Pictured is Patches, one of the many cats available for adoption at Small Town Shelter.

SHERMAN — Small Town Shelter is in the midst of working on multiple fundraisers to help its current financial struggle due to an influx of cats.

Owner Kelly Thornton said the shelter, 118 Franklin St., Sherman, currently has more cats coming in than going out.

“If we want to keep doing what we’re doing we have to step up our fundraising efforts,” Thornton said.

The shelter is holding its Sweet Pea fundraiser, which is run by Sweet Pea Designs. In the store’s online store at sweetpeadesignsstore.com/collections/small-town-shelter-fundraiser, they are offering a variety of items such as mugs, keychains and window decals and all proceeds go back to Small Town Shelter.

The Cooler Bar and Grille, 114 W. Main St., Sherman, is hosting a bingo night on Feb. 22 starting at 6:30 p.m. Thornton said the restaurant holds regular fundraisers for places like Sherman’s Chamber of Commerce and the fire department.

“They have tacos on Thursdays and you come in and get your bingo card and they do three rounds,” Thornton said.

One more fundraiser that is still in the works is scheduled for March 24 at the Mayville VFW. The shelter is planning an adoption/basket raffle/bingo event. Thornton said it will be an adoption event and may include a chili cookoff.

Small Town Shelter is also working on educating the surrounding communities about the trap, neuter, vaccinate and return process for cats. The organization will be at Fluvanna Free Library from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. today with informational packets.

“The rescues are all full and struggling,” Thornton said. “We need people to step up and do TNVR. There are two seasons each year that kittens are born in and we want to see more people do TNVR to help. We plan on educating people about it and have a few seminars around the next few months.”

Small Town Shelter’s adoption fees for cats have been reduced to $25. Thornton said this is an effort to get some of the cats out to good homes and to clear the shelter before the next kitten season starts. The adoption process remains the same and the shelter is still providing microchips, spay/neutering and flea treatment along with everything else they normally offer for cats being adopted.

Thornton said that people should come out to all of these events for education and to help cats.

“We need your support and you can help stray and homeless cats,” Thornton said. “It’s good for the community and we try to work with as many as we can. We need the community’s support to keep doing what we do.”

Thornton also asked the community to spay and neuter their cats and their dogs. If help is needed she added that they can reach out to her or Snip, Tip and Return.

Thornton and Small Town Shelter can be reached at 716-224-2244. The shelter is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and closed on Sunday.