The Moscow Alehouse commenced a new relationship with Craft Artbar and Studio in their first partnership in support of the Palouse Humane Society.
From noon until 2 p.m. Sunday, April 7, the Moscow Alehouse hosted “Painting, Pups, Pints,” on their patio, encouraging pet lovers and paint enthusiasts alike to enjoy an afternoon in the sun full of painting, raffles, gift baskets and the community’s furry friends. Craft Artbar and Studio brought paint, stencils and pint glasses for participating guests to decorate, all while enjoying their favorite brews and supporting their community and local humane society.
Owner and operator of the Moscow Alehouse, Wendy Smiley-Johnson, is always willing and looking forward to strengthening her ties and support of the community through giving back and assuming the responsibility of her position as a “working manager” by bringing people together and collaborating with the likeminded proprietors in the area.
“I’ve always been team Moscow… So, for me, working in the community has always been a big deal. For years I’ve been doing different events, because I have been very fortunate to have a nice big parking lot and a nice big patio. So, for me, Moscow is really all about people helping people,” Smiley-Johnson said.
Entry was free, but tickets for both painting and a pint were sold for $25 and those for just painting were $20, with proceeds going back to the humane society. All attendees were given a complementary gift bag with dog treats and a beer from Happy Dog Meadery, along with assorted goodies. For every dog treat bag, Happy Dog Meadery donates a dollar back to the humane society.
In addition to painting, beer and gift baskets, Smiley-Johnson was handing out free Vandal Sausage hot dogs from her stand Wendys’s Wieners.
Attendee Carlos Santos, was excited about the opportunity to spend a day out in the community with his dog.
“Dogs are man’s best friend, so in any event that includes dogs, great people are going to show up and have fun bonding over animals,” Santos said.
Jacob Ness, thinks the Moscow community is unique, “I think Moscow is really good at having events and having people show up. I think it’s pretty cool and you don’t see that everywhere.”
Smiley-Johnson has worked with and fundraised for the humane society more than 10 times over the last 15 years. This event marks her first collaboration with owner-operator of Craft Artbar and Studio (formerly Wild at Art), Meghan Miller. She was excited about the event and for the future of their relationship.
“We’re going to make a whole bunch of money for a staple in this community that literally takes as good a care of its pet community as our police department takes care of our people. We have to support each other, so I try to take care of them wherever I go,” said Smiley-Johnson.
Miller shared similar sentiments regarding the event and her personal connection with the work being done.
“The point of the event is to, you know, make as much money for the Humane Society of the Palouse. It’s an organization that’s near and dear to our hearts, as well as Wendy from the Alehouse,” said Miller.
Smiley-Johnson had reached out to Miller and her husband for the collaboration. “…And we were over the moon and more than excited about the opportunity to collaborate,” Miller added.
The event sold out quickly. With room for an estimated 50 guests on the patio, 54 tickets were sold before the event—according to Smiley-Johnson. However, walk-ins were accepted, and the turnout far exceeded expectations.
“I think exceeded, extremely,” said Sierah Beeler, director of the Humane Society of the Palouse after the event.
Though tickets sold out, there were other means of donations accepted and encouraged.
Donations of humane society necessities such as blankets and bowls were appreciated. Attendees were able to purchase raffle tickets at $2 per ticket or $3 for five for the chance to win an assorted gift basket. Raffle sales went right back into the humane society as well. Checks were also accepted.
The Moscow Alehouse agreed to match whatever cash donations were collected during the day.
More than $600 was raised through donation and raffle ticket sales alone, not including the money raised through ticket sales.
Smiley-Johnson has worked alongside the humane society for years and alongside different managers. This year, Beeler was involved in the fundraiser. She, like her collaborators, is big on community engagement.
“We do try to work with a lot of local and community groups, like girl scouts and boy scouts and those types of clubs…Really we look for anything and everything where we can get out and educate and promote and we literally just kind of build connections to keep our information and our mission visible and out there in the community,” said Beeler.
Beeler encourages the support of people who are interested in spending some time around animals to volunteer with the humane society or even to use social media to help extend their reach in the community and potentially find more adopters.
En lieu of the success of their first collaboration, the ladies are looking forward to planning the next community collaborative event.
“We haven’t actually had a chance to work together until this time, but I think it sounds like we are all very excited to look at future potential opportunities for us to all work together again,” said Beeler.
“I am really excited…We’re going to be doing this again in September,” said Smiley-Johnson.
For more information or to show support of the Humane Society of the Palouse they can be reached at [email protected] or via Instagram @humanepalouse.
Tanner Allen can be reached at [email protected]