Once again, SUNSHINE SPELLS SUCCESS!
Bright, sunny skies combined with gorgeous horses and friendly folks added up to another successful Christmas Open House for the Horses at the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals, New England’s premier horse shelter. With the support of IDEXX and many other generous sponsors, on Sunday, December 4th more than 2,000 excited visitors thronged the big barn to meet rehabilitated horses, enjoy holiday treats, experience great shopping opportunities, and bring good cheer. A long, happy line quickly formed to enjoy a ride about the neighborhood in the big wagons pulled by Doc, Chief, Taz, and Dillon of the J L Gray Draft Horses as well as Jim and Barney of Stillbrook Acres.
The annual open house is the Society’s largest on-site fundraising event and 2016’s party was a hit by every measure. From the thousands of guests to the many generous individuals and businesses who supported the event and all its activities – face painting, ornament and jewelry making, impressive raffle items and merchandise sales, equine demonstrations, the event raised nearly $22,000 to benefit once-abused or neglected horses.
Chris Lombard Horsemanship and his horse, Rocky captivated audiences throughout the day. Vendors and artists supplied guests with ample holiday shopping opportunities including work by author and photographer, Helen Peppe, fine art by Jennifer Zulker and a mini-store setup by Windham Blue Seal Feeds. The event would not have been complete without a round of “Jingle Bells” led by volunteer Don Cook, Portland Sea Dogs very own Slugger The Sea Dog and MSSPA mascot, Baxter.
Dunkin’ Donuts donated beaucoup hot chocolate, coffee, and baked goods and everywhere inside and out and the barns, horses sniffed small fingers, accepted kind kisses, and delighted families by showing off high spirits in keeping with the day.
Special thanks to Royal River Natural Foods, Subway S and Buck’s Naked BBQ of Windham for keeping our volunteers well-fed and energized during the event.
Thank you to everyone who participated. Whether you were one of the more than 50 volunteers working to make the event safe and productive, a sponsor without whom it wouldn’t have been possible to stage the event or a first time visitor, please accept the sincere gratitude of the Board of Directors, staff, and the animals. You make the Society’s success not only possible, but delightful reality.
Many thanks to all of our raffle item donors and our sponsors, all listed below.
Photos and video to come soon!
SPONSORS
Idexx
Windham Blue Seal Feeds
Dunkin Donuts & @The Wolak Group
Giroux Energy Solutions
Hancock Lumber Company
Peoples Wealth Management
Preti Flaherty Beliveau Pachios & Haley LLP
Seidl, L Jr Trucking
Shaw Brothers Construction
The Gallop Gang 4-H Club
The Tumbleweeds Tripod
UBS & Carole Taylor
RAFFLE ITEM DONORS
Shirley Alexander
Aroma Joe’s Windham
Back Cove Equine Veterinary Care
Blossoms Of Windham
Windham Blue Seal Feeds
Baker Brook Farm Creamery
Basil and Melanie Champniss
Carol Tidd
Chutes Family Restaurant Breakfast and Lunch
Cooper Charolais Farm
Dark Horse Equestrian Center
Sharon Lee
Lowe’s Home Improvement
Maine Distributors
Maine Correctional Center Industries
Mister Bagel Windham
My Maine Soap
Janet Neal
Oceanwood
Silly’s Restaurant
Maureen Stout
Sweet Annie’s of Maine
Martha Tame
Tanorama Tanning
The Good Life Market
Portland Sea Dogs
The Tumbleweeds Tripod
Turtle Sky Farm
Windham Barber Shop
Jennifer Zulker
and many anonymous donors!
SPECIAL THANKS
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Volunteers in Police Service
Maine Department of Corrections, Industry Store
Royal River Natural Foods
Slugger and the Portland Sea Dogs
WCSH 6
WGME CBS 13 News, Portland
Windham Fire Department
