Fundraiser (at Rock Garden) for Lyons’ wolf and dog sanctuary
Imagine this: it’s 1 a.m. and you wake to see an unexpected transport truck driving up to your front door. The driver leaps out with a dog in their arms. The pup has been beaten, neglected, and recently doused in battery acid. This is a typical day for Drew Renkewitz, owner and sole operator of Just 4 Jacks Ranch & Sanctuary.
“Currently, we are caring for 75 resident wolves and dogs, rescued from 15 states,” Renkewitz said. “They eat 110 lbs of kibble per day, with 20 lbs of carrots, and drink 90 gallons of water, so caring for them is no small feat,” Renkewitz said.
Just 4 Jacks Ranch & Sanctuary is a nonprofit, northern breed rescue organization, based in Lyons, that is dedicated to saving the lives of at-risk wolves, and dogs in high-kill shelters, and other tragic situations.
“We’re saving lives and saving beautiful Northern breeds that are at risk and misunderstood,” said Renkewitz. “People don’t do research before they get these dogs they’ve seen on TV shows like Game of Thrones and Yellowstone.”
Renkewitz added, “My mission is to put an end to the killing of shelter dogs and to do everything in my power to create a world where no animal is killed for space, medical problems, or behavioral issues,” Renkewitz added.
To support this Estes Valley organization, a group of dog-loving businesses and musicians are coming together for a first-ever Just 4 Jacks fundraiser on July 29th from 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
The Rock Garden at A-Lodge at 338 W. Main St in Lyons will host the event, with vendors from Estes Park Pet Supply, Mountain Dog Sauce Co., TNT Signs, and more. Estes Park favorite, Mangia Mangia Pizza will have their food truck on-hand, dishing up pies, while guests enjoy live music from Billy Shaddox Group, and American Hitman.
“We had the honor of hosting a few community events last year. I came up with the event series Tunes for a Cause which gave the spotlight to different organizations and nonprofits as an opportunity to promote and bring awareness to their cause,” said Rhea Davenport, General Manager, The Rock Garden at A-Lodge. “Drew and I connected at one of these events. We aren’t just a dog-friendly establishment, we LOVE dogs and the work Drew and his team/volunteers are doing to care for them. We hope this event helps J4JRS bring in new donors and those interested in helping, and come back for one of our many other events and support them as well.”
“Both our dogs, featured on the truck and one as our logo, are rescues as well as husky/malamute mixes, so J4J’s really holds a very special place in our hearts,” said Allie Lillich and Adam Palumbo, Owners of Mangia Mangia Pizza food truck. “We’re supporting them by donating a percentage of our sales for this fundraiser.”
“At Mountain Dog Sauce Company, we focus on supporting the movement for nationwide no-kill animal shelters,” commended Eric Friedman, Owner, Mountain Dog Sauce, Lyons Co.. “Since our inception, we have donated 5% of all proceeds to support that movement, regardless of our profitability. J4J is a shining example of an organization that shares our values, saving animals from high-kill shelters nationwide. As fellow Lyons residents, we are proud to support an organization right here in our hometown that is making a difference every day in the lives of wonderful animals who deserve a chance to flourish.”
“Drew and my friendship goes back 55 years. Over the past several years I have watched Drew travel the country pulling huskies, wolves and other breeds from kill shelters,” added Steve Cross, Owner, Locker Room Sportswear. “My business Locker Room Sportswear is proud to support and supply Just 4 Jacks their apparel, logo creation and merchandise to help raise money for Drew to continue his incredible work.”
“When you’re a one-person operation, caring for 75 dogs on 10 acres of land and you have nearly a third of your residents on medication or facing surgery because of abuse and trauma, it gets tough,” Renkewitz added. “And we would not be able to save these beautiful animals without the support of our partners, especially the doctors at the Animal Medical Center of Estes Park, Dr. Jeffrey Fish and his amazing team of expert vets. And, the kindness of folks like Steve at LRS sportswear, Tim at TNT signs, Will at Estes Park Pet Supply, Rhea at A-Lodge, and all the others who have come together to create this fundraiser; it’s overwhelmingly wonderful to know we’ll be able to help these wolves and dogs live better lives because of this event and the people who come out for it.”
=======
For more information about the event, or the Just 4 Jacks organization, or dogs eligible for rehoming, or to donate to the ranch and sanctuary, visit their website www.just4jacksranchsanctuary.org You can schedule an appointment 24 hours in advance to see the dogs by contacting Drew Renkewitz. The sanctuary is located on Spring Gulch Drive, Lyons.
=======
