|
Senior Great Dane
Receives 2005 Broadway Barks Hero Award |
New York City
– Rudy, a 10-year-old Great Dane from North Carolina,
received the 2005 Hero award at the seventh annual
Broadway Barks. The event, produced by Broadway
Care/Equity Fights AIDS and sponsored by Animal Planet, Dogsters, The New York Times, Loews Hotels, and Sherpa,
took place on Saturday July 30 in Shubert Alley.
Presented by Monty Python’s Spamalot stars; David
Hyde-Pierce, Christopher Sieber, Michael McGrath and Steve
Rosen, the award was granted in recognition of Rudy’s work
with the children of Grandfather Home, a home and charter
school for physically, emotionally, and sexually abused
children located in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Receiving
the award on Rudy’s behalf was Laurie Zoock, Public
Relations Director of MAGDRL, Mid-Atlantic Great Dane
Rescue League, Inc.
The Broadway Barks Hero award is a certificate of
recognition awarded to an animal or individual who has
made a significant contribution to the community and/or to
animal welfare. Past recipients have included various
types of service dogs, as well as a dog that played a
prominent role in search and rescue on 9/11. The first
award was granted at Broadway Barks 4 in order to pay
tribute to the dogs that showed such heroism and courage
in their search and rescue efforts on 9/11.
“Rudy is a fine
example of the many wonderful Danes that come through our
rescue every year. Many who have experienced similar
neglect and abuse still, like Rudy, have it in their
hearts to love and trust people and to give back ten fold.
I am extremely proud to be part of such a dedicated
organization of volunteers. When you meet a dog like Rudy
though, you can truly understand why there are such a
large number of wonderful people so willing to give of
their time to help this gentle breed.” - Debra Rahl,
President, Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League.
CONTINUED |
|
Banner Elk, NC – The kids at the Grandfather Home for
Children have a mission. They are using their
entrepreneurial and fundraising skills to raise money in
order to share Christmas with the children who, as a
result of hurricane Katrina, have lost their homes and
most of their possessions.
The children of Grandfather Home know the meaning of loss
and trauma all too well. But since May of 2004, they have
been participating in an animal assisted therapy program
which includes working with a Great Dane named Rudy, the
recipient of the 2005 Broadway Barks Hero award. The
children “walk in miracles” following in the footsteps of
this gentle giant and his Canine Crew, Gabi and Grace, who
are also Great Danes.
The scope of the children’s animal advocacy
endeavors and charitable works has grown by leaps and
bounds since they became ”Rudy’s Kids”. During 2004, they
began their work as Rescue Troopers by being
volunteer foster parents to some of the homeless Danes in
the care of the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League (MAGDRL),
and then proceeded with a fundraising plan to help the
town of Banner Elk rebuild a local dog park that was
damaged by flooding.
After seeing the
devastation hurricane Katrina wreaked in the Gulf Coast
area, the children of Grandfather Home were deeply
impacted by the reality that many thousands of kids had
lost not only their homes, but all of their toys and
clothing as well. And, with so many of their parents
unable to find work, Christmas this year could be bleak
for them.
CONTINUED |
