‘Tis The Season For Giving - Open Thread (Updated)
By Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy on December 26, 2008 at 7:30 AM in Current Affairs, Economy
Back around Thanksgiving, NQ had asked us to come up with some charities that are particular important. One of the ones I listed was People Helping Horses. This organization takes in horses from a number of agencies, including counties who have horses surrendered or rescued. In this economy, all charities are being affected, this one included. A few days ago, I received the following email from them:
It Comes Down to Dollars and Cents
Make A Donation Now
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Dear Amy,
Looking out on the freshly fallen snow on our property, it is a beautiful sight to behold. The snow-covered mountains provide a serene backdrop and all appears calm and peaceful. But this winter wonderland we’ve been experiencing has come at a high price.
It is a daily struggle just to keep the water in our horses’ buckets thawed during the blistering cold; most horses need to be given electrolytes in order to encourage them to drink.
The record low temperatures mean that we must not only blanket every horse, but double blanket them to ensure they are kept warm.
Because of the snow accumulation, turn out for the horses is nearly impossible. Many of the rescues have corrective shoes and the icy conditions make turnout outdoors much too dangerous; so we are limited to the space in our covered arena and round pen in order to allow the horses exercise. For the seventy horses in our care, that precious time is far too short.
Because of hazardous road conditions, many of the valuable volunteers and staff members that we count on for the daily support and - most importantly - TLC of our rescues have been unable to get to the barn. With a week’s supply of grain and shavings left and no foreseeable end in sight to this unpredictable winter weather, I worry if we will be able to provide for all of the horses here. A frozen tractor engine block and intermittent power have only added to the many struggles we are facing now; and we’re expecting the worst of it yet to come when the powdery snow turns to ice and we begin to thaw out.
As I turned out horses into the arena the other day, I noticed that even the horses’ spirits are down. The cold weather has taken a toll not just on our facility, but on their very demeanors. I can imagine they eagerly long for the day when the weather breaks, the snow melts, the volunteers return and they can once again resume normal activity; I anxiously await that too.
That is why I’m reaching out to you now. Winter has officially begun and I worry that this is only the beginning of a long, hard season. We have already taken calls from animal control in three counties, and we have 5 new rescues in our care; these calls are coming in earlier than last year… much earlier… and we are being told to prepare for more seizures in the coming weeks; some desperate people are even abandoning their horses, unthinkable!
In this struggling economy, we have seen a dramatic decrease in donations, of which we rely on to stay open; I cannot imagine if our doors were not open and we weren’t here to provide a safe haven for these innocent horses. But I know that as long as I can count on your valuable support, we will continue to rescue and care for horses in need. Your gift will go a long way in not just providing food and shelter for them, but offering one of these precious animals a second chance.
Please consider a gift today. All donations are tax-deductible and will help us continue to feed and care for these wonderful animals. Although the long winter promises to be a challenging one, it is a challenge that I know we can face with your invaluable partnership. We wouldn’t exist without you. From my heart and for the horses, thank you.
Sincerely,
Gretchen Salstrom
Founder & Executive Director, People Helping Horses
Save a Life Today!
Make A Donation
Or Mail in a Donation to:
People Helping Horses
24717 43rd Ave NE
Arlington, WA 98223
Quick Links…
Visit us on the web at
www.peoplehelpinghorses.org
Join our mailing list at
www.peoplehelpinghorses.org/newsletter/enewsletter.php
Like I said, lots of places are needing help, but this is a good one. Please consider opening your hearts and your wallets. Besides money, they also need goods. There’s a list at their site.
Another great way to help organizations if you are shopping online anyway is to go through iGive.com. Pick your charity, then go shopping at any of the numerous online stores. Each store gives a percentage to the charity, so it is nothing out of YOUR pocket. For instance, I had to get some joint supplements for my horse. I went to my usual store, through iGive.com, and as a result, People Helping Horses got over $4. That really adds up when everyone does that, even if it is a small order. And I order things like that fairly often. Within a year, just think how much money you could give to the charity of your choice!
It’s been a hard year for everyone. Let’s try and help where we can, through time, goods, and/or money. We’re all in this together!
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By Sarah Palin (Release date: November 17. 2009)
This is not about horses, or giving, unless you are talking about what our men and women in Iraq and elsewhere give us on a daily basis. And this is an open thread, so here is one great Chrustmas video from Iraq.
I know we have the best fighting men and women in the world. But who knew they were this creative too.
I love this!!!!!
