To celebrate the American Humane Society’s Be Kind to Animals Week, the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society is sponsoring a party Saturday and everyone is invited!

The site of our “Animal Affair” is Oak Hill, 409 South Rankin St. in downtown Natchez, home of Donald McGlynn and Douglas Mauro. The house faces South Rankin on the corner where Jehlen Alley intersects. There will be ample parking available behind the former Braden School, allowing easy entrance to the house via the rear patio.

Festivities begin at 7 p.m. and continue until 9 p.m. Dress casually. The entry fee is $20 per person plus cash bar. Walk-ups are welcome and can pay at the door.

We are also planning a silent auction in conjunction with the party, with many charming items available for bidding. You may preview some of these items (and make an early bid) at My Room, 511 Franklin St. in Natchez.

Historic Oak Hill was built in the mid-1830s and occupies an elevated lot in the Garden District, with an impressive landscape surround. Owners Don McGlynn and Doug Mauro began an all-encompassing restoration of Oak Hill in 2004, earning it the Historic Natchez Foundation’s 2005 Restoration Award for maintaining the integrity of the original design of the house. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is beautifully decorated in keeping with its era.

Parties such as this one have been our Humane Society’s premier fundraising events for the past 20 years. The public is invited to have a great time, see a lovely home that is not normally open to the public, and help the hundreds of homeless animals at our shelter. All proceeds will benefit our local animal shelter at 392 Liberty Road.

A great way for local residents to celebrate Be Kind to Animals Week is by adopting a shelter dog or cat. We’d like to remind you that there are many wonderful pets available for adoption at our local shelter. We’re open to the public 2-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. A modest adoption fee of $45 for canines and $35 for felines includes the cost of spaying or neutering and initial vaccinations.

We are slowly raising funds for a new shelter building. Donations can be mailed in at any time, and memorials and honoraria are particularly welcome and will be acknowledged to the remembered individuals or their families. Please designate “building fund” on your check. Our hope is to be able to cover the cost of the new building fully before we begin construction, in order to avoid indebtedness.

So join us Saturday for an evening of great food and fun. It’s a wonderful way to start the summer. If you cannot attend, but would like to support our shelter, your tax-deductible donation may be mailed to P.O. Box 549, Natchez, MS 39121.

Linda Harper is President of the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society.