Operation Colorado Wildfire Aid Hay Drive

This past Saturday, I woke up pumped up to start the day off to collect hay donations at Simmons Equestrian Center at their Firecracker Classic.  We got there, parked, and realized the show was going to be a lot smaller than expected.  We barely got the tent set up near the semi (pictured below) before it was time to get saddled and ride!

All of us on TEAM DO3 was so hopeful that we would get a great start on the filling that semi Saturday and Sunday.  However, as the day progressed, I had only eight bales of hay gathered.

I swear I heard an echo as I yelled "hellooooo" down into that semi!  As I was trying to make myself feel better with joking about the lack of hay we gathered.  However, we did manage to raise $140 over the weekend to put towards fuel.  Plus, what we raised online for fuel, made it a total of $520 in fuel money raised!  Therefore, at the end of the day as we left the showgrounds, empty for the most part, I decided to call somebody to purchase 200 bales with the fuel money, as Rob & Karrin at RFCampf Trucking decided to also donate the fuel cost out to Colorado and back!  (which will probably be about $2,000!!!)  Therefore, allowing me to buy some hay with the $520 donated for fuel to get the semi started on filling up!  We used about $200 of the tshirt money as well.

I contacted Dean Yates, and he delivered 205 bales, not charging for the delivery fee, and only charging for 200 bales!  So a big thank you to Dean! 

After we got home that evening, I sulked.  Very sad at our attempt to get a semi filled!  208 bales were in that semi, and to fill it we probably needed about 600!  I had my hubby take me out for a big fat strawberry shortcake sundae at Brewsters!  While sulking over it, a friend of ours saw our sad situation online, called her brother who sells hay at Campbell Farm and they donated 200 bales!!!  It was a certain lift-me-up!    On Sunday, in the afternoon after the barrel race, my hubby and I went and picked up our friends (who may I add are non-horse people who stepped up to the plate!), and we went and loaded our horse trailer first with about 88 bales!  Also, a "hay fairy" dropped off several more bales of hay overnight! 

Sean & his red solo cup squinting into the sun!

Wayne Hartle & Jody Campbell

Then we borrowed Dave Treehorn's stock trailer and they headed out to get the other 122 or so bales.  Recruiting some help from two other non-horsey people as well, James and Billy!  Thanks guys!  You saved us!  By the time night fell Sunday, even during a thunder storm they had unloaded the rest and there were 434 bales of hay as we closed it up and headed home, hopeful that the rest of the TEAM DO3 could pull through to fill it up! 

Kylie Wells volunteered to go get the 50 bales in E. Canton Ohio from Debra Meyer today!  Thanks Debra for your contribution!

Then Kylie headed to Trumbull County Fairgrounds to assist Brittany Hall and her crew from the BSB & 4H who gathered over 100 more bales!

TEAM DO3 members Kylie Wells & Brittany Hall

RFCampf Trucking Last bit of hay going to Co

Our HERO truck driver, Gary Gremminger who will be delivering the almost 600 bales!

So, after all, TEAM DO3 succeeded in this mission-"Operation Colorado Wildfire Aid" Hay Drive!  We filled that semi, with alot of sweat from alot of volunteers and alot of hay and money donated through very caring people! 

We still continue to take tshirt orders to help us be able to write a big fat check to them as well to purchase whatever else they need.  The shirts will be on sale until this Friday, then they will be sent to print and we will determine the final tally after all shirts get shipped, hay that we bought is deducted, etc., but as of right now,  we've raised over $1800 in shirt sales to donate.  I am hoping we reach $2000!!!  So keep the tshirt orders coming!!!

Click here to purchase yours TODAY!!!

So, until our next mission-TEAM DO3 will continue to fight along side one another for Cancer, Heart Disease and Animal Rescues!  We all certainly enjoyed taking this mission on!  Stay tuned for our next!