PHOTOS BY CHUCK BALLARO

It takes about $1 million per year to run the Animal Refuge Center, caring for and housing the more than 300 dogs and cats who live there, paying staff and many other things.

All that money comes through the generosity of others, most of which is raised through smaller fundraising events and online donations.

Much of the money ARC raised came on Saturday at the Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort when it held its 29th annual Starlight Auction, where animal lovers and donors bid on some of the most amazing items.

The event was expected to raise around $250,000, a far cry from when the auction began, when ARC was downright giddy about raising $12,000.

ARC reported Tuesday that the event raised a total of $296,271.

Betty Hughes, treasurer and auction director for ARC, said this event takes a significant chunk out of the expenses needed to run the no-kill shelter.

“This is the foundation of what we can achieve each year. We find homes for these animals and it doesn’t matter how long it takes,” Hughes said. “We have a state-of-the-art vet clinic and we’ve come back from Ian and finished the last project which was replacing all the fencing.”

Dave and Jennifer Nichols were the title sponsors for the auction, and have been involved with it from the beginning. Jennifer had been a volunteer there before that.

“ARC is very near and dear to my heart. They provide such a service to our community. They take in animals that have been abused and neglected and we rescue and rehabilitate them,” Jennifer said. “Our community is lucky to have an organization like this to help those who need it the most.”

Among the items auctioned off were a diamond bracelet valued at $37,000 and sold for a record $25,000 and artwork from Myra Roberts valued at $16,000 and sold for $6,500. There was a reserve on those items that required them to be sold at a minimum. Also sold were jewelry, trips, spirits and special events.

There were numerous silent auction items and also a one-to-one match by two benefactors for every dollar raised at the auction, up to $55,000, which was accomplished and then some.

The big winners were the animals who wait from a permanent home, some of whom have been cared for at ARC for years, as well as those who give them their permanent homes.

That includes Larry Denmark, from Cape Coral, who adopted Bean, an 11-year-old black lab, who had lived there for years and was very wary of humans.

Denmark did not give up on Bean, who loves black labs and wanted to take the animal home with him.

“If she could have come through the fence, she would’ve eaten me. It took two weeks of me coming there almost every day, sitting outside her kennel, giving her treats and earning her trust,” Denmark said. “After two weeks she finally let me pet her. I finally put a leash on her, walked her and we’ve been best friends ever since.”

Rob Spicker, vice president at ARC and the evening’s auctioneer, was very pleased with how everything turned out.

“I’m thrilled we were able to sell both items that were at a reserve. One of them for a record amount of $25,000. It was quite a night,” Spicker said. “We made about a quarter of our budget which sets us up to be in a good place to take care of the cats and dogs for the next year.”

Wayne Leinen, president of ARC, was also happy with the auction and how it will help them accomplish their mission, adding he believes the total will be a record.

“This was a record breaker, hands down. We have never raised so much money. When we think we hit the pinnacle last year, the next year people come out and support us even more,” Leinen said.

ARC is a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter which provides a clean, safe environment for dogs and cats until a loving and permanent home can be found for homeless, abandoned and neglected animals in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.

ARC is at 18011 Old Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers. For more information, visit animalrefugecenter.com.