Newt's Nook

Last semester, the New York Law School SALDF held a vegan bake sale to help raise money for Newt's Nook, a winter shelter for pitbulls at the Animal Guardians sanctuary in Celina, TX. The story behind the shelter is kind of interesting. I thought this article from Pegasus News, a Dallas/Fort Worth, TX news source, summed it up nicely:

Newt’s Nook is open for business.

The heated, air-conditioned facility at the Animal Guardians sanctuary, named for former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, provides a safe, healthy environment for injured rescue dogs, particularly pit bulls, to recuperate until they are adopted.

“We’re thrilled to help such a worthy project,” said Dawn Rizos, owner of The Lodge gentlemen’s club in Dallas, who funded the shelter after Gingrich rejected her donation to his political organization. “I wish Newt were here to see these wonderful dogs and know that we’re giving them a chance for happier lives.”

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Lodge and Animal Guardians staffers teamed up for a dedication ceremony, hanging a large “Newt’s Nook” sign on the building and welcoming dogs to the new facility. The sign, created by Lodge bartender Bryan Calloway, features a caricature of a smiling Gingrich and a friendly, content pit bull.

“We were going to throw a bigger party,” Rizos explained, “but we decided to devote the resources to this great cause instead.”

She announced that The Lodge would donate an additional $100 to Animal Guardians for every dog adopted through Valentine’s Day 2010, and give each adopter a gift certificate to The Lodge or Stratos Global Greek Taverna, a popular Dallas restaurant.

The idea for the shelter stemmed from an Entrepreneur of the Year Award that Gingrich bestowed on Rizos, then rescinded. In September Gingrich’s organization, American Solutions for Winning the Future, invited Rizos to receive the honor from him at a private dinner in Washington on October 7. A week before the dinner, the organization said there had been a mix-up and told Rizos not to attend.

The Lodge, the country’s best-known and most-honored gentlemen’s club, helps hundreds of people support their families and further their educations, while setting industry standards for beauty, elegance and integrity.

“So we weren’t surprised to get the award, and we were disappointed to suddenly be rejected,” Rizos said. “But instead of holding a grudge, we decided to make something positive out of his bad manners.”

When Gingrich returned the $5,000 donation that was required to attend the dinner, Rizos redirected the money to Animal Guardians, a home for rescue dogs 40 miles north of downtown Dallas.

“I can’t tell you how much this new building means to us,” said Animal Guardians Director Annette Lambert, who cares for more than 100 dogs at the sanctuary. “Dawn didn’t deserve to be treated like that, but this will do so much for these loving dogs until we find them good homes.”

Source: The Lodge

Thanks Newt!!