IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Ray Arde Exercises Strength Outside The Gym By Joining Battle to Knock Out Dog Fighting - Kris Crawford
IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Ray Arde latest sports celebrity to join award-winning Knock Out Dog Fighting program.
San Jose, CA - April 25, 2009 -- Kris Crawford of For Pits' Sake, Inc. today announced that International Federation of Body Building (IFBB) Professional Bodybuilder Ray Arde is exercising his strength outside the gym by teaming up with them to "Knock Out Dog Fighting".
Arde is speaking out against dog fighting with a new poster being released today for the award-winning Knock Out Dog Fighting program. Arde joins a growing list of professional athletes who have teamed up with the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization For Pits' Sake, Inc. and their anti-dog fighting campaign “Knock Out Dog Fighting”. According to Kris Crawford
The award winning "Knock Out Dog Fighting" program is an unprecedented awareness and educational campaign, created by For Pits' Sake, Inc. founder Kris Crawford, to combat the cruel and inhumane activity of dog fighting. “We are very excited to have Ray as part of our team!" says Crawford. “He is a symbol of strength and is joining us at schools and juvenile detention centers to help us teach children and young adults that strength is not about how much you can lift or how much power you have over someone or something. It’s about what’s inside – your soul and spirit – and standing up for what’s right.”
An increasing number of children are growing up isolated in urban and suburban areas, challenged by violence, substance abuse, and peer pressure. By the time many of these children reach school age or adolescence, their ability to “attach” to others has become weakened or absent. So they seek acceptance with their peers, often times engaging in illegal activities as a way to prove they are “cool” or “tough”.
"Getting and fighting a pit bull has become a way for inner-city youth to show their toughness, they use it as a stature builder and in doing so, they give no thought to what the animals involved endure." says Crawford. "Unfortunately, the high profile arrest of NFL star Michael Vick for dog fighting only generated more interest among urban youth. They saw a role model involved and thought 'If Vick does it, it's cool.'"
That’s why the Knock Out Dog Fighting program is so important. “We are out in the community, on the ground level, in schools and juvenile detention centers with positive role models to show children and young adults that it is not a sign of strength, power or greatness to fight, torture or abuse animals,” said Crawford.
Arde agrees. “It’s time to get Arde strong in the fight against allowing defenseless animals to be tortured, abused, and hurt in the brutal activity of dog fighting. Man’s best friend deserves better!” says Arde. “Join me, IFBB Pro, Ray Arde, in forming a strong team to Knock Out Dog Fighting by training and conditioning the minds of our communities to never give up in the fight against dog fighting. No Retreat! No Surrender!”
Many people and organizations condemn dog fighting, but very few take any action to stop it. “Our members are elite athletes and role models that are stepping up and taking action,” Crawford said. “We are actively involved in stopping dog fighting AND saving lives, both animal and human, by teaching empathy for animals and helping at-risk youth make better choices, develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles. This reduces the potential of involvement in dog fighting and other gang related activities.”
For more information about the award-winning Knock Out Dog Fighting program and how you can help, go to www.KnockOutDogFighting.org
About For Pits Sake, Inc.:
For Pits Sake, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is a leader in the community for both human and animal rescue, humane education, safety programs and therapy programs for children. Founded in 1997 by Kris Crawford, For Pits' Sake has been making a difference in the community for over a decade saving lives and bringing joy and smiles to battered /abused and special needs children. Because of the success of their life changing work, For Pits' Sake, Kris Crawford and her hero pit bull dogs – Cheyenne, Dakota & Tahoe - have received numerous awards including a Jefferson Award - The Nobel Prize for Community Service, the American Red Cross Real Hero award, the United Animal Nations Animals Choice Award, the NSAL Heroism Award, a Certificate and Letter of Achievement from the FBI, Certificates of Appreciation from County Supervisors, Senators and Assemblymembers, and a letter from the Governor of CA stating they "demonstrate the true strength of California and represent the best of the Golden State."
About Ray Arde:
Ray Arde is an elite athlete having earned his professional status in the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) in 2005 at the National Bodybuilding Championship in Atlanta. Ray is very well know in the fitness and bodybuilding industries having been featured in all the major bodybuilding magazines including Muscular Development, Ironman Magazine, Muscle Mag Magazine and Flex Magazine.
In addition to his exposure in the industry, Ray has successfully managed various well known gyms in the south bay of California: California Athletic Club, George Brown’s Fitness, Bally Total Fitness and The Right Stuff all while establishing himself as a personal trainer, bodybuilder, and business professional.
Ray now owns and operates “Rays Built Tuff Gym” located in San Jose, California. Clients and members of Ray’s Built Tuff Gym say Ray’s gym is the “Cheers of the fitness industry where everybody knows each other’s name and everybody helps each other!” Ray’s dedication to health and fitness goes beyond the doors of his gym. Ray is very passionate about reaching out to youth from abusive situations in an effort to help them find their internal strength.
