A few rain drops didn’t dampen the spirits, or the fundraising effort to support three animal rescue groups, as House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi held his third annual scramble Monday at Quidnessett Country Club in North Kingstown.  Last year the event raised $22,597 for Friends of the Warwick Animal Shelter and $11,298 each for Anchor Paws Rescue and Vintage Pet Rescue. The same three rescue organizations will benefit from this year’s event that saw between golfers and those attending the dinner and raffle saw about 600 people.

Rep. Tom Noret, who chaired the event along with a lot of help from House colleagues, including Rep. Jacqueline Baginski and Friends of the Warwick Animal Shelter President Judy Salvadore, was setting up first thing Monday morning.

“It’s a great outpouring,” Noret said of the numbers of attendees, “they love the reason for the event.”

It’s all the reason for Shekarchi. He doesn’t play golf, but Marvin, who he adopted, is a best buddy. The event this year serves to add awareness to the lack of space at local shelters. The shelters have been faced with an influx of dogs from the south and people who adopted during the pandemic and now find they don’t have the time to devote to a pet.

Salvadore said proceeds from the scramble are essential to providing care to animals. She pointed out that the Warwick Animal Shelter doesn’t have the option of refusing animals. This can mean housing animals in need to medical care that can run into thousands of dollars, money that isn’t recovered by adoption fees.

In an email Tuesday the Speaker’s office reported the event raised more than $40,000to benefit the three shelter programs.

"As the proud owner of Merlin, my rescue dog who brings so much joy to my life, I am very passionate about assisting the Friends of the Warwick Animal Shelter," said Shekarchi said in a statement.  "The shelter must often provide medicines, foods and veterinary care for animals in bad health that have been abandoned or have been rescued from dangerous hoarding situations."

Shekarchi said donations are still being tallied and a special presentation would be made at the shelter in the near future.