This weekend she combined two of her favorites— animals and new cars —to raise money for the Mercer County Humane Society.
“Animals and ice cream make people happy,” said Angott-Grata. “They put smiles on people’s faces.”
In honor of Saturday’s National Dog Day, Mel Grata Chevrolet, 2757 E. State St., Hermitage, donated $25 to the Humane Society of Mercer County for every test drive taken.
The event drew a large crowd throughout the day.
“I think it’s really great,” said RoseAnn Lyons who brought her 4-year-old, liver-colored Dalmatian, Cheyenne, to the event.
Lyons said she recently moved to the community and attended the event to learn more about agility events in the area for her dog.
“Anyone who likes animals — like the owner— has to be a wonderful person,” Lyons said. “And it would be the first place I would come if I needed a new vehicle.”
Ryder Gaus, 5, could barely contain his excitement at meeting so many dogs. His parents, Eric and Chriss Gaus, said they attended the event because they are preparing for a service dog for Ryder.
“We like it,” said Chriss Gaus. “We came specifically to talk to a number of vets. It’s a cute idea.”
But dog lovers were not the only people in attendance on Saturday.
Liz O’Toole, from Mercer, attended the event to adopt a kitten.
She said growing up, she never realized how much emotional support she found in her family’s cat until she moved out on her own. She found a perfect match for her at the event on Saturday: a female kitten.
The kitten’s name was going to be either Reese or Rosie, O’Toole said.
“Reese, like the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup,” she said with a laugh.
Future celebrations, like the one on Saturday, are already in the works, Angott-Grata said.
YOU CAN HELP
To become a member of the Mercer County Humane Society, 29 Vine Ave, Sharon, contact the agency at 724-981-5445 or contact Marti Angott-Grata at 724-685-9122. Memberships are $25 and corporate sponsorships are available.