Six years ago, Craig Bernhardt and Lee Wautersstarted Beggar’s Banquet to help support community performing songwriters.

But, the couple wanted to do more.

“Lee and I decided after our second show, six years ago, that we would not continue to do this if we could not find some way to ask our friends to help us give back to the community,” Bernhardt said.

They chose to give back by collecting donations for local no-kill animal shelters and rescue groups.

This Saturday is their annual Halloween Costume Party and Chili Cook-off at Amigo’s Comida Casera in Richardson. The show will feature the Jimmy “Preacher” Ellis Band singing the blues, and profits raised will be donated to New Beginnings Cat Rescue in Garland.

“We also request people bring two cans of food for the North Texas Food Bank,” Bernhardt said.

He and his wife, Wauters, have always had a passion for animals. When the couple got together 17 years ago, their combined cat collection was seven.

“I had two cats and she had five,” Bernhardt said. “We joined households together and of course, over the years you lose some, but we’ve added several to the family and they’ve all been rescues.”

Stacy Bauer, volunteer coordinator at New Beginnings, said that Beggar’s Banquet is great for the organization because the shelter relies strictly on donations and pet adoption fees.

“[The concerts] are great,” she said. “They are nice, calm, relaxing and there are good people, good food and it’s all for a good cause, which is not all for us. We’re just part of who they raise money for.”

Bernhardt and Wauters even have their own label, Audio Catnip Records, where they promoted David Shehane, a local singer songwriter.

“Our future stuff that we are going to set up will go to one of the shelters,” Bernhardt said. “We are trying to do some live in-studio stuff with some singer song writers. The one we are working on now is a jazz quartet.”

He said that the community has been very generous in its support and that though this is their sixth season, they have already booked part of next year.

“It’s fun going to the concert, no matter where the money goes,” Bauer said. “It’s just an added bonus for the rescue.”

IF YOU GO

Halloween Costume Party and Chili Cook-off will be at 8 p.m. Oct. 24 at Amigo’s Comida Casera, 940 E. Belt Line Road, Richardson. This year’s theme is “the ’60s.” A $10 donation and two cans of food will get you:

• Two drink tickets
• Hors’ d’oeuvres
• Live music
• Drink specials
• Ticket giveaways for Beggar’s Banquet Shows
• Chili tasting and a vote to crown the chili king/queen of 2009

• Prizes are Amigo’s gift certificates for $100, first place; $50, second place; $25, third place.

The next Beggar’s Banquet will feature Claude Bourbon, international guitarist, at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 6. Admission is $15 and two cans of food. Potluck dinner will begin at 7 p.m. To RSVP for either event, call Bernhardt at 214-476-6858 or visit audiocatniprecords.com.

MORE INFO

To learn more about New Beginnings Cat Rescue and its adoption options, visit newbeginningscatrescue.org.

Lisa Zimmermann is the Richardson/Lake Highlands/Far North Dallas neighborsgo editor and can be reached at 469-330-5684 or via e-mail at lzimmermann@neighborsgo.com. Got a story, photo or video you'd like to share? Post them directly on neighborsgo.com. Got a story idea? E-mail it to me directly. For more about how neighborsgo.com works with our neighborsgo print editions, please visit neighborsgo.com/help.