Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue Blog

I know that it has been too long since I have posted an update.  Things are moving so fast and I have met so many wonderful people who have the same love of our equine friends that it has made my head spin.  We had our first official meeting on Thursday, September 24, 2009.  In one week we have had 3 more meetings.  After my personal worst year ever, (2008) I have spent many hours over the past several months in tears of happiness at the blessings that have come into my life.  There are so many to thank but first off, It has to be The Animali Farm and The International Blessed Brood Mare Project.  These 2 groups helped me find and bring my precious Dixie home.  They continue to inspire me and are helping me fulfill my dream of saving horses full-time.  There are so many to name in this group…  Jennifer from Animali, Janice, Deb, Kathleen, Susan, Amber, Marcy, Gina…  from TIBBP.   I have left out so many more names from TIBBP.  Please know that I love and value everyone in this group.  I am humbled by what you have done.  Then there is the Heart Of Dixie Equine Rescue Group.   I had no idea that there was such wonderful group of people in my community.  My 72 year-old Dad, who took up riding last year and has never looked back; my husband Gary for standing by me and helping me in everything that I have felt compelled to do;  Holli, Donna, Nancy and Ricky who have been doing local rescue for years on their own dollar and now are also an integral part of the new rescue; Cathryn who adopted and fell in love with a rescue horse and is a true live wire; Elise who, in spite of building a new training barn and having the complete chaos of logging trucks, land clearing machines, a house being remodeled and horses being moved from here to their as all this occurs, has been there since the beginning; Jimmy, who is the “Head” and the financial leader of the group, he will make sure that we do not jeopardize the equines in our care by over-stepping what we can do;  Eileen who has a great love for horses and a great artistic ability.   There are also people who are just coming out of the woodwork offering to foster horses on their own dollar.   The talent of this group is limitless.  We are going to make great things happen.    Thanks to all of you.  I love you all. 

Our immediate goals are to get the legal issues done and to RAISE FUNDS and AWARENESS!  Jim and I are trying to take care of these items by the end of next week.   So what are we doing for fund raising.  Oh this is SO exciting!!!  

1.  Pennies for Ponies.  We will have collection jars at local sites to collect funds for the rescue.  I am writing the plea from Dixie’s point of view.  Holli, are local newspaper reporter and a wonderfully talented writer, will do the final draft.  Thanks to Deb and Therese at TIBBP for giving me the idea for writing the pleas this way!

2.  Halloween Costume Contest and Extreme Obstacle Course Ride.  The week before Halloween, we will have a costume contest for our local horse folks.   At the same event we will have an arena set-up for all sorts of fun tests of equine control.  Examples are walking over a crunchy tarp, Dragging a rope with a stick behind it, kicking a beach ball, riding through a hay ring etc…  We will have prizes and ribbons etc all for a donation to the rescue.  Deb from TIBBP is known for dressing up her horses, and this event was suggested, I had to laugh thinking of all those pictures!  Elise brought this idea to the group and is working hard to secure the location. 

3.  A good old horse adoption auction.  The thing is that the horses won’t be real.  They will be Breyer models.  (I seem to have a few that are can be used for this event    )     The thing is that the models will each have a story.   A PMU horse that would go to slaughter, a feedlot filly, a local rescue, etc…  We are going to have lunch plates for sale and also other items up for either silent auction or true auction too.  Elise has volunteered her gorgeous new stable and home to hold this event.  We will hold it the first or second week of December.  The date will be decided today.  It will be just in time for folks to buy goodies for Christmas presents.  Holli had come up with the model auction idea and Janice’s (TIBBP) feedlot filly story inspired me to suggest the backround story.  My husband Gary, who has a second career had a VERY popular band in our area, is going to provide the entertainment.  (I always liked him, but when I first heard him sing, it was all over!  We were married less than 2 years later.)  Ricky will be the food coordinator and Holli the Advertisement chair.  Cathryn and Donna are in charge of coordinating donations.  I am coordinating the physical stuff.  (Tents, tables, chairs, PA etc…)   Elise is providing the site and coordinating the volunteer help.  (Parking, security etc…) 

4.  We have a booth at the Bulloch County Fair, The South Georgia Fair and at the Park and Recreation’s, Halloween Party day.  We will have raffles, donations jars, information at all these events.  Eileen and Nancy are coordinating the design of the booth and it will be spectacular.  We will be able to take this booth from site to site in the future. 

5.  Donna has spent hours and hours on the net finding different fund raising ideas.  She has found a company that takes old cell phones, I-pods, ink cartridges etc… and pays groups for collecting these and sending them in.  Isn’t just the most fantastic idea?   We can help the environment and horses at the same time.  If it all works out, we will have a donation station at all our events. 

Phewy…  and that is all happening in the next 2 months!  Just wait to see wait happens next.  I am out of time for right now.  I will try to keep the blog a little more updated from now on. 

Hugs to all our supporters and blog readers!