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A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 83F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.

Jordan’s Way founder Kris Rotonda faces off with P.A.W. volunteer Jade Gnann in the Tortilla Slap Contest. Finally, after losing several rock, paper, scissor contests to determine one’s turn to Rotunda, Gnann gets her chance and lets him have it.

Jordan’s Way founder Kris Rotonda faces off with P.A.W. volunteer Jade Gnann in the Tortilla Slap Contest. Finally, after losing several rock, paper, scissor contests to determine one’s turn to Rotunda, Gnann gets her chance and lets him have it.

Some people will do anything for money – get sprayed by a leaf blower loaded with baby power, sit in a dunk tank, take a whipped cream pie in the face, get slapped by a tortilla, be locked in a dog pen – especially if that money is going to a build a state-of-art animal shelter in Fort Madison.

Yes, the fast paced, outlandish four-hour live streamed Facebook fundraiser Monday at the Protectors of Animal Welfare (P.A.W.) animal shelter was a success, but then, that’s just Jordan’s Way.

Since losing his beloved dog, Jordan, in October of 2018, Kris Rotonda has been on a mission visiting shelters in all 50 states to help with fundraising efforts. On Monday, the nationally-acclaimed Jordan’s Way organization returned to Fort Madison for a four-hour push for funds.

Last year, Jordan’s Way made its first visit to the Fort Madison shelter and was instrumental in raising $38,000, which put P.A.W. as the top Jordan’s Way shelter visit in Iowa and third out of 300 U.S. shelters visited by the organization.

This year, there was a 29-day challenge to raise $100,000 between Aug. 1 and 2 p.m. Monday. That was met with $110,124 raised, but the challenge continues.

Rotonda has challenged P.A.W. to raise another $89,876 in the next seven days. If achieved, Rotonda will return to the shelter and perform the wedding ceremony for P.A.W. volunteers Jade Gnann and Cliff Dawley, dressed in the Jordan’s Way t-shirts.

“At least we’ll save money on a dress,” said Gnann’s mother and P.A.W. Director Sandy Brown. “If we make it to $250,000, Jade has said she will shave her head.”

“But only after the wedding photos are taken,” Gnann quickly injected.

On Monday, one could barely keep track of the ever growing total. Before the live-stream show began at 10 a.m., about $56,000 had been raised since the start of the challenge on Aug. 1.

An anonymous donor gave a $10,000 check Monday with instructions to use it to further challenge others. A steady stream of vehicles came to the animal shelter during the first hour of the fundraiser. Silgan Containers donated $2,000; Connection Bank gave $500; Lydia Gittings and Thomas Savage of The Broom Closet dropped off a truckload of supplies; Lisa Meador and her rescue dog, Bo, dropped off $100, and the list goes on and on from there.

“You know, the shelters that beat us had bigger donations but from like 50 chosen donors. We had over 450 donations last year. We make more from $50 and $100 donors than from some bigger places,” Brown said when telling how the shelter ranked third nationally last year. “We are truly blessed with wide community support.”

Rotonda sets up a series of games and contests during his live Facebook feed. Among those were:

– Soliciting donations so that Amanda Melvin, the inside supervisor at P.A.W, would consent to be sprayed with a leaf blower packed with baby powder.

– Asking viewers to donate to see various people take a plunge in the dunk tank;

– A tortilla slap game where two people face off, each with a mouth full of water, and do rock, paper, scissors to determine which one would be in the receiving end of the slap – all while keeping the water in their mouth.

– Dividing the 30 to 40 volunteers and spectators into two groups, each taking a turn locked in one of the dog kennels. Their only way out was to raise $3,000 via appeals on their cellphones as a team in 25 minutes. The team raising the most had bragging rights and was able to bestow whipped cream pies on the losers.

– Holding a Hot Chip Challenge which involved two participants eating ghost and reaper peppers coated in chips.

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A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 83F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds light and variable.

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