When Regis and Cristi Gallet, owners of the Recovery Room Bar and Grill in Mineola, found out on social media that the Westbury-based nonprofit animal foundation Pets4Luv was losing its lease in The Mall at the Source and needed help monetarily to find a new location as well as forever homes for its animals, the Gallet’s decided to host a fundraiser to help.
(Photo courtesy of Regis Gallet)
“My wife and I are tremendous pet lovers,” said Gallet. “We have two cats and a dog at home and they are all rescues. We often donate to pet charities and being that we have a business that sees a lot of customers, we thought we could help by holding a fundraiser.”
Once the decision was made by the Gallet’s, Cristi reached out to David Bernacchi, who is the founder at Pets4Luv, to see if he was interested. Bernacchi’s answer was yes.
“Then we went to the shelter and met with them and were able to meet some of the volunteers as well as the most important ones, the pets themselves,” explained Gallet.
The Recovery Room itself donated approximately $1,500 to the cause by providing a free drink with each donation as well as giving out free appetizers throughout the evening. A DJ was also on hand to provide some entertainment throughout the night. According to Pets4Luv, approximately $5,000 was raised for the cause, a task that was completed in just three hours’ time.
“At one point, my wife and I were tearing up when person after person came in with a basket, which they were donating for the raffles and the cause,” said Gallet. “The spirit of giving that was in the place was overwhelming and beautiful.”
According to Gallet, the Recovery Room Bar and Grill has plans to do several more fundraisers throughout the year with another one already in the works.
For more information on Pets4Luv, visit their website at www.pets4luv.org or email them at info@pets4luv.org. To donate and help the animals at Pets4Luv, visit www.gofundme.com/pet-shelter-is-being-evictedsos.
