About The Cat Lady Rescue and Adoption Center

The Cat Lady Rescue and Adoption Center is a non-profit organization registered in the State of Colorado (Articles of Incorporation). 

Our goal is to open a no-kill, cage free cat rescue and adoption center and provide temporary refuge and the necessary care to cats and kittens until they are adopted into a loving, permanent home.

In addition, we plan to become strong members of the community through a variety of community outreach and educational programs such as advocating the importance of spaying/neutering to help control pet overpopulation, humane treatment of all animals, and proper care and treatment of pets in the home.

We hope to raise the fund necessary to open the center by mid-2010.  As a legally registered non-profit organization we are bound by the laws that govern all non profits including accurate reporting of funds received and distributed.  Therefore, you can be assured that your donations will be going to the creation and long-term operation of The Cat Lady Rescue and Adoption Center, and we sincerely thank you for your support!

Who is The Cat Lady?

Chrystal Gapinski is a native of West Virginia but moved to Colorado with her husband Rick in 2008.  After leaving a 12 year career in the West Virginia National Guard, she was uncertain of what she wanted to be “when she grew up”!  Although she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, it just wasn’t the direction she wanted to go.

Knowing deep down that there was always a love for animals, especially cats, she opened her own Professional Cat Sitting service in 2008.  At the same time, Chrystal began volunteering at a no-kill cat rescue center. 

From this, she began to realize what her calling was – to help cats and kittens in need of a loving home by opening her own no-kill, cage free cat rescue and adoption center!  To that end, Chrystal has enrolled at the PIMA Medical Institute to earn her certification as a Veterinarian Assistant.  With this certification, she will be able to provide professional care to the cats and kittens at the rescue center including vaccinations, first aid, and other basic medical care to assure the cats are kept as healthy and happy as possible.

Chrystal’s belief is that there will always be a need for no-kill cat shelters that will depend on public support.  Additionally, educating people on the proper care and treatment of all animals will be an important part of this shelter.

Her hope is (with the help of individuals, corporations, and the community) that she will be able to swing open the doors of The Cat Lady Rescue and Adoption Center by mid-2010 and begin helping our feline friends!  

Rick Gapinski, The Cat Lady’s husband, is a native of Wisconsin.  After spending over 13 years in the corporate world, he began a home based business as a Cruise Travel Specialist with Cruises Inc. (www.cruisesinc.com/rgapinski, www.cruisesinc.me).

Although he enjoys this business very much, he, like Chrystal, has also been searching for a more significant purpose and has embraced the challenge of opening this shelter.

With his business background and education, including multiple Accounting and Business degrees and his MBA from Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI), Rick will concentrate primarily on the business aspects of the shelter including finances, grant-writing, fundraising, marketing, promotion and sales while Chrystal, with her soon-to-be-completed training, will focus primarily on the day to day operations of the facility.

Rick has the same love for cats as Chrystal – in fact, they met BECAUSE of a very special cat!  They are one of those rare couples that met, and eventually married, after finding each other on Match.com.  The interesting story – without the picture of Rick and his cat Pixie on the front page, Chrystal may never have looked any further!   Thinking “he can’t be THAT bad if he has a cat”, Chrystal actually read his profile, they made contact, had their first date…and the rest is history!