No dogs or cats will be in attendance, but a party being hosted on Lake St. John this weekend is all about benefiting furry, four-legged creatures.

The Natchez-Adams Humane Society is hosting a jambalaya fundraiser from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the house of Dr. Randy and Ann Tillman on Lake St. John.

The summer fundraiser is one humane society members hope to make an annual event.

“We have different fundraisers throughout the year, but we’ve never had a summer party or fundraiser like this,” member Susan Callon said. “Everybody likes to go to the lake in the summer, so we figured why not have a fundraiser out there?”

As members started planning details of the fundraiser, Callon said finding the perfect house to host the event became clear.

“Everybody who goes to the lake has been watching the Tillman house as it was being built and always asking, ‘When can we see it?’” Callon said. “Randy and Ann have been so gracious since we asked them to host the event at their house.” 

Apart from enjoying the lake view from the Tillman’s house, those attending the fundraiser can feast on fresh jambalaya prepared by Paul Melancon of Cajun Cookin’ restaurant in Natchez.

Barry Maxwell will conduct a live auction during the fundraiser featuring 12 painted portraits by T.G. McCary, products from the Gift Box in Ferriday, gift certificates to RRUS & Co. in Vidalia and a flight around Natchez with local pilot Jay Fitch.

McCary’s portraits are part of a series titled, “Fine Art Fido,” which features famous portrait paintings with a twist.

“Basically what it involves is historic portraits of a certain character and then pairing it with the person’s pet,” McCary said. “So it could be a famous portrait of Napoleon (Bonaparte) and a really cool looking Collie or (Winston) Churchill and a bulldog.”

McCary has done two portraits already — one titled Madame Piper, which features a portrait painting by John Singer Sargent of a young socialite with the head of McCary’s daughter’s dog, Piper.

“Whoever purchases one of these, we will sit down with them and determine what character best portrays their pet,” McCary said. “We will actually use their pet and pair it with a portrait.”

McCary said the series is one he’s been tinkering with for some time and figured the humane society fundraiser was the perfect place to delve deeper into the project.

“Knowing this is going to such a good cause was all it took for me to agree,” McCary said. “I’ll never forget when I sent my daughter down to the humane society with a donation and she came back with a dog.”

A cash bar will also be available at the fundraiser.

A donation of $25 is requested for those attending the fundraiser. Additional donations will be accepted at the fundraiser. Casual attire is preferred, Callon said.

All proceeds from the event go directly to helping the humane society keep its doors open, chairman Kathy Fitch said.

“We operate on roughly $240,000 a year and $190,000 of that comes from donations,” Fitch said. “We rely on the support of this community through these kinds of fundraisers to keep our doors open and keep the animals healthy.”

The Tillman’s house is located at 5811 Louisiana 568 in Ferriday. To arrive at the house from Natchez, take a left at the Duck’s Nest restaurant at Lake St. John and go three miles.

For more information about the humane society, visit natchezpetadoptions.org.