Tuesday, September 30, 2008

There was wine and there was music


and it happened at Saturday's "Wine and Music at the Farm" festival held at the Lighthouse Farm Animal Sanctuary in Scio, Oregon.

A number of us volunteer "die-hards" arrived early to help clean out the barn and do set-up. There's nothing quite like a layer of clean straw to freshen up a place:

It's hard to believe this structure had multiple paddocks and scores of animals in it just a few hours earlier:

Plastic chairs and bales of straw were arranged for seating:

Food and auction items were set up on tables:

Music was provided by this fun duo:

Interestingly, our very first guests hadn't RSVP'd as requested. Regardless, Spring and Summer, the goat sisters, were quite persistent about joining the party:

Spring couldn't understand why she was repeatedly denied entry:

Human families (yup, that's my mom!) enjoyed wandering the farm, getting to know all the friendly and appreciative furry and feathered faces:

Oyte, the mini donkey, made a new friend. These two stood like this for a long time:

Happy kids and happy animals - these things make me smile:

Luke the pig, abandoned as a tiny piglet in the city streets of downtown Portland, is a favorite among the kids. Of course, he loves the attention:

Do you remember me introducing Pepper about a month and a half ago? She's one of the two horses the Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary recently rescued from starvation. She's still very underweight and requires extensive dental surgery, but she is already looking a lot better:

I had the opportunity to halter and lead her in front of the group so that Wayne, the founder of the sanctuary, could talk a bit about how she is faring since her rescue. She is the sweetest, gentlest horse I have been around in a long time:

My heart aches for all she has been through:
Jacks, the other horse rescued with Pepper, is looking wonderful:

It was a lively crowd for a while:

Yet, despite the fairly good turnout and a few generous souls, many people came early, ate the free food, visited with the animals, and then left without donating or contributing. Who am I to be angry or judgemental about this - everyone gives according to their ability, right? These are clearly tough financial times and I completely understand this, yet I still feel oddly taken advantage of. Maybe we didn't communicate our need well enough? I don't know. But let's hope that the people who felt unable to donate will instead give by spreading the word. Maybe they'll tell their families, friends, and colleagues about this farm and the vital role it plays in communities all across Oregon by caring for other people's neglected, abused and abandoned animals.

If the Lighthouse Farm didn't exist, who knows what would have happened to:

Oyte, the mini donkey, who used to guard a flock of sheep, but was abandoned by his family when they packed up their sheep and moved away - leaving him behind:

Jessie, the sheep, who fell off a truck and nobody noticed:

Chewy, the goat, abandoned by his owners:

and Roy, the steer who was on his way to slaughter:

These are just a few of the faces who have been rescued by this farm and are now able to live, free from hunger and fear, at the Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary.

Goats and a boy

18 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting that. I will donate to them. Thank God for their efforts. Do they have a website?

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  2. You are doing your part to help and to help spread the word. Take heart in that.I have enjoyed learning about them and have referred other people to your posts and to Lighthouse's website.

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  3. Youre doing a great thing by volunteering at the Lighthouse Sanctuary. And every time you talk about the sanctuary or blog about it, Im sure one more person walks away armed with the information they need to either make a donation or spread the word even further.

    The animals there are very fortunate that they have you and the team at the sanctuary to get the word out and advocate for them.

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  4. It sometimes doesn't come back right away, but you held a great thing and eventually you will see the benefits. Great job Danni !!!

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  5. As I drove away from Lighthouse yesterday, my heart was aching. I knew how much work, care, and love went into all the clean-up and preparation and then clean-up again. I knew that lots of people would show up to admire the beautiful rescued animals. I new that there would be food and wine and music. What I didn't know was that most of those people didn't find it in their hearts to contribute just a little in whatever fashion they might be able to. I noticed two (!) Ferraris in the parking area...
    BUT, thank you, Wayne, Daniella, and all of the other volunteers for giving so much of yourselves.

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  6. What a great event. Kudos for you for being a part of this all. I cannot imagine going to a benefit event and not contributing, sad isn't it? Good things will come to you all that do good deeds...what comes around goes around, you all ROCK!!!

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  7. What a pisser! Free food, drink and entertainment, they look at the animals and go home. Why did they show up? Hopefully they will mail in a check.

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  8. Looks like a great event. It is sad that people didn't contribute. That poor goat, I bet if you'd let her come in and eat soemthing she would have contributed.

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  9. You and the sanctuary are doing a very good thing. The fact that those people even showed up, shows that there is a spot somewhere in their hearts that's open to animals in need and the work of Lighthouse. Seeds were planted. Sometimes it can take a while before the harvest comes in. Only good can come from what is being done there.
    Blessings,
    Carolynn

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  10. Very thought provoking post; it makes me stop and wonder how many "free" events I've shown up to, but not donated to the cause. If it'a a blatant fundraiser, though, I show up with money for the bucket. But I have, for instance, wandered our local humane society, without tossing in a donation.

    I agree with Marcee though. Even if they didn't give, they walked away and talked about their weekend, and what wonderful things you're doing. Word-of-mouth is important, and can be very powerful.

    Great job!

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  11. Aw, dang! I'm sorry you're feeling a bit taken advantage of. I wish more people could give to such a wonderful cause, as well. I wish there were more places like the sanctuary. And I wish there were more people like you! *sigh* xoxo

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  12. It is really a hard time for non profit organizations. I know that the several that I volunteer to are all feeling the pinch. Maybe the people who were there and did not donate couldn't.

    I like to think that all people are good and that organizations like this will fare well.

    Do they do much in the way of grants? It seems to be the way to go now. I have a friend who is a grant writer and she is busier than ever!

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  13. Hi sue...thanks for your comment! Lighthouse Farm Animal Sanctuary does have a website. I have updated my post now so that the Lighthouse name is now a link to their website or you can type in: www.lighthousefarmsanctuary.org.
    :-)

    Thank you to everyone for your comments - as you can tell, I was feeling pretty low about this. When you invest your heart in something and the immediate "return" doesn't seem to be there, it can be disheartening. I am so worried about this winter - I know what last winter was like...mud (horrible awful stuff), insufficient fencing...medical needs...and way too limited funding. I really thought, through this event, we might be able to "put away" some for the upcoming winter, very similar to all the canning, dehydrating, and freezing that many of us are doing with our garden crops.

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  14. going to check out their website and donate. Thanks for letting us know. My basket is real expensive LOL It came from the dollar tree. :)

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  15. I made an online donation in honor of YOU and all you do. It's people like you who make the world a better place (and give me a chance to live the good life vicariously through your writing...)

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  16. Hi Peggy - thanks for writing and for wanting to donate. You are very, very kind.

    Hi Jen - I was so surprised to get your comment this morning - thank you so much. It has definitely made my day. I left a comment for you on your blog, too.

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  17. I'm sorry folks were such skunks and didn't donate. I dont' how they could've seen the animals and not given. :(
    I'm glad you all had a good time though.

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  18. Karma mate! It eventually catches people up. Love what you are doing and who you are supporting. The picture of Roy made me a bit nervous as we have two bull calves purchased from a local dairy, named Porter House and Chuck Roast, and they are eventually destine for our freezer. I like to think they are having a better life with us than they would have had in a veal facility or on the way to being dog food. Still, in my world they are food. We do offer them a good life and respect and give thanks for all the lives given that we might live. We also return everything to the land here to continue the cycle, but...

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