Their 12 Days of Chrustmas
http://www.mudvillegazette.com/milblogs/archives/2008/12/24/#031349
Obama got quite a good October and November and is getting quite a good December. I am sure that Hollywood celebrities that profit from those kinds of love the animals movies can help fray every penny she needs to continue her good work. Al Gore too can donate and maybe Caroline Kennedy. She can also write a book about it and make the rounds around all the important media outlets including Campbell Brown and The View.
I personally prefer the picture of Palin with her rifle shown in “Tragic News from up-North not for kids.” That is much more humane in my view. Not that I have the courage to do what Palin is capable of doing. But I admire Palin much more than Gretchen, if Gretchen has to resort to those sort of tactics, like begging to others to maintain her habit.
I think most people will prefer to donate to Obama’s inaugural celebration.
Gretchen’s “habit”? Of rescuing horses?? You think she should be shooting them instead?? Wow. Just freakin’ wow. That is really sad. The lack of compassion in your response is truly staggering.
And hell no, some of us have no desire to give that cheater, liar, and thief one thin dime.
OTOH, thanks, Bert! Yes, we do have great people serving in our military. We gave a donation to the USO just yesterday. Many think it receives federal funding, but it does not. If anyone else wants to donate to the USO, please click here: http://www.uso.org
Turn on the lights. ARE YOU LOST? Leave Gretchen alone. She is not to be bashed. She has been on our side from the get go.
I am an animal lover and would donate a kidney if I thought it would save one of my dogs. But to help a human…the list is short. Animals treat us better than most humans. I give to the local SPCA to help the shelter animals there. I wish I could do more, but I can’t. If every single person would even give $5 bucks, none of these animals survival would be in jeopardy. All of the rich people like Warren Buffett, hollywood, etc. have enough money to keep every single shelter/rescue afloat indefinitely.
I can give a few bucks to help the horses, love them too. Thank you for the post. Animals truly are a blessing from God.
T BOONES PICKENS beautiful billionare wife is a horse lover and would donate. Tell them to send her an email for a donation…
that link for their web site is not working, is this it?
http://www.peoplehelpinghorses.com/
RRRAmy, do you by any chance know what the privacy policy of the horse charity is? Due to data mining & lots of groups selling, trading & loaning info EVERYDAY I receive a min of 6-10 solicitations & groups that I only donated to once on an “emergency basis” are still hounding me years after my “one time donation”. I now use Charity Navigator to check them out first as I have also been suckered by groups only to find out later 90% of the money went to make fat cats fatter & only 10% went to the cause. I fully understand it takes yrs to get a Charity Navigator rating & little emergency groups may be legit & still not qualify. I even have charities sending nasty messages (like a bill collector) if my donations slide, etc… even brazen enough to call repeatedly on the phone, sending forms to include them in your will, etc. These tactics really taint the “joy” of giving. Years ago you could just slip a few dollars cash in your own envelope & feel good for helping ONE time but most groups now pay a service to open mail. A lot of it is big business, like United Way, where the fund raisers can make hundreds of thousands a yr. I’d like to buy the horses a bail or so of hay but can’t commit to supporting them into perpetuity & do not want on any more damn lists! Would gladly forfeit the benefit of a tax deduction for some anonminity.
Oh, that’s a good point. I know the Humane Soc. and ASPCA support this organization, and mentioned it in at least one of their magazines (which is how I found out abt it). Excellent point, though. They do send a fair number of appeals, to be honest. I haven’t found many that don’t, though…
If you want to be anonymous, though, I think they list a store they use, and you could probably backdoor a gift that way (like giving hay or something) and stay off their list, thus minimize appeals.
Hope that helps!
I’m interested to see the amazon.com ads here now offer something EVERYBODY needs for cheap…the blue ResQMe keychain tools. These babies will blast you and/or your loved ones out of your car when the next decrepit piece of our nation’s infrastructure collapses. I can’t say they actually work because I didn’t want to blast out my windshield if I didn’t have to. I do have faith, however. I often drive over the Bonner Bridge on Hwy. 12 on the Outer Banks of NC (”Nights in Rodanthe”), which has a safety rating of 2 out of 100 pts. I bought all of these tools from our local Brookstone store right after the Minneapolis collapse. If you don’t want to give to the horses, buy some ResQMe’s and donate to NQ.
Oh, and, I’m watching “Love Actually”. . .
The USO also offers real volunteer opportunities if you’re so inclined. Info on their web site.
Hi RRRA,
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for putting me on to freerice.com, I love the site and the feeling I’m helping in a small way (+ learning somthing, which is fun). Finances being what they are it’s all I can do at this time.
Thank you also for all your wonderful articles and work this year. You have a heart of gold.