rescue Pets Serving Vets, but the adoption fee is waived for veterans.
"I think can speak for both of us that it makes us happy to know that more people are working towards this goal and getting these dogs homes that we need," Casey and Connor Shonis said.
Patriot K9 Rescue was supposed to be the third rescue to benefit from the fundraiser, but the founders decided to retire at the end of the month after 7 years. The fundraiser will now celebrate the work Patriot K9 Rescue has done.
"Elysburg welcomed us with open arms. The community is wonderful here. We're happy now to, once we're retired, to give back to other rescues, too and help them," Dawn Nickles and Paul Oldt said.
Rock for Rescues is this Saturday here at Route 61 Events near Sunbury. The event starts with the breakfast buffet at 8,and ends with the concert at 7. For tickets and other information about the day, click here.