Operation Kindness – North Texas’ original and largest no-kill animal shelter – will raise funds and awareness for homeless animals with a little help from Texas Rangers Manager Jeff Banister and his wife Karen, who will serve as honorary co-chairs at this year’s 25th annual Canines, Cats & Cabernet to be held Nov. 18.
Jeff and Karen Banister have two children, Alexandra and Jacob, in addition to four furry family members including Labradors Bella and Scout, and two Maltese named Gracie and Cooper. They are passionate about pets and eager to support Operation Kindness’ mission of providing care for homeless cats and dogs in a no-kill environment until each is adopted into responsible homes and to advocate humane values and behavior.
“Canines, Cats & Cabernet gets bigger and better every year, and we are honored to celebrate our 25th anniversary of this event with Jeff and Karen Banister,” said Jim Hanophy, CEO of Operation Kindness. “We know that with their support we will be able to knock this year’s event out of the park.”
This will not be the first time the Banister family has stepped into the Dallas-Fort Worth charity spotlight. Karen is very involved with the Keller High School Baseball Boosters, serves on the Advisory Board of the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation and assists with many charity endeavors with the Foundation and the Texas Rangers Wives. Karen and Jeff have also been very involved this past summer in raising funds for South Texas disaster relief efforts through sales of Texas Stand Tall T-shirts, which were designed by Jeff.
The 25th Annual Canines, Cats & Cabernet benefiting Operation Kindness will be held Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, from 6 until 10 p.m. at Omni Hotel Downtown Dallas, located at 555 S. Lamar St. Guests will be treated to an elegant dinner featuring hors d' oeuvres, a mashed potato bar, carving stations, a dessert bar and complimentary wine, beer and coffee. For the first time ever, there will be a liquor pull featuring top shelf spirits in addition to a wide variety of live and silent auction items. For $50, guests in attendance and supporters who are unable to make the event can participate in the Grand Raffle. The winner will enjoy seven nights at an RCI RESORT in the city of their choice out of hundreds of locations all over the world. This package is valued at $4,200 and includes a $500 Visa gift card for airfare. To top it off, adorable cats and dogs will be seeking forever homes in the Adoption Lounge.
Advanced event tickets are $225 per person until 5 p.m. Nov. 10. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door for $250 per person, but seating is not guaranteed. A limited number of raffle tickets will be available for $50 a piece. Ticket costs are tax-deductible. Event sponsorship packages are available starting at $1,500-$10,000. For more information on Canines, Cats & Cabernet; for a complete list of available RCI choices; or to purchase event or raffle tickets, visit www.operationkindness.org.