While THE PLAYERS Championship was getting underway in Ponte Vedra, the PGA Tour Superstore in the St. John’s Town Center was busy with guests searching for the perfect golf merchandise, but on March 10, golf equipment was not the only thing drawing crowds to the store.
California-based nonprofit organization Puppies & Golf partnered with the PGA Tour Superstore to bring a pop-up event with a litter of 12 adorable puppies to the outside of the superstore.
The Puppies & Golf organization was founded by Amanda Balionis, a determined woman with a passion for rescuing animals. Balionis, a full-time golf reporter for CBS, decided to combine her passion for animal rescue with her passion for sports reporting. The organization she created works to “protect and advocate for dogs in need of companionship by supporting and promoting organizations dedicated to connecting humans and dogs for a lifetime of purpose and love,” according to its website.
For the pop-up on Wednesday afternoon, Puppies & Golf chose local St. Augustine rescue Ayla’s Acres as its shelter of the month. Ayla’s Acres, a no-kill animal shelter that takes in lost or unwanted animals, operates through fund-raising, donations, and its own Ayla’s Acres thrift store in St. Augustine.
Twelve adorable 7-week-old puppies were available for adoption at the Puppies & Golf event. Ayla’s Acres predicts the puppies to grow quite large, as they are Treeing Walker coonhound mixes and already nearing 10 pounds. The meet-and-greet of sleeping puppies provided a perfect opportunity for hopeful families and individuals to play with the animals and juggle the idea of adoption.
Balionis herself made an appearance at the event, advocating for the support of Ayla’s Acres and meeting fans.
To learn more about the Puppies & Golf charity, go to puppiesandgolf.org. To adopt one of the puppies at Ayla’s Acres, go to aylasacres.org to fill out an adoption form.
