Sweetpea Friends of Rutland Animals

Celebrating Stella

On November 22, 2015, a fire at the Sweetpea F.O.R. Animals shelter took the lives of many animals. Thanks to heroic efforts by firefighters, a few animals were found alive and rushed to nearby veterinary hospitals for treatment. Eight years later, we’re celebrating the survivors and today we’re sharing Stella’s story.

Click here for Celebrating Stella, a survivor

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Holiday Item Fundraiser

We’re excited to partner with Lynch Creek Farms to provide you with great decorating or gift items for the holidays while supporting Sweetpea! Click on the image below to enter their online store. You can place your order online or call them at the number below with our campaign number 301635. Get free shipping on orders placed through 11/10!

Bassetpalooza 2023

We had a great time at Bassetpalooza 2023 on Sunday, October 15th! Click on the image below to see our Facebook Photo Album from the event!

Funding the Shelter Rebuild

Thank you to everyone who supported our Golf Tournament!

$4,130.98 raised at the 2023 Golf Tournament on Aug 20th!

The golfers generosity, enthusiasm and great weather provided fun and a fundraising success for Sweetpea.  $4,130.98 was raised and will be put towards our main shelter rebuild and also to the existing small shelter renovation.  

Eight teams enjoyed competition on the course and then joined other non-golfing Sweetpea supporters in the clubhouse for a hot meal and amazing raffle baskets competition.  

An event like this takes a team effort and we would like to thank:  

  • Gold Sponsors:
    • Richard Clark
    • RJ McDonald Energy
    • Cole Contracting
    • J.P. McCarthy & Sons, LLC
  • Our Hole Sponsors:
    • Amidio Brothers Contracting
    • Caruso Paving
    • CornerStone Bank
    • Country Bank
    • Juno’s Place
    • Klem’s
    • LeaderBank
    • Nichols Flooring
    • Quinn Engineering
    • Rutland Fire Brigade
    • St. Pierre Manufacturing
    • Webster First
  • Our Raffle Basket friends:
    • Friend of Sweetpea, Aimee Demeris, who secured donations for 20 raffle baskets prior to the event, set up the raffle table and sold tickets during the day.  
    • All of the businesses who donated items for the baskets.
    • Sheri Gioia and Deborah Young for donating baskets.

Last but certainly not least, to our Golf Tournament event organizer, Bonnie Courtemanche, for the many hours of behind the scenes work and preparation in making this another successful event.

Thank you to all of our Board members who worked the golf tournament, with special thanks to Robert Proulx for the fantastic photography of the day.

Thank you all for making the 2023 Sweetpea Golf Tournament a success!

Thank you to those who supported Ride Your Hogs to Support the Dogs!

On May 20, 2023 Scott Latour, through Latour’s Twisted Spoke, hosted the first Ride Your Hogs to Support the Dogs event. The bike ride was organized as a shelter rebuild fundraiser. The ride began at Latour’s Twisted Spoke, 60 Depot Rd, Charleton MA and concluded at Singletary Rod & Gun in Oxford MA. After the run, there was live entertainment, food, vendor tables, and an amazing raffle grand prize of a 2022 Harley Davidson Fat Boy 114 motorcycle!

This fantastic event raised $8427.43 for Sweetpea and $936.40 for Broken Tail Rescue!! We’re very thankful for the many riders who came out in the rain and were so generous with their time and donations! Thank you to those who provided raffle prizes, to Steppin Up for the live music, and especially to Scott Latour!

Thank you so much to everyone who made the day such a success!

  • Scott Latour and the Twisted Spoke for making all this happen and your incredible donations
  • American Harley Davidson
  • Trevor for the jerk chicken & ribs in Charleston
  • South 9 Wangz and Thangz for the food in Southbridge
  • Maddie’s Dogs
  • Mike Chandler’s BBQ
  • Adam Holmes Glass Art
  • Frozen Favorites Ice Cream
  • Flying High Dogs
  • Broken Tail Rescue
  • Steppin Up band
  • Juno’s Place
  • Special thanks to these dear friends
    • Alison, for thinking of us when this fundraiser was in its decision stages and putting our name out there
    • Ron, the bar manager from Singletary Rod and Gun club in Oxford Massachusetts.
    • Aimee, a long time Sweetpea volunteer who is an absolute star when it comes to raffle organization! We love you Aimee!
    • Bill
    • Donna
    • Adam Hambone
  • Photos courtesy of Deborah Young

Our rebuilding story was featured on Spectrum News 1 in Oct ’22!