Open Our Bottle Night returns on March 23

We are excited to announce that Open Our Bottle Night will return to the New York Wine and Culinary Center on March 23!  Join us and the event's Honorary Chairs Jerry Archibald, Lauren Dixon and Tom Fountain for a festive evening of internationals foods and wines along with interactive cooking demonstrations.  This fundraising event will also feature the jazz sounds of John Nugent and friends.

Tickets are $125 and can be purchased online at ontarioarc.org/oobn.  Proceeds benefit Ontario ARC and the high quality services it provides to nearly 900 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in our community.

For more information about Open Our Bottle Night or to learn how you can support it, contact Donna Auria via e-mail or at 585-919-2191.

P.S. -- Inn on the Lake is offering a special "Stay & Play" rate to Open Our Bottle Night attendees.  Call 585-394-7800 to make your reservation before March 9.

Pet Connections Socializes Cats from Happy Tails

One of our new feline friends!

Beginning in the middle of December, Pet Connections has had the opportunity to conduct weekly visitations with the cats up for adoption at Happy Tails.  To prepare for these visits participants watched videos to learn cat behaviors and body language.  They also learned how to appropriately keep a cat calm while handling.    

Socializing the cats at Happy Tails is beneficial for both parties as petting a cat is relaxing, decreases blood pressure, relieves depression, and decreases anxiety for our participants while the cats stress is minimized, their quality of life is maximized, and the likelihood for adoption of the cats greatly increases. 

Plaques stating that the cat has been socialized by Ontario ARC participants will be made to hang on each cats’ crate who participates in the socialization. 

This great partnership with Happy Tails will continue weekly every Wednesday afternoon from 1:00-1:30! Based on a similar program for dogs, Pet Connections has experienced 100% success rate with adoptions of the dogs from Happy Tails and is off to a great start with the cats as well!  We hope to keep the momentum going!