MOULTRIE, Ga. — Actress Betty White was known for her love of animals, so animal groups like the Moultrie-Colquitt County Humane Society planned events around her 100th birthday on Jan. 17.

White died Dec. 31, but the Humane Society went ahead with a fundraiser in her memory, which raised more than $2,030 for the group.

“Today would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday and what a way to honor her by donating to a cause she held so dear to her heart,” the MCCHS Facebook page posted on Jan. 17.

Known on social media as the “Betty White Challenge,” as of Jan. 20, the page has received $2,030 from a total of 83 donors according to the post. 

Other donations have been received from donors in person, according to MCCHS Director Drew Durham. 

“There have been a couple $100 that have come in,” Durham said in an interview Thursday.

Durham and other members of the MCCHS had already had something planned for Betty White’s 100th birthday but due to her death on Dec. 31, plans had to be changed. 

“Betty White had always been a supporter of animals and there was a lot of talk about putting something together. Well, obviously things had to be adjusted. Somebody out there had put the call out or idea to donate just five dollars to your local shelter,” Durham said.

The MCCHS has previously seen success with other fundraisers within the past year. The shelter was able to raise approximately $1,100 in a fundraiser in November 2021. But the Betty White Challenge has gone much further than Durham could have expected.

“This far exceeded our expectations,” Durham said. “I want to say a big thank you to the people around the community who have helped out.”

The money will help to care for the approximately 85 dogs and cats that are currently in the shelter.

“The money will go back into our normal operating budget but it will mostly help to cover vet bills for cases of animals that can be helped,” Durham explained.

The post will be up “for another week or so” and donations for the Betty White Challenge will be accepted while the post is on the shelter’s Facebook page.