“Bingo!” was the word of the day at the Aquashicola Fire Company as the Palmerton Cat Project held its second annual fundraising event recently.

It was a full house, with barely an empty seat as supporters came out in droves to contribute to the cause.

More than 84 donations from local businesses and community members lined the walls — prizes for bingo games and raffle baskets.

Attendees also enjoyed a wide selection of food offerings. “I love it because it’s for a good cause,” said Sue Eremus of Lehighton, who brought her 20 years of bingo-calling experience to the event.

The volunteer-run Palmerton Cat Project has been serving the community since 2014. “We were just recognizing that there was a feral cat problem in the town of Palmerton, and started trapping on our own, getting the cats spayed/neutered and vaccinated — TNVR,” said Barb Greenzweig, PCP president, referring to the trap-neuter-vaccinate-return method.

Just three years later, word of the group had spread throughout the community. More volunteers began joining the mission, and the Palmerton Cat Project officially took shape.

By offering this care, the organization provides feral and stray cats with a better quality of life and, when possible, a path to adoption — ultimately reducing the area’s feral cat population.

Currently, PCP oversees 35 colonies, each managed by a dedicated caretaker. The group works with partner rescues and animal care providers and has helped more than 2,000 cats to date.

Events like this bingo fundraiser make that possible. “It has helped substantially with our cause,” said Denise Koder, PCP secretary.

“This helps with a lot of surgeries, like with Leo.”

Leo, a 4-month-old kitten, was found severely underweight and suffering from infections so advanced that his leg and tail could not be saved.

He has since undergone hydrotherapy to treat frostbite damage and continues to recover, thanks to the care provided by PCP and its supporters.

Annual bingo nights, basket raffles, and 50/50 drawings allow the Palmerton Cat Project to continue providing life-saving services and advanced treatments for cats like Leo — animals that deserve a second chance at life and a loving home.

To follow their rescue progress, stay informed about upcoming events, or learn how to become a foster or volunteer, follow their Facebook page and look out for their new website launch.

Now more than 10 years strong, they continue “saving one cat at a time.”