No. 011 | January 2024

ISSUE 11

JANUARY 2024

DRAX DIGEST A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR THE DRAX COMMUNITY

7 DRAX COMPANIES HIGHLIGHTED

PRIZE PARTY PHOTO GALLERY

FEATURING NINA JACKEL 3RD WINNER OF THE VON LIEBIG PRIZE

Michael Ennis | Publisher

DRAX PUBLISHING

Eleonora Fogg | Editor

CONTENTS

02

03

WILLIAM J. VON LIEBIG FOUNDATION

PRESS RELEASE EXERPT

04

05 - 07

WINNER PROFILE

DRAX NEWS

08

09 - 10

TEAM PROFILE

PRIZE PHOTO GALLERY

11 RECIPE OF THE MONTH

William J. von Liebig Foundation Over the years, The William J. Von Liebig Foundation, established in 1975 by Mr. and Mrs. von Leibig, has established itself as an esteemed animal welfare organization with a generous philanthropic history.

The foundation was originally focused on medicine, arts, and education and has since shifted its scope to animal welfare, contributing over $65 million across these diverse causes.

Among its recent initiatives, the foundation has established The von Liebig Prize, a prestigious award that recognizes individuals for their outstanding achievements in the field of animal welfare, with a particular emphasis on protecting dogs and cats from abuse and providing care for mistreated companion animals.

The von Liebig Prize, valued at $25,000, is awarded annually by The William J. von Liebig Foundation. It aims to honor those who have made significant contributions to the animal welfare space, demonstrating compassion and dedication to improving the lives of disadvantaged animals. Ideal candidates for this award are individuals who have made a tangible difference, either through their exceptional work in rescuing, rehabilitating, and advocating for animals or by offering visionary ideas that can drive influential action for the betterment of animal well-being.

Each year, the foundation celebrates the recipient of The von Liebig Prize with an annual party, acknowledging their exceptional accomplishments and commitment to animal welfare. In 2023, the deserving prize winner was Nina Jackel, President and Founder of Lady Freethinker, an animal rights advocacy platform and organization. Through her tireless efforts and visionary approach, Nina has made a profound impact in protecting and advocating for the well-being of animals.

The William J. von Liebig Foundation's continued dedication to animal welfare and its commitment to recognizing and supporting individuals like Nina Jackel highlight its important role in advancing the cause of animal rights. By focusing on domestic animals, particularly dogs and cats, they are fostering a society that values and safeguards the well-being of our beloved companions.

02

PRESS RELEASE EXERPT

William J. von Liebig Foundation The von Liebig Prize The William J. von Liebig Foundation is proud to announce the third annual von Liebig Prize winner for significant accomplishments in animal welfare activism and change – Nina Jackel.

The $25,000 grant aims to support individuals facilitating meaningful change in their community by making a significant impact through their hard work in improving the lives of disadvantaged animals. With this award, The William J. von Liebig Foundation acknowledges Jackel’s extraordinary efforts and success as President and Founder of Lady Freethinker (LFT), a non-profit dedicated to using journalism to educate its readers and empower them to make an impact on animal welfare through petitions, news, and animal rights advocacy.

As a longtime animal advocate and President/Founder of LFT since 2013, Jackel has transformed a journalism blog into a successful and internationally recognized non-profit organization with over a million subscribers and supporters for its petition campaigns.

Dana Short, Director of Operations at LFT, nominated Jackel for the Prize. “Nina educates millions on animal issues,” Short says. “She uses the strength of petitions signed by over 20 million supporters to urge decision-makers to strengthen animal protection laws, and in doing so, is changing the way the world sees animals forever.”

Jackel’s activism knows no bounds and has taken her worldwide. From traveling to South Korea to document the horrific dog meat trade and successfully closing the country’s largest dog meat auction to Chile, where she has campaigned against a dogfighting ring that led to the largest-ever sentence for animal abuse in the nation.

She has been astounding in her efforts to expose and stop animal cruelty and build a free and compassionate world for generations to come. Jackel plans to put the money from the grant back into her activism efforts at LFT, including feeding and spaying/neutering homeless cats in her neighborhood in LA and funding her international campaigns.

“I envision LFT doing what we do now, but more of it,” Jackel says. “More breaking news, more petitions to bring justice to animals and our planet, and more undercover investigations. I want to keep helping save as many animals as possible from the horrors of the world. Animal rights are human rights, and doing something about the horrendous treatment they endure at the hands of humans benefits us all.”

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WINNER PROFILE Lady Freethinker is a compassionate organization founded by Nina Jackel in 2013. They are dedicated to creating a more peaceful world for all beings, with a special focus on animals. Through investigations, petitions, and campaigns, they have garnered over 20 million signatures and been featured in major media outlets. Lady Freethinker's news articles aim to educate and empower readers, promoting compassionate choices for the benefit of animals, humans, and the environment. Join their community to help cultivate a kinder future for all beings!

Throughout her career, Nina has shown profound selflessness and an abiding passion for improving the lives of all living beings, especially those experiencing hidden cruelties from widely accepted habits like factory farms and medical testing, giving a voice to the voiceless who so desperately need it. She is a prime example of extraordinarily rare devotion and dedication to protecting animals in need.

