First off I want to thank everyone for being here tonight,
it’s always amazing to see how many people come out to our events to support
Project Sage. In 2011 at our annual
dinner dance fundraiser I announced that we would be rescuing out 100th
horse that summer, this year I’m thrilled to announce we will be rescuing out
200th horse this in just a few weeks. It’s an amazing feeling to have gotten this
far in just two years. 100 more horses
are safe and out of horse auctions and the slaughter pipeline thanks to Project
Sage and the support of everyone here tonight.
This past Monday we attended New Holland horse auction. Every week this auction is held and hundreds
of horses are shipped off to be inhumanly slaughtered. With the intention of saving 4 lucky horses
we left the auction with 9 animals in our trailer. It was heart breaking to leave behind young
horses and pregnant horses all that deserved a chance at a better life. But we must look forward at the horses and
donkeys we were able to help this week.
Three yearlings, a pregnant pony, a mare with her foal at her side, and
thoroughbred, and two donkeys now call Project Sage home. I’ve had the opportunity to spend a few days
with our new rescues and it saddens me to think of their fate had it not been
for our last minute decision to attend the auction. I’ve had the opportunity to ravish them with
love and affection and telling them they are safe. They are safe due to the hard work and
dedication of a 4th grade class in Bellmore that worked so hard this
year to raise over $2000 to sponsor a trip to the auction for Project
Sage. Their hard work paid off and now
all these animals have a new lease on life.
I want to take a moment to thank their teacher, Mrs. Grodin, for
teaching these children about Project Sage and working so hard with her
students to raise money. It was
inspiring to meet these students and see how proud they were of their hard work
and their excitement over having a part into rescuing horses. So thank you Mrs. Grodin for being an amazing
teacher, I can see your students will carry your lessons far into life with
them.
I have to take a moment to thank some people that are here
tonight that have made Project Sage grow into the amazing organization it is
today. First off my family for always
pushing me to move forward and to keep my head up even when life gets tough. Secondly, my cousin Steve for making my dream
a reality and always believing that I had it in me to turn my vision of Project
Sage into something amazing. And third,
my boyfriend Chris for putting up with my crazy life style of always being late
and loving this rescue as much as I do.
And of course thank to all of my volunteers that always put one foot in
front of another as they work so hard and never complain when we squeeze in
just one more horse or donkey that has no place to go. I’m blessed to have people at the farm that
love it as much as I do and put their heart and soul into it.
Some people have really gone above and beyond for me this
year and I want to acknowledge them.
First off, our guest of honor for the night, Ilene. Years ago I moved Sage into her barn and
spent months with him there that I will never forget. The tranquil setting and the peace I felt at
Brookville Farms with Sage was some of my fondest memories with him. When life dealt me some bad cards and Sage
was sick, Ilene was by my side fighting to keep my best friend alive. She drove to the hospital with us and held
Sage just as tight as I did. When we
lost him a few hours later it was Ilene who consoled my family on our
unimaginable lose. She always understood
the pain I felt after losing Sage and I was always thankful to have her on my
side. Years later as Ilene has taken on
the role as a foster mom to many Project Sage horses it gives me peace knowing
that these beaten down and battered horses get the chance to experience the
peace that I felt with Sage at Brookville Farms. With the help of her boarders and many other
people Ilene gives these horses the love and respect they deserve. They are always ready for their new homes
with a renewed peace and understanding of what unconditional love is. I can’t say enough good things about this
women who I’m blessed to have on my side.
Thank you Ilene for always going above and beyond for Project Sage.
Next I have to thank Janet and our friends at Ally Equine
Coalition. Janet makes it possible for
many of our horses to be fostered at Brookville farms and ensures they receive
the best care available. We send many of
our harder cases to be fostered and it amazes me what Ally Equine is able to do
with them. Serious injuries whether
mental or physical are healed with the help of Janet and her volunteers. It is with their help that we are able to
take in more horses that need rescue and rehab.
Thank you Janet for choosing to work with us and giving our horses a
safe haven.
Next I have to thank a man who has gone above and beyond for
Project Sage this year. George has
quickly become and asset to our farm. He
gutted our paddocks over the winter and put in an amazing water system that has
made day to day chores at Project Sage so much easier. He’s made sure that things can be as
efficient as possible at Project Sage and is always on hand when something
breaks or needs fixing. Which is more
often than not! George has also hauled
our horses back from auctions and bad situations and is always on hand for
emergencies. I’m so thankful to have him
as part of our team and I thank him for always giving so much to Project
Sage. We really would be lost without
him.
Every year I’ve chosen a Volunteer of the Year and this year
was a no brainer for me. Donnalyn has
been my right hand man this past year and has made things at Project Sage run
smoothly on the weekends. Every Saturday
and Sunday I walk into our farm and Donnalyn is already hard at work mucking
stalls and keeping everything in order.
She is the hardest working women I’ve ever met and has a love for the
horses that is unwavering. Week nights
after the farm is closed down and I’m home answering pages of e-mails I’m always relaxed
knowing that Donnalyn is doing her nightly check of all of our horses. I was ecstatic to have her adopt a Project
Sage horse and watch her rollercoaster of being a new horse owner. She always keeps a smile on my face on the
weekends when things are crazy and she keeps all the new volunteers busy. She’s given hundreds of tours and I always
remember her first day as a volunteer as I was taking down an old shed with a
sledge hammer and she happily helped me break the thing in pieces and carry it
to the curb. I guess at that point I
realized she would fit right in at Project Sage. She could put up with my level of crazy and
help me with any job that faced us.
Thank you Donnalyn for being such an asset this year. I could have not have made it through without
you and your huge heart.
Next I have to thank the only person I know that can handle
being my side kick. You can ask her and
find out it’s not an easy job. Andria
takes it all in stride as we are wrestling young horses and being kicked,
bitten, and scratched. Horse rescue
isn’t any easy job as Andria has learned this past year. She willingly gets on any horse that I tell
her is kind of broke and smiles for the camera and I video tape every time she
gets on something that we know needs a ton of training. The good times always come with the bad and
Andria has been at my side through all the bad this past year. We shared many tears this year saying goodbye
to some amazing horses as they passed on and we welcomed many new horses that
needed extreme love and attention. I’m
blessed to have found my best friend through Project Sage and to have someone
that loves all these horses at their best and worst as I do. Thank you Andria for making Project Sage your
life this past year and always being there for me. You are an exceptional friend and I’m not
sure what I would do without.
My next thank you is to my amazing mom who has made tonight
possible. She has put countless hours
into this dinner and has turned it into a huge success. We would not be sitting here at this amazing
event if it was not for her hard work and drive to make this our best event
yet. Thank you mom for always pushing me
forward even when life beats me down and to have taught me to keep my head up
and do what I love in life. You always
taught me to face adversity head on and speak up for what I believe in and I’ve
become a better person for it. Project
Sage would not be where it is today without you being on my sideline of
life. So thank you, for being there for
me and always telling me that hard work pays off.
My last thank you is to Donna Kye. Words can’t express my gratitude to Donna for
making Project Sage such a huge role in her life. Donna has been on this crazy roller coaster
from the beginning and has seen Project Sage develop into an amazing
organization. Donna has turned this
dinner into her life the past few months and made sure everything was
perfect. She is always at the barn
volunteering and even though she always makes faces at me when we squeeze in
one more horse or donkey she is the first one giving them horse treats. Thank
you Donna for believing in Project Sage from the start and always putting up
with me and all the tasks I throw your way.
You will never know how thankful I am to you for being there for all of
our horses.
