Walking into the ballroom felt like being transported back in time. Sequins, feathers, and pearls covered the tables with candles supplying the lighting. Guests adorned themselves with spats, glitter, fringe, and everything in between. Images of dogs, cats, rabbits, and other beloved pets filled the room, reminding each guest what the night is about. 

The Friends of the Animal Center has been throwing an annual themed gala for four years now, but for the 25th anniversary of the center, they went all-out on the theme of Roaring ‘20s. 

Each guest came decked out in the most beautiful flapper gowns, handsome pinstriped suits, and full wallets to participate in the silent auction. Companies around Iowa City also showed out, donating both merchandise and experiences for the silent auction to help raise money for the animals. 

25 years ago, the Friends of the Animal Center Foundation, or FACF, was merely three women with $500 in the bank and a dream to help abused and neglected animals. These women recognized the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center didn’t have enough space or funds to give a lot of the animals hope, so they decided to create another organization to fill in these needs. 

Since then, the FACF has grown exponentially. It has recently expanded into their building, and at the gala announced another 1,500 square-foot addition will be added to the building in 2025. Around 85 percent of funding for these massive projects is through donations, which help over 2,000 animals each year by covering medical care, surgeries, behavior training, food, and toys. 

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The amount of annual funding truly highlights how much the residents of Iowa City care for abused and neglected animals.

“This job has changed my life. I always wanted to work with animals, and I never thought there would ever be a job where I could do that and pay my bills. So this job is a dream come true for me,” Executive Director Stephanie Koehler said.

“To be able to work for animals and make a difference in their lives is just unbelievable, so I feel very blessed and very lucky I get to do this every day,” she said.

Thanks to donors and fellow animal enthusiasts, it looks like the next 25 years are even brighter than the past 25 for the Friends of the Animal Foundation. 

“This is our second $1 million construction project in 10 years,” Koehler said. “That’s just really a testament to how far we’ve come in that amount of time and the donors and the community that support us. It just gets bigger and better every year, and we’re so thankful for that.”