During this holiday season, many individuals chose to give back to their community in several inspiring ways. GoHorseShow.com talked to some industry professionals and equine enthusiasts who shared their good deeds. Helping others is considered by many better than receiving presents.
This week my seven year-old son, Hunter, saved a Mourning Dove from the mouth of one of our dogs. The trek to the wildlife rehabilitation center, Walden’s Puddle, was an eye opening experience for my son who was able to see individuals trying to save injured wildlife in our community. He also had the opportunity to see hawks, owls, turtles, squirrels, and possums that were rehabbed, but were unable to return to the wild due to various reasons. They are now used as educational animals to teach the community about the wildlife in our area. My son also received a certificate of appreciation from Walden’s Puddle thanking him for saving the life of a Mourning Dove. Hunter also donated twenty dollars from his savings account to the wildlife center, and the proud look on his face was priceless when he handed over the money. One of the volunteers at the center mentioned to him that it was incredible that he saved a dove’s life during the holiday season since it is a symbol of life, hope, renewal and peace. The lesson he learned from this experience was the best gift ever!
As an employee of GoHorseShow.com, I am also honored to be involved with a company that gives back to the equine community in several ways including the Trainer Bowl which will be held next month. This will be the third year of the competition that helps raise money by readers voting and donating money to each trainer’s specific charity organization that reaches the finals. The trainer that raises the most money for their charity wins the competition. The last two years, the Trainer Bowl has raised over $75,000, with 100 percent of it going to charity!
Let’s see what other horse lovers are doing this holiday season or have done this year to help people and animals in need.
Patty Shortino—Brandy Halladay (whose husband is top professional baseball player Roy Halladay) and three other girls from our barn did a Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Walk in St. Petersburg, Florida where we raised $30,000 for this charity. It was a sixty mile walk where we had to walk 20 miles a day for three days. We also had to camp out in a pink tent where we won the tent decorating contest. One day I just walked into my barn office and said to Robin and Brandy that I was going to walk 60 miles for Susan G Komen and asked who wanted to go with me. I have to tell you that Joey supported us in every fundraiser we did and was there to cheer us on, he just could not believe that I would sleep in a tent. I am not exactly the camping type. 87 cents of a dollar donated goes to help individuals fighting cancer. It was the most rewarding thing I have ever done. It is such a great worthy cause, and we have signed up next year to do it again.
Carey Nowacek—Over the holidays my family always “adopts” an underprivileged family in our community for Christmas. Actually we usually adopt two. With this, we get a list of the members of the family, the ages and sexes of the family members, and a couple things that are on their Christmas lists. We as a family buy gifts for the families then wrap them and take them to the families we adopted. It is such an awesome feeling to know that you have helped someone less fortunate!
Lainie DeBoer—A couple of years ago we decided as a barn that instead of exchanging presents between all of us, we would “adopt a family” through the Salvation Army. We choose a family that typically has a mom, dad, and several children. Each person gets assigned a person and then we go shopping. We all get together at my customers Bakery and we make cookies and pizza, and wrap presents for each family member. Its such an awesome night and we feel like we are really giving to people in need.
Stephanie Griffin—Volunteerism has always been a big part of my life but my parents were especially dedicated to it at Christmas so as my son gets older it will be important for me to pass that legacy along to him. We always took presents and food to less fortunate families and it was very eye opening for me as a child to learn that not everyone was blessed with a family, Christmas tree, presents or a holiday meal. In college I interned at a Homeless Center for a semester and later worked at a shelter for victims of domestic violence for a couple of years and have never forgotten the people that I met through those experiences, especially the children.
Karen Evans Mundy–As far as the giving back for Christmas, for two or three years, my family decided to not give each other presents and to buy presents for kids and families in need. We would buy clothes, toys and food for the families and would actually deliver the things ourselves to their home on Christmas morning. I remember one Christmas, my husband Don and I went to the home of this family to deliver the things we had bought, and they had no furniture in the home. They only had a mattress laying on the floor. We opened the refrigerator and there was absolutely nothing in there. It felt so good to know that we could fill their refrigerator with food and they could have a great Christmas meal. The look on the kids faces when they opened their gifts was priceless. They were looking at their parents and us as if they didn’t know what to do. We told them, these things are for you to keep. It really makes you realize how much we all have and take for granted when you actually see something like this. It was one of the most gratifying things I have ever done.
