The guest of honor entered the Animal Friends of Westmoreland cash bash both giving and receiving kisses.

“She’s the sweetest thing. She’s the shelter favorite,” said volunteer coordinator Kim Crosby about Rhyann, a 9-year-old pit bull who was surrendered by her owner and has been in the shelter for five months.

Everyone who stopped to pet Rhyann was treated to a wet doggy kiss, and the pooch’s white head was decorated with red lipstick kisses from volunteer Wendy Fenton.

Why has such a cuddly canine been in the shelter for so long?

“She has severe separation anxiety,” said animal care manager Bethany Morse. “She needs someone who can be with her all the time.”

The Monopoly-themed fundraiser was held Feb. 15 at Ferrante’s Lakeview in Hempfield.

Event organizers hoped that someone in the packed banquet room could provide a new home for Rhyann.

AFW board member Jessica Rafferty served as emcee, while Gabrielle Morse and Carrie Halas greeted attendees at the door.

Guests enjoyed dinner, drinks and desserts as numbers were drawn every 10 minutes for a piece of the almost $4,000 in prizes.

Seen: Josh and Jess Magargee, Hannah Zgurich, Ryan Updike, Jessica Skovira, Ariel Shasko, Charlie and Suzanne Skrabak, Diane Manolis, Greg McFadden, Al Thiel, Brian Root, Shawn and Robin Baer, Kyla Baier, Rhonda and Christoper Begeman, Jim Lawson, Ellen Rack, Kathy Martin, Mary Hindman, Kristen Zaitz, Liam Hackett, Suzanne Skero and Bill and Lisa Thackrah.

Among volunteers were Joyce Lin, Kait Macie, Ellie Withers and Jeffrey Phillips, students from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

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