Company Helps Pet Shelter that Lost out on $5,000 Donation

October 29, 2009

As published in the Kansas City Star



The Pet Connection is getting the $5,000 won in August in a contest and then lost when the restaurant sponsor couldn't come up with the money.

David Block, principal of Block & Co. Inc. Realtors, said Thursday he would donate the $5,000 to The Pet Connection, a nonprofit animal shelter in Mission.

"We are ecstatic that David Block and Block & Co. were able to donate the money and help out the animals," said Jason Huff, the shelter's director of operations. "Everything has ended up working out pretty good for us."

On Aug. 15, Adam's Rib barbecue restaurant in Overland Park held a contest to see who could eat a 10-pound Ultimate Brisket Burger in 20 minutes. About a dozen celebrity contestants participated, and the prize money - $5,000 - was to go to the winner's favorite charity.

Bryan Truta, program director for radio station Jack 105.1 FM, ate about two and a half pounds of the giant burger and was declared the winner. His charity was The Pet Connection.

Two months later the restaurant was closed, and The Pet Connection was still waiting for the real check. The shelter was finally notified that the restaurant was in bankruptcy.

The shelter had planned to use the money to assist dogs taken in by the Pet Connection from the Ray of Hope program, which takes pets from shelters and places them in no-kill adoption programs and homes. The Block donation now puts that plan back on track.

Kansas City Star Article