DRAX News Are you curious about what the DRAX Companies have been up to? Look no further as we’ve got all the updates right here!

BREAD STORY Bread Story celebrates the addition of a second location dubbed “The Lab.” This gorgeous space has lots of light and space to continue Bread Story’s B2B and catering operations, which are expanding consistently. Eventually, Bread Story will host cooking and baking classes in The Lab so that others can enjoy the space with us. On another note, don’t forget to get your King Cake; if you find the royal figure in your slice, you get to be royalty for a day (by Bread Story decree)!

DRAX PUBLISHING DRAX Publishing approaches its first-anniversary issue of the DRAX Digest in March! In the meantime, we are working on some incredibly fun but top-secret book ideas. We are so excited about where they lead and cannot wait till we can finally share them with you! Any guesses as to what our next book is going to be about? Feel free to share your guesses with us at eleonora@svvl.net.

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DRAX NEWS

WELLNESS+ STUDIO An upcoming feature in the local AVENUE Magazine, being highlighted on Patch.com’s Upper East Side’s business profile database, and many more things are going full steam ahead at Wellness+ Studio. Celebrate the Studio’s 1st Anniversary and get a deduction on the membership of your choice equal to your Skeletal Muscle Mass on your body composition analysis!

Don’t miss the Wellness+ mixer on January 16th at 6:00, where we will have a very special guest, Dr. Amy Weschler, the brains behind Chanel’s skincare product formulas, who will discuss the mind-beauty connection! We will have delicious, healthy treats waiting for you.

DRAX PRODUCTIONS DRAX Productions has partnered with Harvard graduate and now retired producer of 60 Minutes, Ruth Streeter. For over 30 years, Ruth produced stories for 60 Minutes on many diverse subjects, including the arts, politics, law, social justice, culture, and science. Ruth is helping DRAX Productions re-construct the first few episodes and sizzles of OPERATIC to strengthen the series!

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DRAX NEWS

THE SVL INSTITUTE Graduating from focusing solely on pollinator conservation and sustainable produce, the Suzanne von Liebig Institute works to refine its mission. As part of this, the SvLI team has invited several local nonprofits, foundations, and like-minded organizations to attend our Community Outreach Dinner on January 20th, the purpose of which is to hear what our community needs and how the Institute can best fit and mold its programs into something the local community can benefit from.

The newer, more diverse interests of the Institute have prompted the invitation of a multitude of impressive, unique, and varied institutions and individuals, promising many remarkable and fruitful conversations.

Individuals from Animal Welfare, Racial Justice, Education, Foster Care, and Sustainability organizations have already confirmed attendance!

January 20th, 2024 5 to 8 o’clock 311 Burr Hall Road, Middlebury, CT

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BURR HALL FARM Zoning

plans,

public

hearings,

negotiations;

a

town

meetings,

and

wetlands

lot

goes

into

making the BHF vision a reality.

Luckily, each necessary step has gone smoothly for our team, and though

there

is

only

more

to

come, we are prepared!

We are also applying for farm grants! So many great things to come.

TEAM PROFILE An incredible force of nature, Tom Mulry does it all. From hard work on Mrs.’s private planes as an aviation mechanic to project and property manager, Tom has not only conquered the challenges thrown his way but excelled at every one ever since he began working for Mrs. in 1999. Humble, kind, hard-working, talented, and down-toearth, Tom represents everything we want DRAX to be.

von Liebig Prize Party Photo Gallery The DRAX team came together for a beautiful holiday party hosted by Mrs. and Mike Ennis, honoring Nina Jackel as the third winner of The von Liebig Prize. Gorgeous garlands housing baby penguin sculptures and the famously decorated Christmas tree, prepared every year by our very own and wildly talented Lubica Kment, brought the Christmas spirit to new heights. The night was a huge success, with beautiful music and desserts.

We were all thrilled to welcome Nina and present her with the third von Liebig Prize.

Classic Sugar Cookies

by Christopher Varroux-Renaud Ingredients For Cookies: 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 2 cups flour 1/2 cup almond flour 1 egg 1 tsp cinnamon Pinch of salt For Icing: 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 egg white

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Directions: 1.Beat butter, cinnamon, sugar, and salt until creamed.

Add the egg and both types of flour, mixing until well combined.

2.Scrape the bowl and finish kneading the dough by hand on the countertop until firm. Shape the dough into a rectangular prism and wrap it in plastic. Let rest in the fridge for at least an hour.

3.Preheat oven to 350F — roll dough between parchment paper to 1/3 in. thick. Cut into small shapes and place on the prepared cooking sheet.

4.Bake for 12-15 minutes or until bottom of the cookies is barely golden brown. Transfer to cooling racks.

5.Prepare the icing by mixing the egg white with the confectioner’s sugar; feel free to add coloring or flavors like lemon, ginger, chocolate, etc. Pour the mixture into a pastry bag and decorate your cookies.

6.Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy! :)