Hootie & the Blowfish and Tootie and the Jones to play 2008 Party Animals Benefit
Contributed by The Gillespie Agency

Hootie and the Blowfish

The Animal Mission, the non- profit support group for The Columbia Animal Shelter, will hold its 9th annual Party Animals concert and silent auction Friday, March 14 at 6:30 pm.

The event, sponsored by South Carolina Bank and Trust and Blue- Cross and BlueShield of S.C. will be held at the Clarion Town House Hotel on Gervais Street.

Music will be provided by Hootie & the Blowfish and Tootie and the Jones. Party- goers will enjoy an open bar plus a buffet from Carrabba's Italian Grill. A silent auction will feature fun and practical animal- related items as well as concert tickets, music memorabilia, and vacation packages.

The concert, which begins at 8 pm, will be opened by Tootie and the Jones, fronted by the amazingly talented Murray Baroody.

Columbia's favorite sons, Grammy Award Winners Hootie and the Blowfish, will charm party- goers with old Hootie fan favorites and new tunes. To learn more, visit hootie.com.

"Because of Party Animals, The Animal Mission paid $159,745 of spay/neuter services for Columbia's pets in 2007. This project funded 3,752 spay/neuter surgeries and raised the awareness level in the community," said Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, president of The Animal Mission and drummer for Hootie and the Blowfish.

The Animal Mission was founded to provide refuge for lost, unwanted,

or mistreated pets and animals, promote pet adoptions at the City of Columbia Animal Shelter, enhance conditions and outcomes for shelter- bound animals and educate people on pet issues and humane treatment of animals.

Tickets for Party Animals are $100 per person and can be purchased at South Carolina Bank and Trust on Gervais Street in the Vista and at Hootie.com.