04/17/2008
Racing Laps for Best Friends To Host a 'PetStop' At Humane Society of
Greater Kansas City on Wednesday, April 23

By Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications

LAS VEGAS, April 17 - Andrew Prendeville, driver of the Best Friends Animal Society No. 5 Firestone Indy Lights car, will appear at the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, 5445 Parallel Parkway in Kansas City, Kan., from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23.

Prendeville will sign autographs and explain how fans can use the racinglapsforbestfriends.com website to make donations to the Best Friends Animal Society based on the number of laps he completes in his 67-lap race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, April 27.

Prendeville's appearance at the shelter, called a "PetStop," is part of his innovative "Racing Laps for Best Friends" program. Best Friends is a not-for-profit animal welfare organization that is affiliated with shelters around the world, including the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City.

All "PetStop" appearances are free and the public is encouraged to attend. Tours of the shelter are planned. Pet adoptions will also be available; standard requirements and fees apply.

Charles Vreeland, president and chief executive officer of the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, said that facility is Kansas City's oldest private "no kill" shelter and spay/neuter clinic. It is also the closest shelter to
Kansas Speedway.

Vreeland is a member of the Best Friends community network, and he was one of the authors of the "Best Friends Religious Proclamation" for animal compassion that was released last year.

The per-lap donation program at racinglapsforbestfriends.com starts at 25 cents per lap, and can be for one race or the whole season. For example, if a fan donates $1 a lap for the race at Kansas Speedway and Prendeville completes all 67 laps, the fan will have donated $67 to Best Friends.

Donations to the program are tax-deductible. Special incentives are offered to fans that make per-lap pledges for the entire season, and to those whose pledges reach $1,000.

In addition to making per-lap donations at racinglapsforbestfriends.com, fans can also participate in a special raffle that benefits Best Friends through that website. The prizes are sessions at the Bertil Roos Racing School. Bertil Roos Racing School raffle tickets can be purchased on this website also. Click here to enter the raffle!

Best Friends' website is at bestfriends.org. The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City's website is at hsgkc.org.

Additional information is available at andrewprendeville.com, indycar.com/indylights and andersenracingteam.com.