- May 2, 2025
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Since last fall, members of a fledgling top-tier society have been subtly yet diligently working away to ensure the beloved animals of the community get the care they need.
The Longboat Key-based Diamond Collar Society is a new fundraising arm of the Humane Society of Sarasota County that aims to establish long-term funding for animal welfare.
Most recently, organizers including Longboater Melinda Foster hosted a membership drive at The Mark, where they highlighted some of their milestones with the Humane Society.
HSSC Board President Janet Boyden lauded Foster's "phenomenal" efforts to engage more than 60 members, securing more than $300,000 in donations.
With that support, the Humane Society has made 3,000 rescues in 2024 and hopes to up that number to 5,000 this year. Boyden said that goal is pushing the envelope, but she believed it was possible, especially in light of the Diamond Collar Society's support.
Foster explained members must make a multi-year donation commitment to join, which helps ensure the Humane Society receives stable funding to support its animal rescue work.
"If it's a multi-year commitment, the Humane Society can count on that money," she explained.
She was especially proud, considering their major fundraising efforts only got underway in earnest in November.
"We're completely grassroots," Foster said. "We're almost like a secret society."
Thus far, society leaders have raised their membership almost entirely through word of mouth.
New members enjoy the benefits of exclusive networking and social opportunities, underwritten by society members to ensure 100% of funds raised go to HSSC.
"It's not really about the benefits though," Foster told the Observer. "It's about the good feeling in your heart. Some people ask, 'Why would I give $10,000 or $100,000 rather than $1,000?' It's because you can. You have the capacity. You've worked hard and been blessed, and now you want to give back."
Foster said while she is proud of the work the Diamond Collar Society has done, she does not want to set any specific fundraising goals for this first year to ensure there is no ceiling and it keeps reaching for new heights. But if she had to offer a number, she would hope to one day reach 1,000 members.
While they had an audience, HSSC members took an opportunity to do some debunking.
Attendees placed marks on poster boards with questions and answers about the Humane Society. For example, most people knew the society waives adoption fees for homes with active military members and seniors adopting senior pets. But they raised whether the local Humane Society is part of a nationwide network of shelters — the answer was no.
Foster also noted the Humane Society is not primarily government-funded, only accessing occasional grants.
"Your support of the organization is what really helps us do what we do," Boyden said.
She also noted the HSSC facilities are no-kill, and members are campaigning for the entire state to follow suit.
HSSC CEO Anna Gonce offered her gratitude for the Diamond Collar Society's dedication.
Gonce said the Humane Society has experienced a world of difference with the benefits of its new shelter built in 2021, and because the staff doesn't worry about fixing broken facilities, it can focus on greater outreach in the Sarasota community and beyond.
Foster said the Diamond Collar Society is still in its infancy, but she is thrilled to think of the possibilities for how it could change the face of pet rescue services in the area.
She dreams of the days when society members will recognize one another from their diamond-encrusted paw print pins, connecting over their shared passion to help area animals thrive.
Details about membership and donation opportunities are available at hssc.org/give/diamondcollar.
HSSC's next major annual fundraiser, a "Mission Pawssible" luncheon, is April 11 at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.
