Sanctuary News and Notes
The past year has been our busiest yet at Poplar Spring. Now in our sixth year, we continue to educate thousands of visitors annually about farm animals and wildlife, and the inhumane treatment that so many suffer from. We have opened our hearts and farm to many new animals who desperately needed a home, including chickens who were left to starve at a bankrupt egg laying facility, abandoned pigs who had fallen from trucks, a one-horned goat found wandering on a highway, and many others. Our newest arrivals are two mules, Hal and Gloria, who were rescued by a kind woman who witnessed their former owner punishing them by tying their head to their hoof. All these wonderful animals will now be able to live out their lives at the Sanctuary, with plenty of fresh grass and space to roam, nourishing food to eat, warm comfortable barns filled with hay to sleep in, and all the love and encouragement we can give them. This is only possible due to the incredible help and continued support from all our caring friends.
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Hal and Gloria the mules looking for handouts. |
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Poplar Spring recently joined with Potomac Community Resources, which provides opportunities for individuals with developmental differences, to host a project for National Youth Service Day. The group constructed and erected dozens of bluebird houses on the Sanctuary's protected grounds.
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Members of Potomac Community Resources help build bluebird houses. |
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Our two big events for the year, the Montgomery County Farm Tour in July, and our annual Open House and Fundraiser in October, were both huge successes. Over 800 people attended each event. Farm Tour visitors enjoyed hayrides, refreshments, and the animals, along with purchasing donated treasures at our giant yard sale.
Our fifth annual Open House and Fundraiser was our largest ever, and raised over $37,000. for the animals. In addition to meeting and interacting with the animals, children and adults alike had a great time, thanks to entertainment by Dave Kitchen and the Demolition, Candy Cane the Clown, delicious food, teas donated by Honest Tea, and a silent auction. We were honored to have Gail Eisnitz, of the Humane Farming Association and author of Slaughterhouse, as our keynote speaker, who captivated the audience with her inspirational talk. A big thanks to all the businesses and volunteers who made this day possible, especially Memar Sadeghi of Thyme Square in Bethesda, MD who very generously donated his services, along with delicious appetizers and pasta.
In November we were lucky enough to have spring like weather for our annual Thanksgiving celebration with the turkeys. This year the vegan potluck event was held outside in the picnic area, and the turkeys clearly loved their special table filled with breadcrumbs, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapes, and kale.
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Alice, Ann Marie and Olivia have a special table at Thanksgiving celebration.
Photo: Marie Gleason |
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Valentine's Day was a special time for the animals, too, after the wonderful Valentine Fundraiser held in their benefit at the Capitol Hill home of Tony Rodham. A silent auction with items donated by Peter Max, Tony Rodham, and others helped raise over $5,400 for the rescued animals. Thanks to volunteers extraordinaire Marianne Merritt, Nancy Perry, Kirsten Rosenberg, and Susan Solarz, who worked many long hours planning and co-hosting this event.
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