Once I decided to have a silent auction for this handsome horse, things exploded for me and my Facebook page! I thought at first, this auction I'd have would have several Steeler items autographed, some of my tshirts and other items that I had in my closet specifically for fund raisers. However, day after day, people would send me messages wanting to add more items. I was overwhelmed at the response I received! Companies contacting me, instead of me contacting them. Everybody joined together to help this horse. It is totally the way I envisioned TEAM DO3! So to me, all these companies and people that have stepped up to help this poor horse get well-they are all temporary Team members! At present time, there are over 180 items! At last calculation, which was two nights ago, the total bids were over $5700!!! There are so many wonderful things there to purchase and I am sure, up until the deadline I had to give (which is September 14, as the auction ends on Sept 17), there will continue to be items added.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/254128104708549/?notif_t=group_r2j#!/media/set/?set=a.274634019302947.48458.138438359589181&type=3
The Tshirts, those are taking off as well! Sandra Whitcomb, a TEAM DO3 member certainly brought to life the vision I had in my mind when I told her. It literally brought tears to my eyes when I saw what she had drawn.
Currently, when I left my office Friday, the tally was over 250 shirts! My goal once I saw how the response was for the auction and the Tshirts, I said I hoped to raise over $10,000 for Northstar's continued care. I have no doubt in my mind that these two fund raisers will do just that!
As it seems with everything however, when good things are happening, there has to be a troll that comes out from underneath some rock, to try to crush those that are trying to do good . The ladies that I have been working closely with along with Northstar's family, informed me through the page set up on Facebook that there was somebody questioning our efforts and claiming a "misrepresentation of funds collected". This one person, questioning our honestly just really blew all of us away. All of us, have been working around the clock with little sleep, stressing over how were we going to raise enough to get him the care he needed. Answering a ton of emails, and private messages on Facebook constantly. It was all about the horse. It was Northstar that kept us pushing forward. Not one of us cared about the time we were putting into all of this. Not one of us even had any thoughts of making a dime off of this for our own personal use. We were doing what we were for that horse! For this crime that was committed and to hopefully get him the justice he deserves. People have their jealousies I suppose, and want to take down a community of equestrians that are coming together to help a horse that was unfairly targeted.
We had a conference call on Friday. Some of us were ready to shut everything down and bail. Myself, I was ready to call off the auction, refund all the tshirt money and be done too. Instead, we all determined that Northstar could not suffer for nothing. We had to come together, organize, and find a way to make it so this could never happen again without justice! Therefore, we formed "Northstar Equine Foundation", in which I am proud to say I am on the Board as Secretary.
When Jayne May, President of Northstar Equine Foundation, talked to Northstar's owner, Jessie, asking her what we all should do, was it too much even for her, as we all were feeling that it was beginning to get overwhelming with all the hours put in, now being attacked and our efforts questioned, and then of course all the reporters. Jessie said: "We ask those horses trust us, Jayne. We have to fight for them. I think we can make a real difference now. And then, what happened to Northstar... He wouldn't have suffered for nothing. I think we can do good things. You need to fight." With those words, we all stood tall, and went right back to work-ignoring the negative things people would say. We all know the truth. We know we are here for Northstar, nothing more. Not for fame, not for fortune, but to save his life as he so deserves that chance. With Northstar Equine Foundation, we will try to get the laws changed in Pa that these crimes aren't just a slap on the wrist. We will continue to raise money in the future, after Northstar is well, for other animals that suffer the same fate. I look forward to the years to come serving on this Board! I think it is a wonderful partnership with Dreaming of Three. With that being said, Northstar Equine Foundation will be one of the charities that Team DO3 riders can donate their earnings.
You can follow more of all the news coverage, and articles at www.helpnorthstar.com
Not only have we formed this new organization, but Ohio State University has also started a fund called the Northstar's Fund, as so many people, even though his bills are going to be covered by an anoyomous donator, wanted to give money. Therefore, they want to set this fund up to help cover costs of other such animals that come into their facility as well.
http://vet.osu.edu/cvm/badly-burned-horse-making-progress-ohio-state%E2%80%99s-veterinary-medical-center-faces-long-road-recove
So although it was a rough week of late nights, tears, stress over a troll-the weekend is closing with much excitement for Northstar, as he is healing and doing well considering the circumstances. Some infections that are being watched. Bloodwork all good.
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| Northstar at OCU after his first treatments. |
I will be visiting Northstar next week with some of the other Board members and Jessie, Northstar's owner. I know there will be alot of tears for the pain this horse is enduring. However, I will be so happy to give him a kiss on that muzzle, and to let him know how many people love him. He may never look like the horse he was before this brutal attack, but he will always be beautiful to all of us out here that fell in love with him from afar.
