ANGOLA, Ind. (WANE) – It’s music with a mission and this mission is helping area animals. The Crooked Lake Sandbar Music Festival presented the Community Humane Shelter of Steuben County with a check for $8,500 Friday.

“It’s exciting. We always wish it was more, but we’re happy to give what we received from donations, sponsors and merchandise sales,” Jeb Bartley, the music festival organizer, said.

The shelter is close to moving into a new building and said donations like this are a big help.

“It’s extremely helpful. We only get 22 percent of our annual budget from municipalities and everything else comes from our generous community,” Alisa Mills, the executive director of the shelter, said. “It really helps us with spaying and neutering and to help keep the pet population down and to do medical expenses as needed for high needs animals.”

The music festival sets up a stage in the middle of the Crooked Lake sandbar and bands play over two days. The concerts are all free, but people are asked to consider a donation to support the humane society.

“Who doesn’t love water and sun? It’s a family event and we look forward to being able to provide a free concert like this every year and let all the proceeds go to a great charity like the Steuben County Humane Society,” Bartley said.

Planning for the fifth annual music festival in June 2018 is already underway.