Welcome to Critters & Cocktails 2025

Thanks for joining us in celebration of The Good, The Glad, and The Snuggly. We hope you enjoy the great hospitality of the Italian Culltural Centre, and our vast selection of auction items.

This is the 21^st edition of Critters & Cocktails. Your presence here tonight provides our staff, volunteers, supporters and members with the resources and inspiration to continue our work in communities throughout Northern Alberta. Your auction item purchase helps us to plan to expand the number of animals we can help, and to continue to provide the life-saving support for homeless, abused, sick, and abandoned pets.

SCARS’ vision is “a world where all animals are valued and treated with compassion, where no animal is left behind.” Our vision imagines communities which no longer experience pet overpopulation, and suﬀering. Part of our mandate is to provide education and support for those who need assistance caring for companion animals. We believe in getting to the root of the pet overpopulation problem. Ou Spay-Neuter-Return program attempts to minimize that in the communities we serve, while our “Walls for Winter” program, seeks to minimize the discomfort of severe weather for outdoor pets.

We are truly grateful to our volunteers, corporate and individual donors, rescue group partners, and the participating veterinary clinics who work closely with us. We know there are still many hungry, sick, and injured, animals who will soon become exposed to another bitter winter without shelter. Some are sitting in overcrowded northern pounds waiting for space at our overburdened facilities and foster homes. Your presence here tonight makes it possible for us to give them a chance to be rescued.

As you explore tonight’s array of auction items, we hope that you will bid as generously as you can. We want you to take home items or experiences you will treasure, but the real treasure is the impact of your generosity. Every dollar raised literally saves lives and prevents suffering. We look forward to 2026 in the hope that we can rise to meet the ever-increasing need for our services.

We value collaborative relationships with the Indigenous communities which are among the jurisdictions we serve. SCARS acknowledges that we reside on, and primarily work in, Treaty 6 territory—the traditional and ancestral territory of the Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, Saulteaux and Nakota Sioux. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Métis Settlements and the Métis Nation of Alberta, Regions 2, 3 and 4 within the historical Northwest Métis Homeland. We acknowledge the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit who have lived in and cared for these lands for generations. We are grateful for the traditional Knowledge Keepers and Elders who are still with us today and those who have gone before us.

Auction Rules & Information

Auction Registration

To bid on the silent or live auction, you must have created an account and been assigned a bid number. If you haven’t created an account, you may do so either on your mobile device or at one of the bidding stations. Volunteers are available to assist if you have difficulties.

Silent Auction

All bids on the silent auction items must be made online, either through your device or at a bidding station. The high bid on any item when the auction closes at 9:45 p.m. will be the buyer of that item.

Live Auction

If you are the successful bidder on a live auction item, you will be given a card by the auctioneer or a volunteer. and asked to provide your name and bid number on both the bid card and the volunteer’s list. Please only take the card to the cashiers when asked to do so, as described below under “Item Pick-Up”.

Payment

All items picked up at the event must be paid for by the end of the evening. The cashiers’ tables will open part-way through the live auction. If there is a chance that you have won more than one item, you will save time by waiting until all the items have closed before attempting to check out. We gladly accept Cash, Cheque, Debit, American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. If you must leave before picking up an item, you will receive an invoice by email for any items you may have won. SCARS will be entitled to retain ownership of any items not paid for by November 16, 2025 unless arrangements have been made before that date.

Item Pick-Up

Shortly after the bidding closes, you will receive an email with an invoice indicating any items you have won.. The winning bidders may check out by either:

Proceeding to the cashiers’ table in the lobby; or
Paying with credit or debit card on your phone or other online device.

When your items are paid for, proceed back to the Italia Room, locate your items and a volunteer, and show the volunteer your electronic proof of purchase which identifies your item(s). If your item is a gift certificate, event tickets, or voucher, (including, in addition, some live auction items) you will need to proceed to the cashier table. You will be provided with the original certificate or card. Make sure you take your items with you. SCARS can’t be responsible for items not picked up at the event. If you have left early, you may still pay for your items online.

Any items not picked up by the end of the evening will be retained by SCARS, and we will be available for pickup at the Italian Cultural Centre on Sunday, November 2 from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. They may also be picked up at 17916 55 Avenue NW in Edmonton on Monday and Tuesday, November 3 and 4 between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. If other arrangements are required, please email scars@scarscare.ca and we will get back to you to make arrangements. Items not paid for by November 16 and items not picked up from designated pickup locations by December 1 will become or remain the property of SCARS, and may be used or disposed of at the society’s sole discretion.

Shipping costs of any items not picked up will be at the expense of the buyer. Due to postal service uncertainties, the least available shipping methods may not be utilized in order to facilitate delivery.

MC Introduction

SCARS is delighted that Rob Christie is back as our Master of Ceremonies. Rob has honoured us with his entertaining presence for many of our past C&C events,and works with our events team on a number of our fundraising endeavours. Again this year, Rob will also be our auctioneer for the live auction portion of Critters & Cocktails.

Rob enjoyed a fifty-year career as a radio and television personality at top rated stations in major markets across Canada, including Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. He and his POWER 92 Morning Crew have the unique distinction of being two-time winners at the prestigious International Radio Festival of New York, winning the gold and bronze medals for Best Humour/Comedy morning show.

Rob is currently heard hosting mornings on Mix 107.9, Edmonton. His production company also offers a suite of services as media consultant, audiobook narrator and voice actor. He is also a highly sought after Master of Ceremonies for corporate and charity events. Deeply committed to the Edmonton community, Rob serves on the boards of Edmonton Meals on Wheels, and B’nai Brith Alberta.

Thank you for Joining us!

Before we go, special thanks go to:

Master of Ceremonies—Rob Christie
Video—Betty Andrichuk
All our great sponsors
The Italian Cultural Centre
All the SCARS Volunteers

Please join us next year! Save the date for Critters & Cocktails on November 7, 2026—right here again!

Good night to you all and many thanks for your support!

The Good, the Glad and the Snuggly Program