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Feb 2009 Hello Everyone, How are you holding up over this extremely long winter? There is hope – Carie & Torka are starting to shed already. I wrote the line above 2 weeks ago. Now all the Fjords are shedding, & lucky for us, Sara has started grooming some of that winter coat off of them. Today we had a major melt, but that made the ice on the driveway treacherous. The horses were very spunky when I was getting hay – lots of chasing, jumping up in the air, kicking at the air, and acting like they wanted to bite each other. Spring must be close! Even North Star was bucking & kicking. In this newsletter, you will find the riding schedule for 2009. We have set up a 6 week spring session, a six week summer session, and a six week fall session. Read through the info on the NEWS page. We need volunteers for each session. Please encourage friends & family members to join us. Volunteer training classes are listed on the calendar, too. Check through all the dates on the calendar – I tried to list everything we have planned so far – training, classes, fund raisers, our show, and banquet. Please hang up the calendar, so you can check it often. We are hoping that the way we have set up classes will make it easier for riders and volunteers to be there for as many classes as possible. So, please read through the whole newsletter – it’s not very long, & there are some very important notes to keep y’all informed. See you soon, Chris 2009 Donors – Jan. & Feb. Presbytery of Winnebago -- $1,000.00 from Mission Commission Grant Cynthia Feay & Ameriprise Financial -- Cash Donation – Employee Giving Campaign Jan & Joe Orenic – Cash Donation Eric & Darci Swenson -- Adoption of Sol donation Karen Netzel -- Cash Donation Ralph & Jackie Horsens -- Cash Donation The Ruth & Pat Crawford Family Foundation -- $3,700.00 for insulation of indoor arena Stan & Joanne Grazdiel -- Cash Donation Zig’s Hideaway -- Cash Donation from Benefit Night Mielke Family Foundation -- $5,000.00 for insulation of indoor arena First Presbyterian Church -- $300.80 from Mission Commission Fund United Way Fox Cities -- $206.11 Jack & Lenore Albers -- Cash Donation Community Foundation for the Fox Valley -- $1,236.82 through the Open House for Giving Hearts – Donations from Dolores Schweitzer, Janet Crawford, Donna Thomas, Anna Sperberg, Kevin Culhane, & Thomas Grover Memorial for Carl Radtke -- from the Baldwin’s A full list of Day at the Races donors will be in the next newsletter. Thank you to all our donors. We couldn’t do this without you!If I missed anyone, I apologize. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Volunteer Help Needed for Farm Maintenance Sometimes we hear from people who want to help out, but don’t have time to participate in classes. There are several projects that we could use help completing. Here’s a list of some things needing attention. Some of the jobs need a foreman/coordinator; others can be done anytime, or during classes, if we have extra volunteers. Call if you can take on a project. Fence repair – putting in new posts, running wire.Shed repair – replacing boards on one, a whole new post & wall replacement of the other.Fill in & level dirt between panels & wall in indoor arena.Removing cobwebs in barn.Cleaning tack.Weed-eating around buildings & arenas.Grooming horses not being used in class.Lubricate overhead door in indoor arena once a month.Photography, video taping, put together scrapbooks. Build a goat pen & small shed. ********RRR NEWS FLASH ****** ******Please make sure you go over the whole calendar & post it where it is easy to check.***** Rider News -- This year we have decided to extend our riding season.With the help of the indoor arena, we will schedule a spring session, a summer session, and a fall session. Each session will be 6 weeks long. Spring & fall classes will be Wednesdays & Thursdays at 4:00p.m. and 5:15p.m. Summer classes will be Tuesdays & Thursdays at 4:00p.m. and 5:15p.m., Wednesdays at 5:00p.m. and 6:15p.m., and Fridays at 9:00a.m., 10:15a.m., and 11:30a.m. Each session will cost $75.00. Sign-up will be first come, first served. Call soon! Class size will depend on volunteer availability. We would like to keep classes limited to 4 riders per class. This year, we would like families to commit to having at least one family member volunteer during your rider’s class. Volunteers should be at least 13 years old. All volunteers should attend a volunteer training session. You will not necessarily be paired with your rider during class. We appreciate all your help. Volunteer News -- We have a new Volunteer Coordinator – Tony Jagla. We are sorry, Sue, that you will not be continuing as Coordinator, and thank you for all the years you have given us. Sue, your charming ways and organizational skills are fabulous.Tony, and his wife, Carrie, started volunteering last fall. Tony & Carrie have been horse owners for many years, and Tony is also a farrier. Now that our classes are scheduled, Tony will be contacting you to see when you can fit us into your schedule, and to see if you know of anyone else who might like to become a volunteer. You will get to know Carrie, too, because she will be instructing this year. Check out the calendar to see the full schedule. We have scheduled 3 Volunteer Training sessions – May 2, June 27, & Sept. 19. New volunteers should attend at least one training session, but all volunteers are invited. It’s a great time for experienced volunteers to see each other again, for all volunteers get to know each other better, and a time to help new volunteers learn from your experience. We are looking forward to spring, & seeing all of you again. As soon as the temperatures are a little more comfortable, I will need help getting horses & the farm ready for classes. I don’t know when that will be, or what day & time, but if you send me an e-mail (
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), a note, or call me (526-6400), to let me know you want to help, I’ll let you know when we can start.I hope to have time to set up a volunteer riding class again this year. Several volunteers helped us exercise horses one afternoon a week last year. This gives you an opportunity to ride, & gives the horses a little different focus to keep them from becoming bored in class.If you would like to participate, please call or e-mail me. Once classes are scheduled, I will Be able to set a day & time for volunteer riding, & I will send a postcard or e-mail to anyone who has contacted me. See you soon! IF ANYONE VISITS THE FARM FROM NOW ON, PLEASE PARK ONLY ON THE DRIVEWAY. YOU WILL SINK IN IF YOU PARK ON THE LAWN, & I DON”T WANT TO HAVE TO PULL YOU OUT WITH THE TRACTOR!
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