Dear Possible Readers,
I just wanted to share a youtube video for “Gypsy's Meadow.” My daughter and I worked on this together, and have been working hard in speaking through the horses in need. They do not have a voice, so we are trying to be their voice through our Children's Book.
My daughter and I are still unable to read through the book completely, where as it pulls many heart string for us. Although, this story is a wonderful story seen through a horse's eyes.
Funds from this book is going towards, “First Light Farm Equine Shelter” in hopes that we can help them fund more horses. The shelter is truly a wonderful place where horses can find peace and find a suitable loving home.
At the moment, the shelter is struggling.......Madison and I are in hopes of bring up book sales, so we can help them through their hard times.
So Please......Speak your voice and Share our video.
The funds are going towards a wonderful cause.
Thank you so much for your support....
Happy Reading,
J.T. Brown
More Information:
Learn more:
http://www.gypsysmeadow.webs.com/
Hello! My name is Andrea Barstow and I am the managing director of First Light Farm Equine Shelter. Here is our story:
In 2008 my daughter and I, after speaking to the local animal welfare district agent, decided to take in a horse that had been seized by the State of Maine due to neglect. Cassie was our first rescue and once we opened our hearts and barn to this mare, our lives changed dramatically. Cassie turned out to be a wonderful riding horse, full of life and eager to please. After we put some weight on her and got some much need farrier work done, she was adopted out to a loving home.
Shortly after taking in Cassie, the State asked us to help with another seriously neglected horse. Angel had been nearly starved to death due to her owner’s increasing mental illness. Angel eventually went to the Maine State Society for Protection of Animals, to live out her golden years!
Once we got started, the stream of horses seemed endless. Twilight, Tonka, Hope… the list goes on and on. Some were seized by the state due to neglect or abuse, others were surrendered by their owners for a variety of reasons. Others were purchased directly out of killpens, healthy horses and donkeys that were on their way to slaughterhouses, simply because negligent owners dumped them in auction houses. FLFES is staffed by an all-volunteer crew. Volunteers perform all aspects of shelter chores, including cleaning stalls and paddocks, feeding, grooming, re-schooling, repairs, etc. They also work tirelessly at fundraising efforts. We meet our day-to-day operational budget solely through the generosity of other animal lovers. Taking care of horses is expensive; taking care of sick, injured or neglected horses is even more so. We struggle to pay the never ending hay, grain, farrier and veterinary bills. Since our inception we have taken in 30 horses, ponies and donkeys and have adopted out 23.
We have limited space to house horses in need and many times have to turn animals away. It breaks our hearts when we can’t help, but we are a small facility and can only do so much. Currently the shelter owns no property or buildings. The shelter “rents” space on my property, though the rental fee is waived each month. FLFES would still like to someday purchase its own facility so that we could help even more horses.
We have just started to explore granting opportunities. This is not an easy task without an experienced grant writer among the volunteers. Still we persevere and in the meantime will continue with our many fundraising efforts including Facebook auctions (find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/firstlightfarm) on farm activities such as open house day, camps and clinics.
To learn more about First Light Farm Equine Shelter, please visit our Facebook page, or our website at www.firstlightfarm.org.
We also keep at blog at www.flfes.blogspot.com
