Between the football game, spirit rally and crowning ceremony, Shippensburg University managed to raise $11,000 for some four-legged friends.

Every year, the homecoming court fundraises for a charity as part of the competition for king and queen. The homecoming committee selected Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter (CVAS) as the recipient of homecoming 2016’s fundraising.

The 10 members of homecoming court raised more than $11,000 for the hundreds of cats and dogs housed at the shelter, according to the homecoming committee.

Brandon Christmas-Lindsey and Madeline Kwarteng were crowned king and queen on Oct. 29, raising approximately $1,300 and $2,200, respectively.

“It was a good foundation to benefit from homecoming’s funding,” Christmas-Lindsey said.

He partnered with Kwarteng for several fundraising events, including a stand-up comedy competition and a spa pampering session. Both said the fundraising was tiring at times, but it was worth it in the end.

One month after the homecoming festivities, the staff of CVAS is still shocked by the donation.

“To say I was gobsmacked would be an understatement,” said Jennifer Vanderau, director of communications at CVAS, who is also an SU alumna.

“It gave me hope…and I just am so grateful for that,” she said.

The majority of the shelter’s funding comes from donations, though it does receive support from the township and state, according to Vanderau.

In addition to donations, the shelter survives thanks to volunteers who come to socialize with the animals. Many of those are SU students, Vanderau said, who she described as positive, thoughtful and tolerant.

With more than 250 animals currently under care at CVAS, she said every helping hand is appreciated.

Nationwide, approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter the 13,600 community shelters yearly, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Of those 7.6 million, about 2.7 million are adopted, while another 2.7 million are euthanized, the ASPCA reports.

Moving forward, CVAS plans to put the $11,000 toward its daily operations, Vanderau said. The shelter staff is always looking for more cat litter and pet food, though they ask for pet food with meat listed as the first ingredient. Trash bags, liquid laundry detergent and bleach are also high-priority items. Staff and volunteers clean animals’ bedding daily, Vanderau said, so the washing machines are almost always running.

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