High-wire artist presents Nate's Honor Animal Rescue with sky-high check

Everyone knows Nik Wallenda can walk the high wire.

On Wednesday, those at Nate's Honor Animal Rescue felt he can walk on water.

Wallenda, the extraordinary high-wire artist, came to the Nate's Honor campus in Lakewood Ranch to present the nonprofit with a check for $108,377.09 that was a percentage of the profits from the holiday show "A Brave New Wonderland" under the Big Top at University Town Center in Sarasota during the past holiday season. Nate's Honor was the charity partner of the show, which was produced by Wallenda and the Circus Arts Conservatory.

The donation will support the ongoing $14 million "Journey Home" capital campaign that has added new construction and improvements to the Nate's Honor campus in Lakewood Ranch. Among the improvements is a 23,000-square-foot adoption center, a children's education room, and a veterinary clinic.

"It had been a dream of mine to host a holiday show in Sarasota," Wallenda said before presenting the check to Nate's President Rob Oglesby. "The Circus Arts Conservatory helped me make that dream come true."

Photo by Jay Heater

He didn't expect to be able to donate more than $100,000 from "A Brave New Wonderland."

"It was such an overwhelming success," Wallenda said. "A show like that has many layers. You want it to be entertaining and inspirational, but you also want to give back to the community. Our partnership with Nate's is part of that. We support no-kill shelters."

Wallenda said the goal during the show, in terms of Nate's, was to introduce patrons to "this amazing facility."

Of the approximately 150 dogs that were brought to the shows, all were adopted with two to three days after each show. No adoptions were allowed the day of the show in order for prospective pet owns to fill out the appropriate adoption forms.

Wallenda said the show itself will return this year and be an annual production and eventually will become a holiday tradition.

As far as Nate's new facilities, Wallenda said, "I am going to text Mr. Benderson to see if I can move in. It's like a resort."

Oglesby said he was shocked to receive such a huge check.

"What a fantastic collaboration it has been," he said of the partnership with Wallenda and the Circus Arts Conservatory. "Just the exposure we received during the show was amazing."

Nate's Honor has raised over $11 million for its $14 million campaign. Construction is expected to be finished by the end of 2024.