We attended the 1st annual Rescue Dogs Rock NYC Benefit, held at the Harmonie Club in NYC. The event was co-chaired by Georgina Bloomberg and Lara Trump.
Rescue Dogs Rock NYC is an organization that works to pull dogs out of dire circumstances by working with a national network of veterinarians, shelters, and dog pounds to prevent dogs from being killed due to abandonment or neglect. To date, Rescue Dogs Rock has saved 3,000 dogs, putting them in new homes, where they’ll live forever. The organization takes in the sickest, most difficult cases, and works to match dogs with families that are comprehensively vetted.
When we received the invitation to attend Rescue Dogs Rock NYC’s event, we were struck by the co-chair team of this noble effort: Georgina Bloomberg and Lara Trump (wife of Eric Trump, son of President Donald Trump). Two politically polar opposite dynasties coming together for an event around dogs seemed like a beautiful moment of political-free compassion. In this world of attaching political meaning to everything, Rescue Dogs Rock NYC’s event served as a break. A rare moment of unification and agreement. And for being an augural benefit, Rescue Dogs Rock NYC put together a real celebration. Co-chair Lara Trump put it perfectly in her speech, saying, “You guys are the pioneers. You’re making this happen. And in 20 years, you can say ‘I was at the first one!’”. It was a star-studded event, with co-founders Stacey Silverstein and Jackie O’Sullivan,
Cheryl Casone of Fox News, Consuelo Costin Vanderbilt, Eric Trump, Heather Childers (Fox News), Jean Shafiroff, Juan Williams (Fox News), The Honorable Jeanine Pirro, Leesa Rowland, and many others. The evening included a silent auction as well as two performances by opera singer James Valenti. Lara Trump spoke about how she had actively participated in rescuing two dogs (whom she brought along to the event – Ben and Charlie). She said it was one of the most enlightening and important things she’d done.
Amid a fun-filled evening at the Harmonie Club, Rescue Dogs Rock! I caught up with co-founder Stacey Silverstein in a brief moment of quiet, as she described what it was like to run such an organization that was growing. “Every one of these dogs pass by my eyes. They are like my children. I care so much about their welfare and condition. It is truly something I enjoy. There are heartbreaking moments when a dog can’t be saved. But there are many more moments when lives are changed forever.”
Rescue Dogs Rock is online at RescueDogsRockNYC.org
Rescue Dogs Rock NYC is a 501c (3) non-profit organization. Contributions to Rescue Dogs Rock NYC are tax deductible to amount allowed by law.