Leader-Herald
Community members gathered to enjoy live music and vendors at Sherman’s Park for the Fulton County SPCA’s 13th annual Woofstock event, which is designed to raise funds for the shelter.
The event was coordinated in partnership with the Caroga Arts Collective and this was the second year it was hosted at the amusement park. The fundraising goal was set at $25,000. Last year, the event raised around $22,000.
“We are [a] 100% volunteer run organization, so all the money raised today goes directly to the care of the animals,” event co-coordinator Jessica Parr said. “Woofstock is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and historically, it’s been the fundraiser that kind of gets us through the winter ... [The fundraising goal] is not a huge increase, but again, we want to do better year over year.”
Among the artists who played at the event were Cleenstreet, Belle-Skinner, Alex Torres and His Latin Orchestra and Air Traffic Controller. There additionally was a live-reptile demonstration from Via Aquarium.
“[The Caroga Arts Collective,] they reached out, they organized the musicians, and then we have got a pretty awesome selection of vendors,” Parr said. “We’ve got the Family Counseling Center, and then we’ve got some animal themed vendors ... We’ve got craft vendors, we have a candy vendor, so it’s pretty cool, the variety of different businesses and small businesses and organizations [here].”
Associate Director of the Caroga Arts Collective Stephanie Price-Wong said the partnership between the collective and the SPCA has been nothing but successful. Prior to hosting at Sherman’s Park, Woofstock was held at the Concordia Club in Gloversville.
“[The SPCA] approached us last year about moving their fundraiser event, Woofstock, to our park, and it just made perfect sense for us between the music scene that we bring and the fun dog atmosphere that they bring,” she said. “It just seemed like a great partnership.”
Volunteer and Director of Marketing and Public Relations Maria Simone Martin said the best part of the event was seeing past adopters bring their dogs to the park.
“One of our most favorite parts of Woofstock is that a lot of our alumni dogs show up, a lot of our adopters show up,” she said. “It’s a really special day for us, like when we’re standing here and we see dogs walk in, but the last time we saw them was when we said goodbye to them leaving the shelter. It’s really incredible to see them with their families, and see them being dogs and coming and having fun.”
It was vendor Jenna Carbone’s first time attending Woofstock, and she said she was excited to meet attendees and share her macramé creations. An animal lover herself, she said it’s important to support the SPCA.
“I am a huge animal lover, I mean I have pictures of my cats, like everywhere,” she said. “Wherever I can support them, I would love to ... it’s just like another plus, just a good environment. I like seeing all the dogs and everything too.”
Stephanie and Mark DeMichelle attended the event with their two dogs, who happily sat in the grass at the park. Stephanie said attending the event was a great way to support a local non-profit.
“[It’s important] because [of] the support that they give to the homeless animals and neglected animals,” Mark said. “[They help] out [with] dog food, everything is so expensive.”
“They depend on us,” Stephanie said.
Children look in on different breeds of chickens at the Montgomery Fulton 4-H tent at Bellinger’s Orchard in Fultonville during the annual Sundae on the Farm, Sunday.
22nd annual Sundae on the Farm
Kash Patel speaks at a news conference on Friday in Orem, Utah, as Utah department of public safety commissioner Beau Mason, left, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox listen.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, left, and FBI Director Kash Patel, right, converse as they make their way to a press conference to speak to media about the shooting death of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.
FBI Director Kash Patel, center, arrives at the scene of the shooting death of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.
Kash Patel speaks at a news conference, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Orem, Utah, as Utah department of public safety commissioner Beau Mason, left, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox listen.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, left, and FBI Director Kash Patel, right, converse as they make their way to a press conference to speak to media about the shooting death of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.
FBI Director Kash Patel, center, arrives at the scene of the shooting death of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.
Kash Patel speaks at a news conference, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Orem, Utah, as Utah department of public safety commissioner Beau Mason, left, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox listen.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, left, and FBI Director Kash Patel, right, converse as they make their way to a press conference to speak to media about the shooting death of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.
FBI Director Kash Patel, center, arrives at the scene of the shooting death of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel declared online that “the subject” in the killing was in custody. The shooter was not. The two men who had been detained were quickly released, and Utah officials acknowledged that the gunman remained at large.
The false assurance was more than a slip. It spotlighted the high-stakes uncertainty surrounding Patel’s leadership of the bureau when its credibility — and his own — are under extraordinary pressure.
Patel now approaches congressional oversight hearings this coming week facing not just questions about that investigation but broader doubts about whether he can stabilize a federal law enforcement agency fragmented by political fights and internal upheaval.
Democrats are poised to press Patel on a purge of senior executives that has prompted a lawsuit, his © The Leader Herald
