Blanketed on #GivingTuesday

So many things to be thankful for, most of all your support of our mission at EqWBR and the donations we received on #GivingTuesday and throughout the year.  This year I made a special trip on #GivingTuesday that I want to tell you about.

We did a blanket fundraiser in November, you may remember seeing this photo (I love it and can't share it enough) with us asking for funds to get some blankets and the response was wonderful.

 I was contacted by a supporter in California that works with rescues there and she offered to find out if they had any blankets they didn't need and she would ship them to us.  Her call went out and there was a great response. With the warmer climate in the greater Los Angeles area, people had blankets they were willing to send to our colder climate to be put to good use. A friend of hers was delivering a horse to the Kingman, Arizona area (another great story in itself) and agreed to bring the blankets with her and meet me in Flagstaff to drop them off.

We both arrived in Flagstaff around 7pm and had dinner.  We found a wonderful restaurant close by and got a chance to know each other better, share stories of rescues and enjoy a wonderful meal. After that I loaded up three BIG boxes in my car and headed for home while she spent the night before heading back to Burbank in the morning.  I arrived at home a little after 10pm. Tired, but a good tired.

The next morning was so much fun opening the boxes and finding out what treasures were inside. Blankets, heavy and light, rain sheets, fly sheets, neck warmers and more, some with very special memories of horses passed for their donor. In addition to the financial donations given to us, these would ensure we could keep everyone warm and dry in the worst of winter storms and help throughout the rest of the year with cold driving rains.

 

I would like to thank the following for donating to the blanket drive in So Cal:

Saddleback Canyon Riders , part of Equestrian Trails International (ETI) Corral 357, Trabuco Canyon, CA

Spike & Bob Wilks

Debbie Kelly

Kristina Stuckey

Hanaeleh Horse Rescue, Trabuco Canyon, CA 

Elizabeth Zarkos, founder of Hanaeleh horse rescue

Sally Wooldridge, Hanaeleh board member and 'mum' of our coordinator.

Our fabulous coordinator Ariadne De Glevo and Nancy Louie who made the long trip to hand deliver these wonderful donations.  Here is baby Chloe sporting one that was the perfect fit.

I also want to thank everyone who sent financial donations as we were able to order a few special sizes with those funds, like this one that Chancer is wearing.  Any funds not used for blankets will be used to purchase hay for all the equine at the rescue.

Thanks also to Ark Watch Foundation, Celine Myers who provided blankets for the gelding donkeys who needed pony sizes. 

The timing could not have been better, we have a cold rain/snow storm coming in tomorrow and when it starts out as rain and the temps drop below freezing, we need to protect them all from getting wet, then cold causing their body to struggle to keep warm.   We don't like to see any of them shivering. 

We are so blessed and thank you all so very, very, very much! You make a difference to so many lives. 

Christine and the entire board of EqWBR!