Donna Gregory and her niece, Amylynn Balsdon, have a lot in common. They both love camping and being outdoors. They both own their own businesses as direct sellers, and they love animals.

It was that love of animals that sparked an idea. Both women attend fairs and shows as part of their businesses. Some of th fairs have been fundraisers for organizations such as a school robotics team, and they wondered if they could run a show in support of Lincoln County Animal Shelter.

With a lot of work and planning, they pulled it off and held their show, the “Sweetheart Shopping Extravaganza,” at the Boothbay Fire Station on Feb. 13. The Boothbay Fire Department donated the space, waiving its usual fees in support of the shelter.

The event was a major success, with over $650 in cash and over $200 in donations being raised for the shelter. Vendors each paid $20 to set up, and sellers were offered a chance to get their table fee back by donating an item to be raffled off. It cost $1 or a donation of an item to the shelter to come inside to shop.

All proceeds from the table, entrance fees and raffle tickets went directly to the shelter. Another mini fundraiser raised money with the auctioning off of a gorgeous, made-from-scratch handmade cake donated by Mary Anne Noble. Other volunteers included B.J. Warlow and Linda Brewer, who worked the kitchen and raffle tables, Anna Morton, who manned the door, and “DJ Dan the Music Man” who donated his time and equipment.

“We want to thank everyone who helped make our event so successful,” Gregory said. “It started out as a small project and it expanded more than we imagined. Because of so much support, we believe that this was a huge success for our Lincoln County Animal Shelter.”