For those that attended Woofstock, a recent fundraising luncheon for the ASTRO Foundation, Inc., the outfits were groovy, the music was out of sight and the ambiance was hip and happening.
Playing off the iconic ‘Woodstock’ music festival theme, this Woofstock was hosted at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club. Prior to the event, ASTRO – the Animal Shelter To Riverbank and Oakdale – employees provided tours of the new facility, at 20 S. Stearns Road, which previously housed the Oakdale Veterinary Group. ASTRO also serves the Escalon area.
Though they recently purchased the South Stearns building, the employees and volunteers at ASTRO have already done so much to make the new location warm and inviting for both their furry friends and their potential pet parents.
“We went from a little over 1400 square feet to 3400 square feet in our new building so we are thrilled. We will be able to provide much more care and help more pets to find forever homes,” said Jaydeen Vicente, ASTRO Board President and Founder.
They have already made some major improvements to their new building including the installation of a new meet and greet window and the creation of a large area in which folks can interact with cats and kittens of all ages prior to adopting them.
Founded more than a decade ago, ASTRO has continued to grow with Vicente noting, “Over the years, we have rescued more than 10,000 dogs and cats.”
Ashlee Brown, an ASTRO employee who started out as a volunteer, provided an insider’s view during the tour, noting that the current dog kennels will be renovated to allow for more space along with outside areas for the dogs to run and play in the near future.
“Jaydeen is a great leader and she has inspired us through her work here,” said Brown when discussing the many things they do at ASTRO. They will also host visiting veterinarians that will be able to perform spay and neuter services onsite. In addition to the many services that they provide, ASTRO has a community pantry that can provide community members with food and supplies for their cats and dogs in the event that they are unable to purchase food for their furry family members.
“We have a super generous community and we want to give back,” said Vicente when touching upon the community pantry.
Woofstock is one of many events that ASTRO will host as part of their 2025 Capital Campaign to raise funds for their new facility and if this event was any indication of things to come, they are off to a very ‘groovy’ start.
For more information on the ASTRO Foundation, Inc., including: adoption, volunteer opportunities, donations, thrift shop, etc., visit: https://www.astrofoundation.org/ or call 209-604-2649.
