Bets for Pets Valentine’s Gala, Love Is in the Air

Bets for Pets Valentine’s Gala, Love Is in the Air

Gideon Thompson

The Ashland Beacon

Valentine’s Day is celebrated each year on Feb. 14 as billions of people come together to celebrate love, life, and romance. Established as a holiday to honor Saint Valentine and his success in bringing together happy marriages, even when spoken against, Saint Valentine gained notoriety by marrying couples outside of established laws and ordinances during his life, as he brought together marriages for soldiers and Christian partners in secret. Saint Valentine is also linked to the patronage of travelers, marriage, epilepsy, and beekeeping, as he favored them in his works. Hailing from 3rd-century Rome, Saint Valentine is still looked upon today as a major influence of love. Once, Saint Valentine aided in restoring sight to a jailer’s daughter and helped in easing epilepsy in a young man, which influenced the two ill young people to seek Christianity. What started as a relationship between Saint Valentine and his friends developed into what we now celebrate each year as we continue the tradition of remembering love and happiness.

This Valentine’s Day, AARF (Ashland Animal Rescue Fund) is hosting Bets for Pets Valentine’s Gala, a fun event intended for the love of pets. Friday, Feb. 13, AARF and Sandy’s Cares are uniting to support animal rescue and pet adoption with a luxurious setting. Tickets will get purchasers in for a day of dining, dancing with live music, a cash bar, free play on gaming machines, a puppy lounge, and an auction. Live music from Redefyned is set to rock the air as spectators dine and mingle in honor of pets and the love they bring to our lives. A photo booth with Oh Snap Foto is waiting for Valentine’s Day photos you can cherish for a lifetime, and possibly even with some of the rescue pets intended for the event. The event is boasting a silent auction containing items ranging from two elegant cruises and a three-day Florida vacation to jewelry and other goods that will be available as well.

Local businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate with incentives such as table sponsorships and packages for those who attend or donate. Sponsored tables will receive swag bags containing t-shirts, glasses, pens, trinkets, and free game play. Donations are welcomed, as there will be a table attendant waiting for anyone with questions or the desire to benefit the rescue community through sponsorships, donations, or adoption. Donations play an important role in animal rescue, with limited funding in most states allowing workers to help pets in need with housing, medical costs, food and water, cleaning, and advertisement for adoptions. Every addition to the cause can make a significant difference in the lives of the pets who are waiting for their forever home.

Tickets for the 2026 Bets for Pets on Friday, February 13th are available on the Givebutter website at givebutter.com/c/aarfgala. The link to the Givebutter purchase site is located on the AARF Facebook page. Anyone who is interested in participating as a donor or sponsor for the auction may contact Cathy Queen by phone at 606.922.5157. For other donations and questions, callers may contact Jennifer Goodwin at Sandy’s Cares for non-profit, which is available through the Sandy’s Racing and Gaming website. Love is in the air, and even our pets are in on the fun this year with Bets for Pets Valentine’s Gala.