Melissa Dukes—We usually like to take gifts to a child at the Pythian Home here in Weatherford. It’s a home for children who have families who had to give them up but without relinquishing their rights, but some of the children wouldn’t have any presents without donations….this year my two kids got to go and give one boy all of his gifts and that was really special to them. They really are learning the true meaning of Christmas!
Michelle Forness—I am a CASA (court appointed special advocate) so instead of buying a lot of stuff for ourselves we buy the family a lot of gifts and have them delivered by “Santa” a/k/a Fed Ex
Debby Brehm-— Two years ago we sold our movie theatre company but we continue to bring an entire elementary school to the movies the first Friday morning in December. 500 kids receive free pop, popcorn, and a toy bag plus they get to see a current movie. We even rent the school buses to bring them to the theatre. Many of these kids get to see one movie a year, and that is the one we bring them too. All are so appreciative and send us wonderful thank you notes. I see many of the same faces year after year.
Lisa Krohn—Cody and I join my co-workers and volunteer at the Aliveness Project in Minneapolis, an organization that help families who are dealing with AIDS/HIV. We wrap gifts, sort toys and make scarves from bolts of fleece. Then they distribute boxes of gifts to the families they serve. Always a good start to the holiday season.
Lori Bucholz—-I volunteer all year, sitting on various boards and serving on committees in my community. My husband, Rick, and I also serve on the Advisory Committees for the Equine Sciences Departments at Colorado State University and Texas A & M University. I’m also an AQHA National Director and serve on the Foundation Council. I used to be an adoption counselor at the Nebraska Humane Society; helping dogs, cats and other small animals get adopted to loving homes. That got too tough, though because every time I worked I always wanted to bring home a dog or cat!. Especially this time of year!
Like most others, I donate clothing and food items to our local shelters and buy toys for organizations doing local toy drives. And of course, I can’t pass a Salvation Army volunteer with their red kettles, ringing a bell, without donating a little something! You just have to put something in those red kettles and help those volunteers, especially when they’re out in the Nebraska winter weather!!
Jeff Johns—Christmas is always such a special time of year and it gives many of us a chance to reflect on what we are blessed with and acknowledge those that aren’t as fortunate as we are. When I was growing up, my mom would always take my two brothers and I to the mall and we would each adopt an angel from the Salvation Army Christmas tree. We would then spend all day running around the mall trying to buy everything on the list for our Angels. This was a tradition that lasted up until we all went away to college. Now, each year I buy some presents and give them to Toys For Tots. I should be doing a lot more but it just seems like life has sped up a lot since then and sometimes this is the only way to get things done.
Daren Wright—Just recently I actually went to a thrift store not far from my office and paid for some items for a couple ladies who clearly had no alternative but to shop at the thrift store. They were so, so grateful for the few dollars I spent on them and it really made them feel good that someone did something nice for them.
Dakota Diamond Griffith—Our
good friend lost her beloved horse and dog this past week in a
devastating fire as well as her “dream” barn, and all of its contents.
Her husband suffered severe burns freeing their remaining 4 horses that
she lovingly refers to as her “kids”. As her “kids” recover at our farm
outside Columbus, I am hoping to sell my vast collection of hunt jackets
at the Gold Coast to benefit a friend in need. If you are a Marigold
size 8, please see me at Gold Coast for a great selection of gently used
“lucky” jackets and other show items that have meant a lot to me during
my fairytale career with Hope. Though it’s not exactly Princess Di’s
dress auction, I hope y’all will take a look and it is a great way to
give back to someone in need this holiday season.
Here are some quotes to think about regarding helping others and giving back to the community. Everyone have a great Christmas and safe new year!
A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. ~Saint Basil
If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. ~Bob Hope
Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up. ~Jesse Jackson
