Vintage holiday ball swings in to help pay veterinary bills

An Aquebogue-based animal rescue will host its annual fundraiser ball next month to help pay down tens of thousands of dollars in veterinary bills — and have some fun along the way.

North Fork Country Kids and Rescue Vixens will hold their Sleigh Bell Swing Vintage Holiday Ball 2025 at Port Jefferson Country Club on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 7 to 10 p.m. The ball will feature a dinner buffet, live music by Roy Wilson and The Buzzards, swing dancing, more than 50 raffle baskets and a 50/50 drawing. There will also be the Miss Sleigh Bell Swing Pinup Pageant.

“These events, especially the ball, are fun, they’re family-friendly and they’re meant to promote animal advocacy,” said the nonprofit’s founder, Virginia Scudder of Aquebogue. “But the number one reason why we put our heart and soul into every one of the events is so that we can continue our mission.”

That mission focuses on the feral cat population, with the mainstay of trap, neuter and return programs. But the foster-based rescue does much more: car shows, kitten yoga, even Irish step dancing events. And then there’s the Rescue Vixens, a group of volunteers who dress up in 1940s pinup gear for publicity photos and fundraising.

Their next calendar, set to come out soon, celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Modern Snack Bar in Aquebogue, where many of the Vixens’ photo shoots take place.

“Everything that we do through the Vixens is geared to fundraising, to help promote advocacy for the animals and also get money to pay off the veterinary bills,” Ms. Scudder said.

Those bills have piled up. She said the nonprofit owes between $30,000 and $40,000 to veterinarians.

“We really could use the support right now,” she said. “We’re small, but if people ask us for help, we try our best to help whenever we can.”

One of six honorees at the ball will be Otto Wittmeier of the Modern Snack Bar. Mr. Wittmeier has supported the group since it began more than a decade ago.

Tickets cost $75 per person and can be purchased online or through Venmo to North Fork Country Kids, with the subject line “tickets.”

For more information, email [email protected] or [email protected].

Last year’s ball was held at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead.