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RAPID CITY, S.D.– From selling dog treats to devoting a portion of profits earned from her work, Rapid City resident and owner of Y-Knot Creations Eva Gallant works to help raise funds for the APAI animal shelter she helped build in Romania earlier this year. During the holiday season, she is continuing her work and hoping to spread more information on her mission. Gallant explains more about the organization and how people can help.
APAI, also known as Salvare a Cateilor Abandonati, is an animal shelter that houses displaced dogs from Romania and Ukraine. Gallant helped get the facility running during a trip to Romania earlier this year, and has a team abroad dedicated to caring for the animals and ensuring they are fed as shelters are scarce. “My constant endeavor is to bring awareness of what’s going on in Romania,” she said. “And private shelters are maybe a handful.”
How does she help the shelter?
On a regular basis, Gallant raises money for the shelter through dog treat sales during fair weather at Braeburn Park and through her commitment to sending 10 percent of any profits made through projects or commissions to be used for helping keep the place running. Through the holiday season, she is making wreaths for sale and is donating $25 from every sale. Wreaths can be ordered and purchased by contacting her on Facebook.
How else can I help?
Aside from purchasing one of Gallant’s pieces from her, donations can also be made via PayPal to the facility with the following email: AsociatiaAPAI@yahoo.com. Since her last visit to the country, she has also created the 501 (c) 3 non-profit S.D. Caring for Canines, which people can make tax-deductible donations to. “This enables me in our American form to collect donations that are tax-exempt and also for transparency,” she explained. “I am now the founder and operator of South Dakota Caring for Canines and going forward, definitely under that umbrella, making it more transparent how and where this money is going and just bring in more information and awareness.”
